About

ASSEMBLE is a transnational cultural programme and a direct response to the climate emergency at the intersection of conflict, ecological decline and displacement. Through professional development, capacity building, audience development and international exchange, it nurtures the emergent practices of displaced and marginalised artists and curators.

Displacement is an inherently global concern. By mid-2024, 122.6 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide — nearly three times the figure from the year 2000. Within Europe alone, 13 million displaced people have sought refuge, with millions more internally displaced. These are not abstract statistics: they represent artists, curators and cultural professionals whose creative lives have been interrupted by conflict, violence and repression.

ASSEMBLE was formed in recognition of an urgent need for sustained, long-term support — support that goes beyond one-off emergency measures or highly restrictive opportunities. We challenge the tendency to position displaced artists solely as mediators, cultural ambassadors or storytellers of migration. While those roles matter, displaced practitioners deserve space to develop their own work on their own terms.

ASSEMBLE creates vibrant, open sites for artistic production and dialogue: shared spaces of curiosity, collaboration and critical thought, where ecology, displacement and cultural resilience meet.

ASSEMBLE brings together a consortium of cultural organisations from Cyprus, Ukraine, Spain and Belgium to deliver a structured programme of:

Curatorial Labs — hybrid and in-person intensive sessions for displaced artists and curators, exploring professional practice, digital tools and ecological thinking

International Residencies — time, space and expert mentorship to develop new work and international networks

Capacity Building — training and resources for both individual practitioners and the organisations that support them

Networking and Exchange — connecting practitioners across borders, building lasting professional communities

The programme is co-designed with its participants, grounded in the lived realities of displacement in Cyprus, Ukraine and Spain.

Co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

The North East UK fellowship and engagement is funded by Arts Council England.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.