The MaMagazinegazine ofof FEANTSAFEANTSA - The European Federation of National OrganisationsOrganisations WorkingWorking with the Homeless AISBLAISBL in Europe Homeless SpringSpring 20020099 Homelessness and the Arts: Creativity, empowerment and social change In this issue 3 Editorial 4 How the arts can deliver real change for homeless people Matt Peacock 6 Interview with Hallvard Bræin, director of ‘Gatas Gynt’ 8 Introduction to the ‘Self Portrait’ Project, Hungary Orsolya Szele 10 ‘We exist’ – homeless artists in Hungary Csilla Horváth 11 The empowerment of people with mental health needs and other social exclusion impacts using art participation: evidence from the UCLan/Anglia research project, UK. Dr Sue Hacking, Jenny Secker, Helen Spandler, Lyn Kent et Jo Shenton 14 DentroFuera - InsideOut, An artistic/cultural space in a home for the homeless Antonio Rodríguez, Julio Jara, Tono Areán 16 Arts and rehabilitation Sepp Ginner 17 Emerging art form takes its voice from the streets Liz Rutherfoord 19 ‘Fashion with a Mission’ - getting a second chance Carin Reinders et Jacqueline van Lent 21 Vision ImPossible – providing resources to realise potential Amanda Whittle LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We would like to give you the chance to comment on any of the articles which have appeared in this issue. If you would like to share your ideas, thoughts and feedback, please send an email to the editor, [email protected]. Les articles dans Sans-Abri en Europe ne refl ètent pas nécessairement les opinions de la FEANTSA. 2 Homeless in Europe Editorial Homelessness and the Arts: Creativity, empowerment and social change In recent years, the use of art as a means to empow- Dr Sue Hacking, Jenny Secker, Helen Spandler, erment and well-being has taken on a larger role Lyn Kent and Jo Shenton showcase their research within the sphere of social service provision. It is which explores the empowerment of people with becoming increasingly accepted that the cultural mental health needs and other social exclusion activities broadly known as ‘the arts’ can inspire impacts through art participation. From a study of vulnerable people to fi nd a voice, empower those a large number of arts projects and participants, the who are socially excluded, and profoundly help research found signifi cant improvement in empow- people experiencing mental health problems. erment scores overall, with measurable improve- ments in self-effi cacy and positive outlook. This edition of Homeless in Europe seeks to explore the ways in which the arts, including opera, fi lm Antonio Rodriguez, Julio Jara and Tono Areán, from acting, painting and fashion design, have been Fundación San Martín de Porres in Spain explain used in different parts of Europe to help homeless how art has been made part of daily life in their people deal with their problems and everyday life. supported residence for homeless people. Having None of the projects outlined in this edition claim to converted the basement to a cultural space entitled solve the problem of homelessness – but they do all DentroFuera (InsideOut), it is now a hub of artistic share the common achievement of having improved installations and exhibitions, a magnet for artistic people’s self-esteem, self-awareness and motiva- endeavour, creativity and energy. It has fostered tion, while challenging mainstream perceptions of great camaraderie in the residence and has encour- homelessness. aged people to look at their surroundings with new eyes. Matthew Peacock, Chief Executive of Streetwise Opera explains how the idea of an opera group Art also inspired the residents of Verein Wohnen und for homeless people was inspired by the desire to Arbeit, in Austria to foster a creative atmosphere. challenge attitudes to homeless people. He further Sepp Ginner, manager of the residence describes outlines how the arts and culture are increasingly how the people staying there gained a new-found being used as a tool for social change and are pride in their surroundings and themselves, once gaining the recognition they deserve for delivering the home’s façade had been embellished by a local, tangible results, within the context of other inter- talented decorator. It inspired them to take on ventions. the task of decorating the inside of the home and contributed to their well-being. Perceptions of homeless people and their capa- bilities are also challenged in the Norwegian fi lm, Liz Rutherfoord, Chief Executive at the Single Home- ‘Gatas Gynt,’ in which all the actors were homeless less Project in the UK outlines the organisation’s people. Hallvard Bræin, the fi lm’s director affi rms ‘Urban Art Project’, which was particularly focused that despite the challenges involved in the making on younger people. Urban art can give marginal- of the fi lm, it was a great confi dence boost for the ised and vulnerable people a way into artistic and people who acted in it and proved that a play usually political discourse and gives ways of voicing protest, performed in formal surroundings by professional when other channels are inaccessible. actors can be just as powerful when performed by a group of people who are normally stigmatised. Finally, two articles from the Netherlands and the UK show how artistic endeavour can be converted into Orsolya Szele, a homeless journalist for Fedél Nélkül commercial enterprise, providing not only a creative street paper in Hungary introduces the ‘Self Portrait outlet for those involved, but also paid employ- Project’ which was set up to offer homeless people ment, and a means to a stable life. Carin Reinders the possibility of self-expression. She conducts and Jacqueline van Lent of Mode Met een Missie interviews with people involved in the project, who outline how homeless women in the Netherlands all express positive benefi ts from having found have been taught to cut and sew designer clothes, a way to share their story. Also from Hungary, giving them a skill, a livelihood and a feeling of Csilla Horváth, President of ‘We Exist’ – a group pride. Amanda Whittle at Vision ImPossible, an arts of homeless artists – explains how the group came project for homeless, ex-homeless and precariously about, and how it has helped its members gain an housed people explains how it helps people break increased sense of self-worth. into the London art scene and get artwork sold in group and solo shows. Homeless in Europe 3 How the arts can deliver real change for homeless people By Matt Peacock, Chief Executive, Streetwise Opera 1, UK Streetwise Opera was born following a comment by a better by launching, not one, but two centres that just Member of Parliament in the 1990s that, ‘the home- deliver a programme of meaningful activities; ‘Look less are the people you step over when you come out Ahead Housing’ have just delivered major artistic of the Opera House’. At the time I was a Key Worker commissions in fi ve hostels. The most powerful indi- at The Passage Nightshelter and this comment created cation that there has been a shift in opinion in the some strong feeling with the residents. The residents UK is through government policy documents and felt that they needed to respond and the best way of independent research. Papers published by govern- doing this was by turning the tables on this comment ment departments as well as studies produced by – if they were in an opera it would challenge public Broadway, Crisis, New Philanthropy Capital, Homeless perception and show society what homeless people Link and the Westminster Primary Care Trust all talk could achieve given the chance. This idea grew into of homelessness not being solved by housing alone Streetwise Opera and seven years on, the charity runs and that, ‘a multi-layered support approach is needed a national music programme in 11 homeless centres including recreational activities such as sport and the around the UK and its current production will be seen arts’ (Offi ce of the Deputy Prime Minister, (ODPM), by an estimated 70,000 people around the world. 2005). In the government’s new strategy to end rough sleeping, the Department of Communities and Local Arts and culture have always been used as a tool for Government devote a section to the arts. Meanwhile social change although it is only in the last century that Streetwise Opera recently won the Andy Ludlow various ideas and interventions have come together in Homeless Award2 – the fi rst time an arts initiative has recognised movements – Social Arts, Community Arts won this key award in the homeless sector. or Participatory Arts. These movements are extremely broad though often linked and can include work as So why has the homeless sector become more varied as music therapy, arts in hospitals, drama in attracted to the arts? Society has historically been the criminal justice system – artistic programmes with slow to welcome any intervention that doesn’t have every kind of vulnerable individual from homeless immediate, obvious benefi ts. The arts have tended to adults to disabled children. And although these areas be seen as a distraction or ‘add-on’ when it comes of work are now well established, it is my belief that to delivering real change because the change can be it is only in the last decade that the arts has earned more subtle, ‘softer’ or take longer to develop. What the recognition it has deserved for delivering tangible is different now is that the arts are being recognised benefi ts. as having strong benefi ts when placed in the context of other interventions – the idea of the ‘multi-layered In the homeless sector we are now seeing meaningful approach’ from the ODPM report mentioned above. activities (including the arts) approaching the centre Arts interventions themselves are not new - it is the of policies to improve people’s lives for the fi rst time understanding of their role that has shifted.