ARTS & HOMELESSNESS
The One Festival of Homeless Arts 2023, photo credit: Matt Mahmood-Ogston
Old Diorama Arts Centre has always been a building where all are welcome to pop in for a cup of tea, a sit-down and chat, and a space to work or keep warm.
With our company mission and values centring around accessibility and inclusivity - particularly through the arts - we felt strongly aligned with supporting those who are of No Fixed Abode or precariously sheltered or struggling through the cost of living crisis.
In December 2023, we were honoured to be shortlisted (and win ‘first runner up’!) for Arts Homeless International’s ‘Cultural Space of the Year' prize.
ONE ROOF
FESTIVAL OF HOMELESS ARTS
One Roof Festival of Homeless Arts 2024, photo credit: Matt Mahmood-Ogston. Artwork credit: Arts Homeless International
January 2024 saw the second creation festival for artists with experience of homelessness, now renamed ‘One Roof’.
In January 2023, we welcomed over 200 visitors across the two weeks of the festival, to a range of workshops covering wire sculpting, mudlarking, mask making, and more. This was the beginning of a festival of homeless arts being a regular fixture in ODAC’s calendar.
In addition to enjoying a week or more of outstanding creative company, we are zeroing in on what we can learn during One Roof 2024. The dedicated arts and homelessness team at ODAC looks forward to discussions with festival attendees regarding sessions they might like to attend regularly.
Our ideal situation would be to establish a year-round programme of diverse art workshops, co-created with One Roof attendees, incorporating dance, wellness, live arts, music and storytelling, alongside the visual art that put the festival on the map.
More information about One Roof can be found here, and get in touch with oneroof@olddiorama.com if you have any further enquiries.
ARTS & HOMELESSNESS INTERNATIONAL
Arts & Homelessness International works to bring positive change to people, projects and policy in the homelessness community through arts and creativity. In 2022, ODAC joined up as a new associate with AHI, partnering on the AHI Leadership Scheme 2023.
ODAC has been involved from the outset of this year’s project; from formally inviting proposals from participants, and partaking of the selection panels; as well as physically hosting the event itself. We were delighted to welcome this year’s cohort on 30th March 2023, for their showcase titled “Now You See Us” - featuring a range of exciting new work from fashion design, large-scale mural arts, verbatim headphone theatre, short films, song, and spoken word poetry.
AHI started the national tour of their ‘Send A Smile’ project at ODAC’s One Roof Festival in 2024.
We have been invited to join with AHI on their next cohort, and are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship.
Artwork by AHI exhibited during of Homeless Arts 2024, photo credit: Matt Mahmood-Ogston.
DRUMMOND STREET ARTISTS
Geraldine Crimmins - a local artist, previously featured in the Big Issue - founded the Drummond Street Artists (DSA) in January 2023 at Old Diorama Arts Centre, on Drummond Street. Post-pandemic, Geraldine saw that there was nowhere in London for precariously sheltered people to go at the weekend for a cup of tea, a chat or to do anything creative. This realisation - and a fortuitous conversation with an enthusiastic donor! - led to the creation and development of the DSA, funded by a longtime collector of Geraldine's work.
DSA is a workshop for artists affected by homelessness. All art materials are provided, as well as support and tuition for artists to make art with the possibility of exhibiting it.
For her incredible work with the DSA, Geraldine was nominated for ‘Creative of the Year’ in AHI’s 2023 Awards.
If you are interested in Geri’s studio workshop - and feel that you fulfil the criteria - you can contact her via geraldine@olddiorama.com.
Geraldine Crimmins’ Exhibition at ODAC, 2022.
LIFE WRITES
Through our association with AHI, we were introduced to the wonderful Lisa Ogun’ - founder and facilitator of “Life Writes.”
Lisa came to us following 8 years of workshops at Cardboard Citizens, offering creative writing workshops for all, specifically aimed at people with experience of homelessness.
For her work at ODAC and elsewhere was nominated for ‘Creative of the Year’ in AHI’s 2023 Awards, and Lisa co-produced One Roof 2024.
