Refugee Leadership Exhibition 2026.

Click here to view the exhibition guide.

Across collections of videos, archival works and artworks, leaders and artists share not their personal stories, and their strong commitment to justice and upholding dignity and human rights for all.

Their pieces ask us to reflect on the reasons people seek asylum, who is deserving of safety and protection, and what kind of society we want to be.

The exhibition guide contains the full suite of information about the artworks and stories on display, as well as the shortlisted candidates from our Student Creative Competition, and the silent auction items available. 

More about the Exhibition

In 2026, our refugee leadership exhibition explores the Refugee Week theme ‘A Million Stories’, marking one million humanitarian visas granted by Australia since the establishment of the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Behind each journey is a person with a story: someone who showed incredible strength, and who has helped build the Australia we know.

At JRS Australia, we celebrate these stories. We also raise our voice alongside people seeking asylum who have not yet received the protection they deserve, and advocate for policy change to make sure everyone in Australia can thrive, support their families and build a safe future in our community.

In addition to our vital programs and services, we fund a Refugee Leadership Program, to train and empower leaders with lived experience of displacement to share their stories and become advocates about issues that affect them. It is through this leadership program that we have been able to establish this Refugee Week exhibition. Learn more about this program here.

Take Action

Thanks to your support, leaders and artists contributing to the “Our Stories” exhibition have been paid for their courage and time in creating pieces that speak to their truth, and share their resilience and hopes for the future.

If you would like to stand alongside these storytellers and create change in our local community, you can:

1. Donate to JRS Australia

Your tax deductible gift has the power to help thousands of people seeking asylum living in our local community, right here in Sydney. Your donation supports immediate relief for families in need, and helps fund programs like refugee leadership, so people with lived experience can showcase their skills and talents, and become advocates for change.

Click here to donate today.

2. Help Restock the JRS Foodbank!

Collect non-perishable food, toiletries, and essential items for people seeking asylum. Supermarket gift cards can also be donated via email. Contact foodbank@jrs.org.au for more information, or visit our Foodbank page for the current list of items most needed by the families we serve.

3. Advocate for Change

Many people seeking asylum in Australia spend years without access to basic rights, including housing, safety nets, medical care or the right to work. Join the Campaign for a Human Rights Act in NSW to make sure everyone has access to their rights in New South Wales, regardless of visa status. You can also learn more about our international advocacy for people displaced from Myanmar here.

4. Subscribe!

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