The Refuge Manifesto

This short animated film was made during ‘Art House’ an Arts Council funded participatory art project for women affected by domestic/sexual abuse. This project was led by myself, and facilitated by experienced participatory artists Nicci Wonnacott and filmmaker Josh Gaunt.

Following an artist residency at Exeter’s Women’s Refuge in 2013-2014 and the closure of the refuge in 2014 after 28 years this project was a follow on to explore what refuge means to different people, and what forms it takes. In this film we find out what refuge means for some of us, and find that these are universal.

The prequel to the Refuge Manifesto is ‘The Last Resident’, made with Josh Gaunt to document the final days of the Exeter Refuge.