Hear Me Out

A couple of weeks ago, refugee band The Unknowns took to the stage at Bedford Esquires for a powerful afternoon of music, collaboration and community.

The performance marked the culmination of a unique Bedford-wide project led by Hear Me Out, bringing together local schoolchildren, children held in local asylum accommodation, and the wider Bedford community to create and share something joyful, hopeful and truly collaborative.

Over a series of creative workshops, children from Ursula Taylor CofE School and children from the local asylum accommodation wrote a song called Tetra the Fish. The song explores themes of hope, resilience, belonging and connection. The final performance celebrated the power of creativity to bring people together across cultures and experiences.

Friends and supporters gathered to hear the newly created song performed live by The Unknowns, creating an atmosphere filled with warmth, joy and solidarity.

The afternoon also featured original music from The Unknowns, who met in an asylum hotel in central London in 2022 through weekly workshops run by Hear Me Out. Blending musical traditions from the Middle East, Europe and Africa, the group’s music reflects stories of homeland, displacement, family and hope for the future.

We were also honoured to welcome special guest speaker Gulwali Passarlay, alongside poet Umi, who both joined us in sharing messages of compassion, creativity and community.

The project was funded by The Harpur Trust and supported using public funding by Arts Council England through the National Lottery.

We’ve got a number of gigs lined up for the summer, with more information coming soon!