the warm /&/the cold

We're delighted to announce that the warm /&/ the cold our new project with homeless people will start shortly.

Homeless people in Manchester will devise poetry about their lives and inscribe it onto mugs and quilts; these pieces will have a practical, personal use but will also be exhibited to a large audience public TV screens.

Homelessness is one of the most feared and reviled roles in our society, but it is also a growing problem in this time of economic hardship. This project will help homeless people in Manchester develop new life skills, socialise and build confidence. Additionally, the pieces will challenge preconceptions about homelessness, combating hate crime against homeless people and emphasizing needs shared by us all – especially the need for shelter.

Pieces will additionally be featured in The Big Issue magazine, exhibited at homeless drop-ins in Bury and Manchester and serialized as an ongoing epic twitter poem. This will further increase public awareness of the project.

Embroidery students at MMU will help participants to sew the quilts, developing another set of creative/interpersonal dialogues.

This project will work in partnership with drop-in-centres for the homeless: The Red Door in Bury and The Booth Centre, Manchester, and The Big Issue office. Sessions will also take place on the street.

The project has received funding from Arts Council England and Bury Arts Service. It is partnered by the the Booth Centre, Big Issue, BBC, Salford University Media Department, Manchester Metropolitan University Embroidery Department and will continue our long association with Bury MBC.