Part of the Festival of Migration collection Photography exhibition for a narrative project done in collaboration with a diverse group from the local community in Edinburgh. Family in Migration is a narrative photography project done in collaboration with a diverse group from the local community. The project was lead by Laleh Sherkat ”When I migrated from Iran to Scotland with my family, I faced various challenges while settling in which inspired me to explore this theme”. The aim of this project is to document family traditions and cultures, which are defined as a combination of attitudes, ideas, and environments inherited from parents and ancestors. I chose this theme to capture how these attitudes, beliefs, and ideals can influence public culture and create either a positive impact, or create barriers and restrictions for children trying to balance two cultures. We also explored what it means to operate within another culture and the values that may have become “fossilized” within the elders of the community. It is essential to recognize that some of these traditions may have been modernized back in the countries of cultural origin. The project encourages awareness of cultural diversity and is best done through the lens and perspective of the community participants themselves. To provide this viewpoint we have used narrative-style photography to really capture the unspoken words through photos. “I believe that an individual’s culture is a fundamental part of their identity, making it a highly personal matter. Even individuals from the same country may express their cultural understanding differently. Since moving to Scotland, my culture has undergone some changes. While my core values remain the same, I have had to reshape some aspects of my culture to integrate into Scottish society” Laleh Sherkat. Being in Scotland can be exciting and challenging at times. People who have migrated to Scotland at times are trying to integrate into the community during their everyday life, this is done through sharing the customs and culture that is baked into their own cultural identity. Cultures and identity are indivisible and a core part of life, no matter where in the world you end up making your home. —————————————————————————— Laleh Sherkat is an acclaimed Iranian photographer and former photo journalist. She is renowned for being one of the first woman to document the Iran-Iraq war and the first to photograph female prisoners in Iran. She is a founding member of the Iranian Photography Society and has juried and curated many photography exhibitions and competitions in Iran and Scotland. Laleh has been involved with Art27 last year (2022) and created ‘We Are Southside’ project. Through a self-defined residency, she captured the street life of our wonderful Southside neighbourhood. Current project: ‘Family in Migration’ – A narrative photography style to examine the presence and absence of obstacles to reach a united voice without racial discrimination and to share experiences with one another through the art of visual representation and learning how to do so through photography.