Can cultural festivals function as counterspaces for migrants and refugees? The case of the New Beginnings Festival in Sydney

ABSTRACT

Despite the recognised benefits of cultural festivals, it is still unclear how they may assist marginalised groups in mitigating the adverse effects of marginalisation. Informed by the Counterspace Framework, this paper seeks to address the gap at the nexus of leisure, events and marginalisation by considering the case of the New Beginnings Festival in Sydney. Using hybrid thematic analysis and based on data collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis, we argue that the festival operates as a counterspace for attendees through the processes of narrative identity work, acts of resistance, and direct relational transactions. First, the festival 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. Second, the freedom to express themselves in culturally meaningful ways helped bolster the attendees’ self-concept. Third, social and institutional support, and leadership roles such as mentoring and volunteering were made possible at the festival, which enhanced attendees’ social capital in empowering ways. In addition, we highlight the importance of location for events as counterspaces. Our findings contribute to both the critical event studies and the counterspace literature.

KEYWORDS:

• Festivals
• counterspace
• marginalisation
• self-enhancement
• migrants
• refugees
• events

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian and New Zealand Association for Leisure Studies (ANZALS).

Notes on contributors

Najmeh Hassanli

Najmeh Hassanli is a lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney Business School. Her research interests are in the areas of social sustainability, regional development, and critical management theories, where she combines her academic degrees in Business (Tourism & Events Management) with her passion for community work to concentrate on small, community-embedded businesses and events. The calibre of her research is well demonstrated through her publications in international high-quality journals and books.

Trudie Walters

Trudie Walters is an Early Career Researcher who completed her PhD at the University of Otago in 2014. Her research concentrates on media representations and people’s experiences of leisure, with a particular focus on events. Her critical event studies research concentrates on community events: a special interest is how events contribute to quality of life and social well-being for marginalised groups. The final strand of her events research focuses on issues of equity at academic conferences. The publication of over 20 internationally peer-reviewed book chapters and articles in high-quality outlets and the inclusion of her work in a reader is testament to her standing in the field.

Ruth Friedmann

Ruth Friedmann has over twenty years of experience in Australia’s Events, Venues and Festivals industry, having worked for government, corporate and education sectors. She has a strong commitment to scholarship and research, and enthusiasm for developing and providing high quality programmes of learning and educational experience. Ruth’s research interest is predominantly on the transformative role of event experiences.