Savera UK is launching an art exhibition in St George’s Hall next month

Savera UK, a leading charity established in Merseyside to help people affected by ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA) and harmful practices, is launching a community art exhibition at St George’s Hall in March.

Duality Vessels: Voices of Strength will be located in the Stable Gallery’s Café 1854 Space and will feature artworks created by women from the Liverpool City Region that address the issues of HBA and harmful practices, which include forced marriage, conversion ‘therapy’ and spiritual abuse. 

Through creative expression in mediums including collage, photography and sculpture, the exhibition brings visibility to abuse that is often kept hidden by silence and control, exploring identity, resilience, culture and lived experience.

Following a private launch event for the artists, their guests and supporters of Savera UK, the exhibition will be open to the public from Tuesday 10th March until Monday 30th April 2026.

There will also be a series of workshops connected to themes in the exhibition, including a coffee morning delivered in partnership with RASA Merseyside on Wednesday 18th March (10am – 12pm), an immersive sound bath (women only event) on Wednesday 8th April (10am – 12pm), and a HBA and harmful practices workshop led by Savera UK on Thursday 16th April (10am – 12pm). These sessions are free, but donations are welcome. Places are limited so booking is required.

A selection of pieces from the first phase of the community art project, which was funded by the Community Foundation for Merseyside, were previewed at Savera UK’s “March to End HBA & Festival of Culture” last summer [September 2025]. 

Led by facilitator Amina Bihi, the project involved a variety of activities, including mask-making, collage workshops, stop-motion animation, photography, and portrait series. These activities allowed participants to explore themes related to culture, identity, and understanding and/or experiences of HBA, while developing their artistic skills and practising mindfulness.

Speaking of the exhibition, which has been delivered following two eight-week courses, Amina said:

“Each artwork in the exhibition acts as a vessel — carrying memory, emotion, and meaning. The works reflect duality: concealment and revelation, protection and vulnerability, cultural expectation and personal freedom. Together, they speak to the complex ways individuals navigate identity while living within, or resisting, control and judgment.”

Afrah Qassim, Savera UK CEO and founder added:

“Artistic expression is a powerful force for challenging harms in our communities, and it takes great courage and creativity to share these experiences publicly. I am so proud of all the artists involved for creating an empowering exhibition that not only raises awareness of HBA and harmful practices but also holds space for healing and compassion. These artworks have the power to open important dialogue around these issues, drive change and foster understanding.”

In the last year alone Savera UK has helped 339 clients and received almost 700 calls to its national helpline and submissions to its online referral forms. As well as seeing a 51% increase in referrals for forced marriage and 33% increase for FGM, it also noted a much more significant increase in less well-recognised harmful practices. These include spiritual abuse, where referrals doubled, referrals relating to sexuality and gender (125% increase) and forced servitude, referrals for which increased by 433%.

If you think you or someone you know is at risk of or experiencing HBA or harmful practices, you can contact our national helpline 0800 107 0726 (10am – 4pm, weekdays excluding bank holidays). If you are at immediate risk, please ring 999.

Visit the Savera UK website here.

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