ART documenting and inspired by the experiences of refugees will be displayed in Oxford.

To mark Refugee Week, which runs all of next week, the group Art for Action has curated an exhibition in St Aldates Church.

Including portraits by the group's founder, Rose Illingworth, and pictures by Syrian and Afghanistani photographers and refugee children, the art will be on display from June 15 to June 23.

Since 2012, Art for Action has travelled to remote corners of the globe to run projects with people who have been marginalised or affected by war.

Involving groups of people collaborating on large scale projects, the group has produced murals, public street art, canvases and portraits.

It gives those involved a much-needed opportunity to use art as a means of expression and communicate their feelings about what they have been through.

Throughout her time running the project, Ms Illingworth has created portraits of people involved including refugees and those who run NGOs which will take centre stage in the St Aldates exhibition.

She said: "If just one person sees it and it makes them start thinking and speaking about it, that is the only way you can begin to change things.

"We believe being human is more than just about shelter and food but having a means of expression and that is what we are trying to do all over the world.

"People often live in terrible conditions in refugee camps and do not have access to any creative outlets.

"Many have never picked up a brush before but we hope to help them learn how to express themselves through art."

A launch evening for the exhibition from 6pm on Friday evening will see performances of live music and poetry.

Among the acts will be Amineh Abou Kerech, a Syrian school girl who last year won the Benjamin Poetry Prize despite only coming to live in Oxford a year before.

The Oxford Spires Academy pupil, 13, wrote her poem 'Lament for Syria' to remember the country she loved as a child and her years spent in a refugee camp in Egypt.

Films giving more information about Art for Action's work in Colombia, Uganda and Lesvos will also be shown with food available from the bar.

Further work on display at the week-long exhibition will include photographs taken on a smart phone of life in camps in Serbia by Abdul Saboor.

Ms Illingworth added: "We are showing a lot of different work with different styles.

"Some is really raw reflecting their experiences while others are more intimate - about their desire to maintain their dignity in disgusting conditions."

Entry to the launch evening at St Aldates Church is by donation and the exhibition is then open most days 11am-6.30pm.