When > 27 Nov – 12 Dec, 10am – 5pm daily
Where > People’s Republic of Stokes Croft, 14 Hillgrove Street, Bristol, BS2 8JT
What > A new exhibition in Bristol shows 91% of Local Authorities across the UK can’t answer basic questions about homelessness in their communities.
If you were homeless, where would you go for help? Frequently Asked Questions, a new exhibition by artist Anthony Luvera in collaboration with Gerald Mclaverty, uncovers the shocking and poignant challenges faced by those asking this one simple question.
The culmination of five years research, Frequently Asked Questions involved Gerald Mclaverty contacting local authorities across the UK to ask how he could access basic living provisions such as shelter, safety, healthcare, food, and communication.
Of 110 councils emailed in 2019, only ten provided answers to questions such as “where can I go for something to eat?”, “where can I find shelter from when it is raining or snowing?” or “where can I sleep during the night that is safe?” 41 of the councils did not reply at all. With the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, Councils are now legally bound by new duties in relation to homeless individuals and these findings put their performance in relation to the Act under the microscope.
Produced in association with Museum of Homelessness, the exhibition gives a picture of how services both help and hinder the estimated 320,000 homeless people in Britain, and offers an insight into the challenges and realities faced by the most marginalised individuals as they attempt to access systems of care.
Frequently Asked Questions will subsequently feature in an exhibition opening at The Gallery at Foyles, London, from the 13 January to 16 February.
The result is a striking wall installation and programme of public events, inviting audiences to contemplate and ask their own questions about the range of responses provided by the local authorities.
Entry > Free
More Info > prsc.org.uk/event/frequently-asked-questions/
