This year’s Refugee Festival Scotland is alive with colour, symbolism, and meaning, thanks to a powerful new artwork created by two artists whose stories are deeply rooted in themes of migration, identity, and community.
Shatha Altowai, a Yemeni-born artist, and Jude Abu Zaineh, a Palestinian creative, collaborated to design the official artwork for the 2025 festival. Their piece responds to the theme “Milestones”—a celebration of progress, resilience, and the journeys that shape refugee communities in Scotland.
Both artists bring not only bold creative vision but lived experience to the work. In a joint interview, they spoke about how their personal histories influenced the design, the message behind the visuals, and the emotional depth they hope festival-goers will take away.
Art as Advocacy: Their Personal Journeys
Shatha Altowai began her artistic journey amid war in Yemen, using her creative voice to spotlight the struggles of internally displaced people and other marginalised groups.
“Since moving to Scotland in 2020, I’ve focused on community-based projects that blend visual art with theatre,” she explained. “My work reflects refugee experiences and underrepresented voices, and I see art as a space for healing and empowerment.”
Jude Abu Zaineh, who relocated to the UK from Palestine, channels her practice into correcting misinformation and asserting her identity in the face of erasure.
“There’s so much misunderstanding about where I come from. As a Palestinian artist, I use my work to humanise our struggle—especially now, with the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It’s about resistance, resilience, and speaking truth to power.”
Interpreting ‘Milestones’ Through Collective Symbolism
The theme of this year’s festival, Milestones, offered both artists a hopeful lens on the refugee experience—focusing not only on challenges but the victories, big and small, achieved along the way.
Their final design is rich with symbolism:
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Stacked geometric forms represent unique individuals joining together to form a strong, united community.
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A bird perched at the top symbolises hope, freedom, and new beginnings.
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Cultural patterns and motifs drawn from various refugee communities speak to shared traditions, resilience, and diversity.
- “We developed several iterations of the design,” said Shatha. “It was important to balance conceptual depth with visual clarity, and that meant making tough creative decisions—especially under a tight deadline.”
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“We wanted the design to feel joyful, diverse, and celebratory,” added Jude. “It had to reflect both the strength and cultural richness of refugee communities, but also be welcoming to everyone.”
Art Rooted in Reality: How Lived Experience Shapes Creative Expression
Both artists say their life experiences are inseparable from their work.
Shatha’s style has been shaped by the trauma of displacement and the urgency of storytelling through visual language.
“I use mixed media, bright colours, and cultural symbols to explore survival, identity, and transformation,” she said. “My art is personal, but also collective—it speaks to the wider refugee journey.”
For Jude, art is both political and personal.
“As a Palestinian in exile, I feel an enormous responsibility to speak out,” she said. “In a world where people of colour and minority voices are often sidelined, I use my relative privilege to shine light on injustice and resilience.”
A Festival for Everyone: What the Artwork Hopes to Inspire
With their design now representing Refugee Festival Scotland, Shatha and Jude hope it becomes more than just an image—it’s a message.
“I want people to feel connected to the stories of refugees, inspired by their strength, and aware that these communities are not just surviving—they’re thriving,” said Shatha.
“We made sure to research the cultures of many of the refugee communities in Scotland—Syrian, Sudanese, Ukrainian, Iranian, Afghan, Palestinian,” added Jude. “From embroidery to architecture, we embedded references to these traditions into the artwork. It’s about visibility, recognition, and pride.”
Both artists emphasise that the festival—and their design—is for everyone.
“The colours, the shapes, the symbolism—it’s all meant to evoke celebration,” said Jude. “We want refugee communities to feel seen, but also for the wider public to engage, connect, and celebrate with us.”
Refugee Festival Scotland runs throughout June, with events across the country celebrating the contributions, culture, and resilience of refugees living in Scotland. The festival’s official artwork will feature across posters, programmes, social media, and more.
