The New Beginnings Festival: A counterspace for migrants and refugees

Abstract

Background: As a form of leisure, cultural festivals have various recognised benefits for attendees. However, the benefits for marginalised groups such as migrants and refugees has been largely overlooked by researchers. Our research addresses this gap at the nexus of leisure, events and marginalisation. We investigate how leisure events for migrants and refugees may help mitigate the adverse effects of oppression and marginalisation through acting as a counterspace. In so doing, it contributes to both the critical event studies and counterspace literature. Approach: We applied Case and Hunter’s (2012) Counterspace Framework to our investigation of the 2018 New Beginnings Festival (NBF) in Sydney as a setting that challenges the status quo and facilitates adaptive responding to oppression. Data was collected from the festival and organization websites, participant observation at the festival, and semi-structured interviews with festival attendees. It was analysed using hybrid thematic analysis. Significance: We found evidence that the NBF has the three distinct, yet interrelated, self-enhancing processes that are present in most counterspaces: . Narrative identity work: The NBF validated experiences of rejection and marginalisation by attendees, and at the same time celebrated migrants and refugees by showcasing their capabilities/achievements. This lead to attendees’ sense of affirmation and acceptance. ' Acts of resistance: The freedom to express themselves in culturally meaningful ways helped bolster the attendees’ self-concept. . Direct relational transactions: Social and institutional support, and leadership roles such as mentoring and volunteering were made possible at the NBF, which enhanced attendees’ social capital in empowering ways. In addition, and through extending the Counterspace Framework to events as potential settings, our findings highlight the importance of the NBF location in enabling attendees to move from the periphery to the centre, in both a psychological and physical sense, and allowing positive interactions between marginalised and dominant groups.