Bread and Salt

Migration has been a human constant since people first came out of Africa in search of something better. Diversity is another human constant: people have different physical realities, different experiences, different beliefs and different cultures. Migration does not increase diversity. It makes what already exists more apparent. Artists migrate. When they do, they reach across those differences, creating dialogue with new audiences through their images, music, performance and texts. In a world that is so conscious of its cultural diversity, artists can play a valuable part in enabling intercultural dialogue. Bread and Salt explores these issues through the stories of 18 artists who have settled in Europe from other parts of the world. It draws on their experiences to make actual and particular what is too often considered only through simplifying generalisations. And it asks how far nationalistic ideas of cultural identity are consistent with Europe’s stated commitment to equal rights.