Kristen Sinclair

Under the blue domed ceilings of the former Tesco building at 2 Royal Avenue, Rym Akhonzada is behind the counter at the newly opened Yallaa café. The goods on sale range from local favourites fifteens to Arab specialities like manakeesh. Originally from Tunisia, Rym is a linguist and the founder of Yallaa, a social enterprise with the aim of promoting Arab culture here in the North. ‘Yallaa’ means ‘let’s go’ or ‘let’s do it’ in Arabic. “It is probably the most spoken word in the Arabic language and throughout the Arab world,” she explains. “So that’s why I’ve chosen the name, something that’s easy to pronounce for non-Arabic speakers, but then it has a meaning to it as well.” The positive, energetic connotation of the word is reflective of the work the organisation does. Yallaa started in 2016 in Lisburn to support Syrian refugees with their integration and social needs. To date, hundreds of people benefited from the activities and services offered. With the amount of projects going o

  “I am not a criminal” Sara* photographed by Stuart Bailie I meet Sara for the first time in a city centre café on a chilly January evening. We browse the touch-screen menu of elaborate coffees and settle on something sweet and iced. She is an Iranian musician, refugee and the driving force behind a scheme bringing music to asylum seekers here. Sara is not her real name, but one she uses to protect her family back in Iran. Sara was forced to flee her home country and has been in Belfast for over six months. As guitar teacher by profession, music has been a lifeline for her here and now something she can use to help others in similar situations through the Guitars for Newcomers initiative. Organised by Darren Ferguson, head of local arts organisation Beyond Skin, the project takes donations of old guitars from the public, has them refurbished and given to asylum seekers. Many of the recipients of the guitars are learning to play for the first time – and that’s where Sara comes in. When

Fiona McDonnell’s work is all over Belfast. From the Ulster Sports Club to the Sunflower bar to the clothing of passers-by, you’ve probably seen it without even realising. Fiona designs posters, prints, stickers, T-shirts and album sleeves – her work reaches all corners of the city’s creative scene and beyond. Think bright colours, eye-catching text and often political subject matter with her signature injection of colour, humour and flair. The illustrator’s digital brush has brought dancing horses to life for local clubbing institution Ponyhawke and made Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams a little friendlier than we remember them. Her work provides a welcome splash of brightness to the often dreary place we call home. “I love an obnoxiously bright colour palette! I use very limited colour palettes and tend to pick between two to five set complementary colours. It’s funny because in real life I’m known for wearing all black, I feel like all my love for colour is expressed through my illustrat