Homeless art by brilliant people

We support the Temporary shelter for homeless streetart

 Motivation

In the current corona crisis, the risk of becoming homeless has increased. The biased image of the alcoholic, the freebooter, junk or psychiatric patient is no longer current. Nowadays other problems often arise.

As members of a creative community, we also experience the risks and consequences of the lack of incomeduring this crisis. That makes us humble and especially curious about creatives among the homeless.

Why?

The homeless person does not fit into our tightly organized society, just as an artist does not always feel at home there. In both cases these are often sensitive people who sometimes intuitively and sometimes willfully or with a message against society. It is not easy for this extremely sensitive group to adapt and usually not even their intention.

The focus of this project is not on the situation of the people, but on the development and potential of the individual; the artist. It is partly thanks to this group of people that we look at the world around us differently. So let’s create more space for these vulnerable people.

Purpose of the initiative

The ‘Homeless Art’ project aims to give the emerging artist not only a professional face, but also an opportunity to be economically self-reliant on a small scale. The project consists of three parts.

In addition to a day program ‘painting on canvas’, the participants are part of an exhibition. In addition, a short interview sketches the person behind the creativity. And a professionally shot portrait in which the ‘exceptionality’ of the person behind the situation is highlighted in special and unique forms of quirkiness.

The portraits and the work made are bundled in a series of postcards.

Intended result

Afterwards, each participant receives a package of postcards and an enlarged portrait, with his or her recorded story. The cards can be sold individually on the street. With this we want to offer a mini-company. A way to independently provide (part of) a living. And offer opportunities for interesting interaction and discussion with people on the street. A means to combat loneliness and positively influence self-image.

The postcards and prints are sold through an online store. We take care of the promotion for this. The proceeds go into a fund that financially supports similar daytime projects.

Location

The work sessions and exhibition take place in Vrij Paleis. A creative community in the center of Amsterdam, behind the Dam. The Tenants’ Association manages a gallery and a large central square in Vrij Paleis, where artistic, social and cultural initiatives find an accessible stage.