Friday 15th December 2023 was results day for the first ever Arts and Homelessness International Awards - their awards to recognise excellence in the sector around the world, from projects to individuals. We were honoured to be shortlisted (and win ‘first runner up’!) for their ‘Cultural Space of the Year' prize.

AHI has been a significant part of developing ODAC’s relationship with arts and homelessness, from hosting their Leadership Scheme Showcase with us, to providing training in welcoming rough sleepers into the building for our Operations and Hires team. David Tovey - founder of the One Festival of Homeless Arts - has been a fixture at ODAC since 2015, and will be constructing a sculpture from the AHI ‘Send a Smile’ project in the ODAC Foyer for January.

Our Centre Manager and the lead of our Arts & Homelessness Programme, Claire Rivers, was also one of those nominated (for ‘Co-Creation Champion of the Year’). She reflected on an uplifting and inspiring afternoon…

I’m set up to watch the AHI awards on the big monitor in the ODAC Casting Studio - a warm cocoon of a cosy casting space, lined with posters from locally filmed movies and boasting a long couch that can easily accommodate three or four excitable nominees. Just as well, because I am not alone…
*I am flanked by two of the biggest stars in the homeless arts community: writer/director/performer/facilitator/dramaturg and co-producer of One Roof Festival 2024,* *Lisa Ogun’; and artist, powerhouse, former ODAC artist in residence, and founder of the* *Drummond Street Artists*, *Geraldine Crimmins*. The two impossibly glamorous women are guzzling Nozecco and nibbling popcorn while two dogs confusedly patrol the perimeter, hoping for popcorn drops. One is Ziggy, homeless advocate, and close friend of Sir Ian McKellan; the other is Lancelot, a fine young gentleman with lived experience of homelessness who was kind enough to bring along our other One Roof co-producer, Dan Badja. Dan is a new member of the ODAC community but already providing himself invaluable - the glass of Nozecco swirls in his hand as he enthusiastically asks questions about AHI, which - as a recent graduate of the leadership scheme, and Katie Langford’s right hand - Lisa is primed to answer.

We are personally awaiting a slew of awards between us: Lisa and Geri have each been nominated for the hotly anticipated Creative of the Year - an award sponsored by arts app Amuzn, which includes a cash prize and a commission. In addition to this, both have stakes in the Arts/Homelessness Project of the Year category - Geri for her fantastic weekly art collective, the ‘Drummond Street Artists;’ and Lisa for her role as producer and dramaturg with the brilliantly devised project ‘Mother’s Day.’ As both projects were born (or at least raised) during ODAC’s homeless arts festival 2023, it seems fitting that we are all back here together, celebrating with AHI - an organisation that has brought us all together numerous times, as well as being a highly-respected company, and an awesome group of people.

I’m nominated for Co-creation Champion of the Year, which - while hugely flattering - is laughable when I look at the rest of the nominees. Really, I’ve got my beady eye on the ODAC nomination for Cultural Space of the Year. It would be a leap - a big leap, because a lot of this is new to us - but since we signed up to be a Camden Council ‘Warm Welcome’ space in 2022, we’ve been working hard to become the best version of ourselves, welcoming visitors for all corners of the community, and constantly looking for ways to improve.

And so it begins. The awards - brilliantly designed to take advantage of online video calling - are a joyful riot of faces, smiles, and emotional speeches. CEOs Matt Peacock and David Tovey are in their respective homes, grinning into their cameras, while Matt provides background and grown-up chatter, David holds up the award statues - handmade and one-of-a-kind - spinning them like Tony awards, laughing like a hyena all the while. Senior Producer Katie Langford - obviously moved by the proceedings - is having a hard time holding back tears as she reports on the amazing work that has been carried out by nominees all over the world; while Senior Producer Samra Said cannot keep a broad smile from her glowing face. This is a fantastic event and a great opportunity for us to e-meet some of the icons in the homeless arts community, with whom we hope to one day collaborate.

As the shortlisted finalists and results roll in, it becomes increasingly difficult to remember who we’re rooting for - Lisa has worked with almost every nominee, excitedly texting congratulations to her former collaborators and friends; and many of the nominees are our friends from festivals across the years. ODAC loses out to the Dallas Public Library in Texas, with their inspiring Homeless Engagement Initiative, from which I realise we can learn a lot. However, we were to receive the status of First Runner Up in this category, which is mind-blowing - a true honour to be awarded alongside so many wonderful groups and individuals, and a great starting point from which to improve.

My category is won by Matt and Jess Turtle of the outstanding Museum of Homelessness who have worked alongside Lisa and Dan in the past, and are icons of the homeless art community - generous with their time and advice, and always visible at events related to homelessness. A truly well-deserved win.

By the time of the final category, we are jiggling around like jumping beans, waiting on the announcement of Creative of the Year. Lisa and Geri are both nominated, yet neither seems to expect a win, nor really to want it particularly. There is so much great talent on that shortlist that they seem equally excited at the prospect of a friend or collaborator taking the gold. And my goodness me, we weren’t disappointed: the award went to Surfing Sofas - hip hop artist and poet, Justin - a fellow AHI cohort of Lisa’s, and former co-curator of ODACs homeless festival in 2023. The small casting studio of huge fans erupted as we hugged and bounced around, delighted to see Surfing Sofas acknowledged for his unparalleled talent and triumph over the odds against him. His shy and beautiful face fills the screen as he reads one of his poems: “Happy or sad?” he asks the collective. Smiling through the shouts that follow, Surfing Sofas serves up some of his classic work, exploring themes of the home, the heart, and how the two can be cleaved apart or connected. No eye is left dry.

As the awards come to a close, we talk about what we’ve seen and heard, realising the significance of it all. Arts and Homelessness International have gathered artists and associates from around the world to honour their hard work and diligence in these trying times; and we just got to see some very close and admirable friends, neighbours, and strangers (for now!) be recognised for the differences they have made to the lives of those around them.
For me, the privilege of being nominated will remain with me always, regardless of where the future takes us. Without awards and recognition in place, we would continue to strive for better for members of our community experiencing homelessness, and to be the best we can be for everyone around us.

With the awards, we get to do this while also knowing we are part of a solid collective of companies and people all around the world, all of whom are working tirelessly to create and support change. I know that I will take away a lot from the 2023 AHI Awards - pride, respect, and that warm-and-fuzzy feeling you get from being smiled at for an hour by really nice people. Though I’d be thrilled to be nominated again of course, our aims for the future are not to win awards, but to continue to build on the work we have started and to learn as much as we can from those around us - both the users of our centre, and the trailblazers around us who are paving the way to a better world. If ODAC can continue to be welcomed as part of this group, there is nowhere else I’d rather be.

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