Mahboobeh Rajabi

I’m a Digital Artist, Filmmaker, Theatre Maker, Writer and Creative Producer. From 2010, CAN has supported my ambitions and made them real by valuing me as an Iranian refugee. I’m now an artist with a thriving career. I’ve received fantastic mentoring for my creative practice, which introduced me to new creative areas like animation. CAN gave me confidence and leadership skills, which have meant I’ve worked internationally through TANDEM with the European Cultural Foundation.

I talked at the World Health Organisation about the impact of community art on mental health in society. The co-creation at the heart of CAN’s work inspired me to form my own organisation – DIPACT, which is a platform for diverse artists to explore and experiment with creativity, working with organisations such as CAN, Commonword and The Whitworth.

I’m often asked how I became who I am today, especially as someone with a refugee background. I ALWAYS mention CAN’s role in helping my artistic journey.

It’s not just me, there are hundreds of artists and thousands of people from different communities who’ve come together through CAN to make art to say what needs to be said to the world.