Arts at the Old Fire Station

They have a deep partnership with Crisis, with whom they share a building. Through this they work with people who are experiencing homelessness by involving them at various levels in their arts centre. They are the only arts centre in the UK to partner with a homelessness charity in this way. This is not ‘homeless people doing art’, but a professional arts centre which could not operate without people who are experiencing homelessness.

They help people to access networks, build friendships, improve mental health, deal with complex challenges or financial or personal problems, find purpose and agency, and build confidence.

‘It sounds silly and over the top, doesn't it? But it is life changing. The things they think are normal, the way you're talked to, asked your opinion, you lose when you become homeless or have some crisis. You don't just lose your home, you lose anything positive, become this thing to be dealt with. It's learning to live in a healthier way, and remembering you have value, something to offer. It's like the colour coming back into the world... like waking up and it's spring. It made me feel like a real person again, like a proper person, I suppose.’