Cuture Bridge ( Kurdish Arts and Culture) was formed in 2018 to support Kurdish community and promote Kurdish arts and culture in Greater Manchester.
Led by Chinnar Najib, a visual artist, teacher and mother of three originally from Kurdistan. With the support from Sheba Arts, the group become constituted in 2020 and raised funds to deliver projects for refugee and asylum seeking people. The two organisation have been collaborating on various projects including the celebrating diversity festival 2019, Stockport, 'Sharing & Caring and 'Cooking Project' in 2021. Culture Bridge became a CIC in 2022.
Led by Chinnar Najib, a visual artist, teacher and mother of three originally from Kurdistan. With the support from Sheba Arts, the group become constituted in 2020 and raised funds to deliver projects for refugee and asylum seeking people. The two organisation have been collaborating on various projects including the celebrating diversity festival 2019, Stockport, 'Sharing & Caring and 'Cooking Project' in 2021. Culture Bridge became a CIC in 2022.
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I’ve arrived in UK in 2002 with my family; with a BA in English, and several languages including my mother tongue -Kurdish- , Arabic, Persian, Greek and English.
I have faced many problems when trying to integrate into the society, but I never gave up! I started studying different courses to improve and update my skills and abilities. My learning not only has helped me gain knowledge and confidence, but also opened the door for me to meet others and feel belonged. I believe in a multicultural world where we can all live happily and share our hopes and dreams to create a better future for everyone. I’m currently working as the creative director of Culture Bridge based in Stockport. I’ve been volunteering as a digital assistant at Stockport Citizen advice for the last two years. Also, I’ve worked for Stockport ethnic diversity service in a volunteer capacity as interpreter, bilingual assistant and cultural talker in schools, hospitals and churches for more than ten years. I’ve been involved with Kurdistan art & culture, where I volunteered as women & children organisor for fourteen years. I like painting and writing, I’ve participated in several group exhibitions in Kurdistan, Greece, Nottingham and Manchester. I’ve participated in Sheba Arts' gardens of Babylon Project and recently participated with a poem, in the art creativity blog. I’m currently participating in several online workshops organised by Sheba Arts to improve my skills. email: [email protected] |
A short interview with Chinnar about her experience working with Sheba Arts
Please introduce Culture Bridge
Culture Bridge was established in 2018 to support Kurdish community and promote Kurdish arts and culture in Greater Manchester. Our aims are to build trust, enable collaboration and create benefit. We work with people seeking asylum, refugees, and migrants; to ensure that their voices are heard, they can integrate, and feel included in the community. We want to bring all cultures together and create some amazing spaces.
When did you start working with Sheba Arts ?
In April 2019, we participated in Sheba Art’s 'Garden of Babylon' project. Then the same year, we joined the celebration of the refugee week project, “ Celebrating Diversity festival,” in Stockport. We became a Sheba Arts associate group at the beginning of lockdown in 2020.
What projects did you do in partnership with Sheba Arts? what type of support did you receive?
With mentoring support from Sheba Arts we received our first funding from Lankelly Chase Foundation and Stockport Local Fund for two pojects in 2021. We also received mentoring on project management throughout:
What is culture bridge doing now? What are your plans for future?
We currently have our Culture Bridge women’s multicultural workshop, “ Our Stories,” funded by the Stockport ARC & gallery Centre. The second project is “Connect” in partnership project with Hazel Grove St Peter’s Church, funded by All Churches Trust. We’ll start our new project funded by the Stockport CAN Local funds in early March.
Our plan for future is to improve our skills and our community group through more training, funding, and collaborations within the community groups in Stockport and in the wider community in Manchester area. We hope that we’ll be able to offer more support to the refugee, migrants, and asylum-seeking people to integrate into the community. At the same time, to build strong bridges of communication through sharing our multicultural art activities and experiences.
Sheba Arts supported our work in the past two years; we appreciate their help and guidance very much and wish them All the Best for the future.
Chinnar Najib
Director
https://www.facebook.com/culture.bridge.3
Instagram@culturebridgemcr
Twitter:@culturebridgeuk
Chinnar Najib
Director
https://www.facebook.com/culture.bridge.3
Instagram@culturebridgemcr
Twitter:@culturebridgeuk
Culture Bridge was established in 2018 to support Kurdish community and promote Kurdish arts and culture in Greater Manchester. Our aims are to build trust, enable collaboration and create benefit. We work with people seeking asylum, refugees, and migrants; to ensure that their voices are heard, they can integrate, and feel included in the community. We want to bring all cultures together and create some amazing spaces.
When did you start working with Sheba Arts ?
In April 2019, we participated in Sheba Art’s 'Garden of Babylon' project. Then the same year, we joined the celebration of the refugee week project, “ Celebrating Diversity festival,” in Stockport. We became a Sheba Arts associate group at the beginning of lockdown in 2020.
What projects did you do in partnership with Sheba Arts? what type of support did you receive?
With mentoring support from Sheba Arts we received our first funding from Lankelly Chase Foundation and Stockport Local Fund for two pojects in 2021. We also received mentoring on project management throughout:
- Sharing & Caring project on Zoom. 16 sessions of arts and crafts with 25 women from different backgrounds.
- Women’s Cooking project, in collaboration with St Peter's Parish centre
What is culture bridge doing now? What are your plans for future?
We currently have our Culture Bridge women’s multicultural workshop, “ Our Stories,” funded by the Stockport ARC & gallery Centre. The second project is “Connect” in partnership project with Hazel Grove St Peter’s Church, funded by All Churches Trust. We’ll start our new project funded by the Stockport CAN Local funds in early March.
Our plan for future is to improve our skills and our community group through more training, funding, and collaborations within the community groups in Stockport and in the wider community in Manchester area. We hope that we’ll be able to offer more support to the refugee, migrants, and asylum-seeking people to integrate into the community. At the same time, to build strong bridges of communication through sharing our multicultural art activities and experiences.
Sheba Arts supported our work in the past two years; we appreciate their help and guidance very much and wish them All the Best for the future.
Chinnar Najib
Director
https://www.facebook.com/culture.bridge.3
Instagram@culturebridgemcr
Twitter:@culturebridgeuk
Chinnar Najib
Director
https://www.facebook.com/culture.bridge.3
Instagram@culturebridgemcr
Twitter:@culturebridgeuk
