Fostering community cohesion through visual arts: An 'art for peace' project with young British-Muslim Girls

British society is faced with the challenge of bridging the disparity between the British-Muslim and British-non-Muslim communities, which were further, severed after the London bombings (2005). There is a damaging lack of understanding of Islam in the West and various initiatives have been undertaken to promote better understanding between the two communities and foster the growth of a cohesive society. This paper describes an art project involving young British-Muslim girls, that sought to make a small contribution towards understanding Islam as a peaceful religion, and to initiate dialogue between the two communities. It also raises issues about how to engage Muslim communities with visual arts and utilize the potential of arts and peace education to facilitate the growth of a creative and a cohesive community.