Last night founders, Lindsey and Rob, attended the opening of the One Festival of Homeless Arts at the Ringcross community centre, Islington. It was a great night, full of gorgeous emotive works and plenty of nibbles. Open till 30th October, we would highly recommend a visit.
The One Festival of Homeless Arts was founded by David Tovey, and is an arts festival celebrating creators who have experienced or are still experiencing homelessness.
David is an ex client of the Pilion Trust, a homeless charity we work closely with. After suffering from cancer and living in his car, David decided to take his own life on a park bench. A park enforcement officer called Gavin saw him and intervened. It wasn’t even meant to be Gavin’s shift. Gavin called The Pilion Trust and David was welcomed to The Crash Pad, a shelter run by the Pilion Trust. With encouragement from Savvas Panas at Pilion Trust, David realised he could use his creative talents to spread hope. “That belief that I could be someone, that I had a story worth telling, was the kick up the backside I needed!” David is now running arts workshops for the young people at The Crash Pad. When he visits, he shows the current residents the bed where he used to stay. They can hardly believe he was a former resident! The items on show range from installation pieces to photography and canvas paintings that are over 3 feet tall!
On show is also Allie's Ship of Hope, a piece that was created over the space of 3 months by members of the Crash Pad and The Alexandra Wylie Tower Foundation. Originally on show at the Pinkmas christmas event at Lauderdale house it now sits in pride of place at the exhibition.
You can catch the exhibition for the next month at the Ringcross centre, 60 Lough Rd, London N7 8RH.