Peter Howson said his work represented courage

More than 30 of the world's leading contemporary artists will have work on show alongside pieces produced at community workshops in the city.

The Sanctuary exhibition opens on 10 April at Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art (Goma).

It includes work by Peter Howson, who was a war artist in Bosnia, and sculptor Antony Gormley, who designed the Angel of the North in Gateshead.

Goma curator Sean McGlashan believes the show is fitting for a city which has provided sanctuary to so many asylum seekers.

The project aims to increase awareness

"It might open some people's minds up to asylum seekers themselves as individuals, rather than just being statistics or numbers or anonymous people," said Mr McGlashan.

"If they see photos of them or some of their artwork then it might make them think of them as real people, not just anonymous beings."

Altogether about 100 people have taken part in the initiative through workshops in community centres and drop-in facilities.

Children who fled Afghanistan have told their stories and women widowed in African wars have worked under the guidance of contemporary artists.

Maryam Zare, from Sighthill, is an artist who fled Iran with her family over two years ago.

The works include paintings and sculptures

She said that in Iran, not just verbal but artistic expression was punished.

"I hadn't any freedom of expression in Iran but I have here," she said.

"I can paint anything I want and I like it."

The community workshop programme runs until the end of this year, with the aim of creating a touring exhibition and a CD-ROM as a "lasting legacy".

Workshops will also now run at Goma through until December.

The exhibition has been developed by the gallery in partnership with Amnesty International and the Scottish Refugee Council.