As part of Hay Castle and Meadow Arts’ BorderLands project, artist Emily Hedges is leading a creative engagement programme exploring borders, identity, belonging and place. Working with communities whose lives are shaped in different ways by borders—geographical, cultural and personal—the project reimagines borders not as barriers, but as places of connection.
At its heart is a collaborative textile artwork bringing together people from the Welsh border region and people seeking sanctuary in Wales. Through workshops at Hay Castle attended by people seeking sanctuary in Newport and Swansea, participants are creating a patchwork embroidered with the Welsh border in warm red and neutral tones. The work becomes a shared expression of identity, welcome and cultural exchange. Highlights of the project include an exchange visit to the Newport refugee support group The Gap Sanctuary and sharing food made by many of the participants.
The workshops bring together established sewing and embroidery groups from Hay-on-Wye with people seeking sanctuary contacted through Hay, Brecon & Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees (HBTSR). By sharing skills, stories and creative practices, participants build relationships while reflecting on how borders have shaped their lives.
Alongside the wider BorderLands exhibition, featuring regional, Welsh and international artists, the project includes artist-led walks and creative workshops inspired by the border landscape. Local residents, walkers, visitors, young people, volunteers and HBTSR members all contribute to conversations between those whose families have long lived on the border and those whose journeys have crossed many borders before finding sanctuary in Wales. Emily Hedges is documenting these shared experiences through the collaborative artwork, with the outcomes to be shared through the exhibition and online.
Against the backdrop of the 2026 Welsh Senedd elections, BorderLands highlighted the value of creative activity in encouraging conversations about belonging, migration and identity while celebrating the rich culture of the Welsh borderlands.
HBTSR has supported people seeking sanctuary since 2015 and has developed a long-standing relationship with Hay Castle, beginning with one of its earliest welcome days before the castle’s refurbishment. As a project partner, the charity is working closely with Emily Hedges to facilitate workshops with support groups in Newport and Swansea, assist with visits to Hay Castle, and contribute volunteer time, expertise and established relationships with refugee communities.
Creative participation builds confidence, supports wellbeing and creates opportunities for friendship and mutual understanding. Previous quilting and textile projects—including the Friendship Quilt, made by individuals at home during lockdown—have become lasting symbols of welcome and connection. There is strong enthusiasm among the communities HBTSR supports for opportunities such as these, with visits to Hay Castle and regular quilting sessions consistently proving popular.
By bringing together artists, volunteers, local residents, visitors and people seeking sanctuary, BorderLands continues this tradition of shared creativity, demonstrating how art can transform borders from lines of division into places of encounter, understanding and hope.
The third collaborative visit took place in Hay Castle on 12th August and involved more than 25 people stitching, sharing stories and food. The sessions have proved so enjoyable that plans are being made to keep in touch and meet to share recipes and other craft endeavors. On this occasion time was made to explore Hay and one lady was amazed to see the Malian flag celebrating Hay being twinned with Timbuktu. She came from the neighbouring country of Guinea. Another participant remarked ‘Thank you, we had a great time together and we enjoyed a lot. It helped us to forget all the stress we faced with the Home Office last week.’
Emily and the regular quilting group in Hay will stitch the pieces together onto an old Welsh blanket to ensure that this collaborative ar with be displayed with the names of all participants.
