Syria: Third Space was a major exhibition of work by Syrian artists. The exhibition took place at the British Council in 2015.

On display were exhibits including films, photography, paintings and textiles that explored the current situation in Syria and how artists are representing and responding to the conflict, and the displacement of people.

The focus of the exhibition was on the human story of the conflict. The pieces told individual stories of refugees having to leave their homes and move to neighbouring countries and of young people dealing with trauma and loss. They also raised awareness of issues relating to Syrian heritage and identity and demonstrate the part that art can play in recovery and resilience.

Resource pack

This resource pack (ages 10-14) provides activities to encourage your pupils to look really closely at some of the exhibits, and to provide creative and thought provoking responses to them, and by doing so gain a greater understanding of the lives and experiences of Syrian refugee children. The discussions and activities can be used as starting points in individual lessons, or as elements of a larger cross-curricular project carried out with a partner school overseas, perhaps together with resources in the British Council’s Living Together Refugee Education Pack.

*Note for teachers – not all the exhibits in the exhibition are suitable for children. The resources created below are based on exhibits that have been deemed suitable to use with younger audiences, but please do check beforehand.