by Ro Maung Shwe
Cox’s Bazar
Founded in 2022, the Rohingya Art Club has emerged as a rare cultural space where creativity, memory, and resilience come together inside the Rohingya refugee community. Established by visual artist and cultural practitioner Enayet Khan, the club was created with a clear purpose: to preserve Rohingya culture, nurture creative talent, and empower youth and women through artistic expression.
What began as a small initiative has grown into a vibrant, community-driven collective. Today, the Rohingya Art Club brings together 32 active members, including emerging artists and cultural practitioners. It offers a safe and inclusive space open to all, regardless of age or gender, where participants explore drawing, painting, theatre, photography, and storytelling.
At its core, the club treats art not as decoration, but as a language of survival. Through creative work, members document Rohingya heritage, strengthen cultural pride, and use visual expression as a tool for community education and human rights awareness. In a context where history has been repeatedly erased, art becomes a form of resistance and remembrance.
Objectives Rooted in Culture and Rights
The club’s work is guided by clear objectives. It aims to preserve and document Rohingya cultural traditions, develop artistic skills among youth and community members, and use art to raise awareness about human rights, resilience, and social challenges. Equally important is its focus on leadership, teamwork, and confidence building among young artists.
Art Trainings and Creative Growth
Through structured art trainings and workshops, the Rohingya Art Club has reached a wide audience. Sessions on drawing techniques, colour theory, and cultural illustration have engaged more than 500 young people. For many participants, these workshops marked their first opportunity to express personal and collective stories through art, building confidence and creative voice.
Preserving a Culture at Risk
Cultural preservation remains a central pillar of the club’s work. Workshops have focused on traditional Rohingya attire, patterns, symbols, and crafts. Visual documentation created by club members now serves as an archive of cultural knowledge that risks disappearing under displacement and prolonged statelessness.
Theatre as Community Reflection
The club has also used theatre as a powerful medium. Community performances have addressed education, social concerns, and the everyday struggles of Rohingya life. These performances do more than entertain; they encourage dialogue, reflection, and shared understanding within the community.
Exhibitions and Public Engagement
Through exhibitions featuring paintings, photography, and multimedia works, the Rohingya Art Club has increased recognition of Rohingya creativity both locally and internationally. These exhibitions have not only amplified Rohingya voices but also inspired young artists in the camps to see art as a meaningful path.
Collaboration and Youth Leadership
The club has collaborated with local and international organisations on artivism, cultural documentation, and storytelling initiatives. Alongside this, youth leadership and mentorship programmes have enabled young members to lead workshops and manage projects themselves. These experiences have helped build responsibility, leadership skills, and long-term confidence.
Impact So Far
Over the past year, more than 500 youth have received artistic training. Rohingya cultural heritage and oral histories have been documented and preserved. Community engagement has strengthened through theatre and storytelling, while Rohingya art has gained visibility on local and international platforms. All of this work is sustained by 32 active members in an environment open to all ages and genders.
Looking Ahead
The Rohingya Art Club plans to expand its outreach to more youth, women, and persons with disabilities. Future goals include introducing advanced training in drawing, theatre, and photography, organising larger exhibitions and cultural events, strengthening artivism and documentation programmes, and creating sustainable opportunities for emerging young artists.
A Living Archive of Resilience
The journey of the Rohingya Art Club shows how art can transform a displaced community. By preserving culture, educating youth, and raising awareness about human rights, the club offers a path toward dignity and resilience. Continued support will allow this initiative to reach more people, safeguard Rohingya cultural identity, and empower a new generation of artists and community leaders whose stories refuse to be forgotten.
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