1 Belfast Belfast and its environs have a population of nearly 650,000 people. It is a fairly wealthy city (with a GDP of 28,816 on 2008 conversion rate). Unemployment is below 5% Only recently migrants have started moving into Northern Ireland. 34.000 moved in between 2004 and 2007. Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. Since the Peace Agreement between Loyalists and Republicans in 1998, the prosperity of Belfast has increased rapidly. Its older manufacturing industries, such as shipbuilding have declined and been replaced with financial and business services. There is also a growing service and tourist sector. Increasing prosperity has brought in migrants from Eastern Europe in recent years, especially Poland and Slovakia. Some have also come from the Philippines to live here. However, there were a number of migrant communities already in the city, notably Chinese, Indian, Pakistani and Jewish. There is a skill shortage in Belfast and the city is actively seeking newcomers to fill gaps in the workforce. Many employers are advertising for workers in Eastern Europe. However, many migrants already in the city are over-qualified and businesses need to find ways of using the skills these new workers offer. This will encourage them to stay and integrate into city life whilst enabling them to find fulfilling careers. Source: Belfast Council 2008 These photographs have been taken by Anthony Luvera who lives and works in Belfast and London. Anthony has exhibited internationally. He has carried out long-term projects about homelessness in London. He often likes to involve subjects themselves in creating his work, as he has done in this collection. In each set Anthony has chosen to photograph the back of the subject s head rather than the face. What effect does this have on the impact of the picture or on the relation of the subject to their surroundings? On the right-hand side, something about the subject s work or leisure life is expressed through a simple portrait of their hands. Viewers are asked to interpret the meanings for themselves. More of Anthony s work can be seen at www. luvera.com These photographs have been combined by the artist with the hand-written thoughts of the subject to produce a single piece of artwork. Key issues are: what have the subjects found positive about their new life in Belfast (either for them or their families)? what has the city taught them or allowed them to experience? what attitudes will enable them to survive in this city? what, if anything, might encourage them to stay and settle in the city? On the more negative side: what do the subjects find difficult or unpleasant about Belfast? what, if anything, might be a reason for them to leave the city?
2 Bilbao Bilbao and its environs have a population of nearly 950,000 people. It is a fairly wealthy city (with a GDP of 35,000). Unemployment is around 10%. Migrants make up about 7% of the population. People from 130 nationalities live in Bilbao today. About half (46%) are from South America. Bilbao is in Northern Spain and is one of the leading cities in the Basque region. It used to be an industrial city, with the shipbuilding and steel industries creating thousands of jobs. These have largely gone now. Today, Bilbao is renowned as an international centre for trade, the arts and tourism. Ten million visitors come to the city each year. Many of these want to visit the world famous Guggenheim Museum which opened in 1997. Other buildings by famous architects have also been built here. Many other international centres are now sited in Bilbao including the European agency for Safety and Health at Work and the European Software Institute. In the last ten years change has come very rapidly to Bilbao. Its ethnic minority population doubled between 2005 and 2008 and therefore the city has to adapt quickly. Bilbao treats its ethnic minority residents equally so far as access to resources, such as education, is concerned. It has free advice services in many languages for those with poor Spanish. There is information on issues such as housing, Source: Bilbao Council, 2008 employment, health and other services. Bilbao recognises that its future is as an international city. Markel Redondo took the photographs. Bilbao is his home town but he studied in the UK and China before returning home. He has an international reputation and does work for Greenpeace, the international environmental charity. About these pictures Markel says: For OPENCities I set out to investigate how immigration has affected my city and how it, in turn, has responded to the new opportunities and challenges it faces. Find out more about Markel s work at www.markelredondo.com The themes of Markel s photos are about how people from the majority and minority communities meet and mix together. The photographs highlight: different forms of employment taken up by the newcomers different ways in which residents and newcomers mix together and become friends. On the other hand, Markel s photos of the adults around Bilbao, suggest that life can be: tiring for migrant workers, who often have to work long hours for little money, lonely, with the need to phone home to stay in touch with loved ones left behind isolated, groups of migrants often mix with each other more than with the majority, harsh, especially when housing is difficult to obtain by those who have just arrived with no money or permission to stay.
3 Cardiff Cardiff and its environs have a population of nearly 1. 400,000 people. It is a fairly wealthy city (with a GDP of over 32,000). Unemployment is around 7% Migrants make up about 8% of the population. Cardiff is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK. The most rapidly developing areas of its economy are the financial services, the creative industries, IT and the business activities, These now employ a quarter of the city s workforce. In recent years immigration has increased with no fewer than 111 different countries of origin amongst the new arrivals. The greatest numbers have come from India, Poland, Pakistan, Slovak Republic, Spain and France. This has given the city a modern cosmopolitan character. However, the influx has meant that the authorities have had to make greater efforts to meet the newcomers needs. These include housing, education and health care. Employers also have been actively providing language classes for their workers. Cardiff authorities want the city to become a world class European capital city with an exceptional quality of life. this project, Gareth says: I ve asked new migrants to Cardiff about their aspirations for their children and what they see when they look out of the window. This is why Gareth has photographed each of the children with a window in the background. You can see more of his work at www. garethphillipsphotography.com The main theme of Gareth s collection of photos is the kind of hopes that migrant families have for their children growing up in a new country. They speak of Cardiff as: a place of education and opportunity somewhere that is safe and secure, a city that is also multi-cultural and tolerant. However, migration to new cities such as Cardiff can mean: parents own ambitions are sacrificed in order to provide for the children as children grow up in a multi-cultural environment they may lose their own cultures and traditions. Gareth Phillips took these photographs of Cardiff, his home city. He is an award-winning photographer who exhibits his own work, carries out commissions e.g. for national newspapers. He is also pursuing a personal project on the environmental effects of flooding worldwide. For Source: National Insurance Number Registrations 2002/06
4 Dublin Dublin and its environs have a population of nearly 1,660,000 people It is now a wealthy city (with a GDP of 44,000). Unemployment is around 5%. Migrants make up about 15% of the population. Dublin is the capital city of Ireland. For a long time it was one of the poorest countries in the EU. Ireland joined the EU in 1973 and for the last 15 years or so has been seen as an important gateway into Europe for international companies like Google and Microsoft. Dublin has benefited economically from this rapid growth economically. It creates nearly half of the country s wealth. Dublin has become one of the world s richest cities though wages and prices have also risen rapidly. This economic expansion would not have been possible without drawing in many migrants from other countries. Some of these are highly skilled. Others are looking for any kind of work, however poorly paid. Dublin has acquired a reputation for openness to the world. However, the rapid changes have not been welcomed by all members of the population. Some of the subjects of the photographs in this exhibition talk about different kinds of racism they have experienced. The city is trying to overcome problems like this by setting up an Office for Integration. This helps newcomers access services such as education and health. The country as a whole has also appointed a minister for integration to promote equality and acceptance of diversity. The Council is a member of an international network sharing ideas about how to promote integration. The photographs were taken by Veronica Vierin, who is Italian and works both in Dublin and Torino, Italy. Much of her work focuses on issues relating to migrant communities and regeneration. Of her work, Veronica says: Attracting skills from abroad has been a significant factor in the city s success. For OPENCities I ve photographed some of the highly-skilled people behind the statistics. How open has Dublin been for them? Find out more about Veronica s work at www.ctmp.ie Veronica s photographs are about those who have come to Dublin to sell their skills and business expertise. The collection highlights: the wide range of job opportunities that large cities can offer newcomers the cosmopolitan atmosphere from residents who have come from around the world the rich cross-over of cultures that make city life vibrant and interesting what newcomers can bring to the city, like the new perspectives of Siraj, or the business expertise and community spirit of Logan Nevertheless, there can be difficulties including: some people are less welcoming of those who are racially or culturally different or who may compete with them for work it can take time for communities based on different faiths or cultures to get to know each other. Source: National Census 2006
5 Düsseldorf Düsseldorf and its environs have a population of nearly 1,500,000 people. It is a wealthy city (with a GDP of nearly 64, 000). Unemployment is around 10%. Migrants make up about 17% of the population. Düsseldorf is wealthy, successful and still growing, unlike many other German cities at the moment. It is the capital of North-Rhine Westphalia, one of the German states that make up the national Federation. It has a large finance and insurance sector and many service industries are based there. It is also strong in the fields of computer technology, media, fashion, advertising, trade and bio-technology. Communications and travel are very good. Düsseldorf also is well-known for its artistic and cultural life, as this exhibition illustrates. In recent years, the percentage of ethnic minority residents of Düsseldorf has risen. It is now 17% of the population. Newcomers have come from over 170 different countries. Most of these are Eastern Europeans, following the expansion of the EU in 2004 and 2007. However, there were many earlier migrants from Turkey, Greece, Italy and Asia. The city council actively promotes integration and multi-culturalism in a number of ways. There is a specialist department encouraging integration. This organises special events such as Africa Day, Islamic Week, European Day and public information events. Düsseldorf advertises itself around the world as an European city open to new business from countries like Russia, China and Japan. The city promises special help to businesses moving there. Liza Nguyen took these photographs. She was born in France in 1979 but now lives and works in Paris and Cologne, Germany. Liza studied in Düsseldorf at the Fine Arts Academy. She is one of the hundreds of artists attracted from around the world to the city. These artists form the subject of Liza s pictures. Previously, a major focus of her work has been migration. Of her work in this exhibition, Liza says, People move to new cities for lots of different reasons. Artists are attracted here because of the city s international reputation and the art scene. My portraits of artists, musicians and dancers demonstrate how cities can be open to different people for different reasons. You can see more of her work at www.liza-nguyen.com This collection of pictures is different from the others in the exhibition. It highlights the fact that: some people will move abroad to join an international community such as the art world of Düsseldorf cities can be places where many different art forms collide and combine. However, as the captions around the pictures illustrate: it is one thing to migrate to a city, but quite another to be successful many people take huge risks when they migrate to pursue their dreams not everyone in a migrant family has the same experience, some members benefit but others may be worse off. Source: Düsseldorf Council 2006
6 Madrid Madrid and its environs have a population of 5,400,000 people. It is a fairly wealthy city (with a GDP of 31,000). Unemployment is around 8%. Migrants make up about 17% of the population. Madrid is the capital of Spain and is the largest city featured in this exhibition. Its migrant population has grown rapidly in recent years. Being a capital city, it is an international centre for tourism and the service industries. However, Madrid also has industrial and construction industries companies. Madrid is the major financial centre for the whole of Spain and Portugal. It hosts the head offices of most major Spanish companies and is the headquarters of three of the largest companies in the world, including the Santander Bank. In the Museo del Prado, Madrid has one of the world s most important museums and art galleries that draws visitors from around the world. Madrid has one of the highest percentages of newcomers in Europe, along with Dublin and London. Many migrants have come to Madrid from former Spanish colonies. Most of these work in domestic services, construction, catering, commerce and agriculture. (These are all relatively low skill, low pay industries). The city has set itself the task of welcoming newcomers and has special projects in place to help immigrant groups. This includes advice in different languages on things such as housing and language training. In 2005 Madrid launched itself as a for Everybody. Source: Municipal Register of Inhabitants 2008 These photographs have been taken by Amy Chang who was born in Taiwan. Amy was brought up in the USA and now lives in Madrid. Much of her work is focused on migration, including a study of how Madrid s retail landscape has changed in recent years. Of these photographs, Amy has said: I guess I m one of the half million or so migrants who have made Madrid their home in recent years. The city has adapted well to its new citizens. Every day migrants and Spaniards alike pass each other on the street, shop in each other s stores, seek out the service of one another: live as one in our city. These points of contact are the subject of my portraits and are the moment when understanding begins. See more at www.amychangphoto.com These photographs illustrate: ways in which people of different nationalities get to know each other, often by working together that the lives of residents and migrants often become intertwined in permanent ways the wide range of work available in a large city some occupations, such as in the food industry, are more multi-cultural than others. However, there are some down-sides, including: the early years in a new city can be difficult in a number of ways many new arrivals come with nothing and need help to get started, most usefully from others who have made the same step.
7 Sofia Sofia and its environs have a population of around 1, 800, 000 people. It is not a wealthy city compared with other major European cities (with a GDP of nearly 16,000). However, unemployment is low at around 1.3%. Migrants make up about 4% of the population. Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. In recent years it has changed from being a communist country to being a democracy with free-market capitalism. Even so, the city produces around one third of all the wealth in the country. Sofia is the main administrative, industrial, transport, cultural and academic centre in the country. It is rapidly growing because it recently joined the EU. Bulgaria s native population is falling because of a lower birth-rate. Also, many young people are leaving to find work in other countries. For these reasons, Sofia itself needs to attract incomers. Some of these have arrived as employees of international companies. Compared with many European cities, Sofia is small, unhurried and close to the countryside. All these things are attractive to many newcomers. However, the increasing number of cars has become a problem. Also, the large amount of paperwork needed slows down the rate at which everything gets done. Sofia is still at the beginning of the process of opening up to different cultures. Most of the cities in this exhibition have developed their own ways of dealing with migration. For Sofia this is still done by central government. Sofia wants to develop its own policies for the running of the city. This is likely to be of more direct benefit to the residents. Membership of the EU will certainly bring economic benefits to Sofia. This makes it important that the issue of helping migrants to settle is positively and quickly addressed. These photographs have been taken by Victoria Knysh, who is originally from Ukraine. Having studied in Rome for a while, Victoria has made Sofia her home where she has an art studio. She often takes commissions from magazines and books. She also makes short films. Of these photographs, Victoria says, For my project I have asked immigrants what they like and dislike about Sofia and how the bureaucracy has affected them. More of her works can be found at www.vickny.com Key issues include: the fact that many people will want to stay in a city if they like the culture it is not just about work city cultures differ - many western cities are fastpaced, but life in Sofia is slower and more friendly However, people have needs: too much paperwork can be frustrating and timeconsuming people like to be free to live their lives in their own way. Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs 2007
8 Vienna Vienna and its environs have a population of around 2, 000,000 people. It is a relatively wealthy city (with a GDP of nearly 40,000). The unemployment rate is fairly high at around 8%. Migrants make up about 30% of the population. Vienna is the capital city of Austria and a gateway between Western and Eastern Europe. This makes it an attractive city in which to set up a business. Economically, Vienna benefits from being at the centre of the new larger European Union. Vienna accounts for about one quarter of all the jobs in Austria. Businesses setting up in Austria report that they are attracted by the high quality of the environment, along with a good standard of living and high levels of security. Vienna was once the centre of the mighty Austro- Hungarian Empire. This is reflected in the make-up of its migrant populations. About one third of its migrants have come seeking work from Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are also large numbers of Turks and Poles along with others from Europe, Asia and Africa. Traditionally, there has been a system of guest workers who have lived in the country but with a lower level of citizenship rights. Since around 2000, Austria has only allowed in people with good qualifications. Vienna has put many policies in place to encourage the settlement and integration of newcomers. It wants to be a multi-lingual, international city and it provides many services for newcomers. However, Austria scores very low on access to citizenship for newcomers compared with most other European countries. Martin Fuchs, a native of Vienna, took these photographs. Without any formal photographic education Martin gave up his career as a graphic designer in 2005 to become a photographer. Since then he worked as a freelance editor, producer and designer. Of these pictures, Martin says, For OPENCities I set out to investigate Viennese migrantrun businesses beyond the stereotypical fast-food outlets. My journey has taken me from stores selling traditional Austrian dresses to Polish books and to American hip-hop fashion. More of his work can be found at www.martinfuchs.com These include: the retail trade is often one in which new migrants participate for many, this can be the basis of a life s work and can bring prosperity shops often present the public face of multiculturalism as they display goods from around the world innovations brought by newcomers often contribute to the level of creativity in the city as a whole At the same time: people in their private lives often like to surround themselves with reminders of home whilst people can become well-integrated into the life of the new city or country, inside they also want to retain their original identity. Source: Statistical Yearbook of the of Vienna, 2008