December 7, 2017, by The Ingenuity Lab
Ingenuity18: Giving the Homeless a Creative Voice
People of the Streets is a not-for-profit social enterprise which aims to tackle homelessness by offering a range of different product packs which are then distributed to homeless shelters across the UK and onto the homeless, to directly benefit their lives.
Stories of the Streets is a new and unique photography initiative which conveys images of homelessness from the perspective of those experiencing it first-hand. it’s a collaborative photographic exhibition, organised by People of the Streets CIC, that is currently running in Nottingham city centre until just before Christmas. Stories convey images of homelessness from the perspective of those experiencing it first-hand.
With the support of local homeless centres Emmanuel House and Canaan Trust, volunteers from the homeless community were provided with a personal disposable camera, enabling them to share their stories with others. The photographs and unique stories behind the photographer are currently being shown and are available for visitors to the exhibition to purchase, with the proceeds divided between the social enterprise to reinvest and the individuals through a pay-it-forward scheme.
Denis Tulley, CEO of Emmanuel House, says: “Clearly the exhibition is evocative and powerful with the images it portrays. You can see this not just in the comments people have written in response to what they have seen. This is an important project which contributes to overcoming the stigma and restoring the humanity we don’t often see because someone is homeless. The exhibition challenges us to ‘think again.”
Following the successful launch of the Stories of the Streets photography exhibition in November, People of the Streets are launching a 2018 calendar to support Nottingham’s homeless community. The calendar retails at £12 and is now available to purchase at the exhibition in the intu Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, and online here.
Managing Director, Charles K
err says: “Lots of people have come into the exhibition to look at the photos, give donations, educate themselves and share their thoughts about homelessness in our city. This calendar will give the people of Nottingham yet another opportunity to show their support and enjoy the beauty of these images.”
Proceeds from the calendars will be re-invested back into the social enterprise to help support more homeless people this winter in addition to help with further exhibitions across the UK.
People of the Streets have recently been featured on BBC News as well as Notts TV for their Stories of the Streets exhibition. Their use of a creative outlet to not only give a marginalised community a voice but to tackle a societal issue in the process is what the Ingenuity18, #FixTheWorld Campaign is all about.
If you would like to find out more about Ingenuity18, please visit www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/ingenuity18, or come along to one of the Ingenuity18 Taster Sessions, happening at your local campus.
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