• Art from the heart

The Salvation Army’s 2024 Inner-City Art Expo is designed to enrich the lives of those struggling with issues around homelessness.

BY NAOMI SINGLEHURST

The Salvation Army’s Inner-City Art Expo is running again this year to coincide with Homelessness Week (5-11 August).

The Art Expo, to be held on Wednesday 7 August from 3pm-7pm, is hosted by The Salvation Army’s Inner City Men’s Homelessness Service (Foster House) in Sydney’s Surry Hills.

It features works by artists who fit the criteria of “at risk of homelessness; experiencing homelessness, or who had lived experience of homelessness”.

Kristie Clifton, Salvation Army State Manager Homelessness NSW/ACT, explains that the primary purpose of the expo is to enrich the lives of those struggling, or who have struggled with homelessness, by providing a voice, a creative outlet, and an opportunity to be seen and celebrated.

“Many of the artists and performers have gone through, and are going through, trauma, difficulties and challenges and face stigma and stereotyping,” Kristie explained. “It highlights the fact that no matter what people are going through, everybody has unique talents and abilities.”

Lived experience 

The art exhibits also bring to life the artists’ lived experiences. At last year’s Art Expo, each artist included a blurb about their life or experience with their artwork, which is expected again this year.

“The one that impacted me the most last year was a painting of a well-known bridge, and underneath the bridge was a tent,” shared Kristie. “The artist said every night, people used to drive across the bridge to go home from work but had no idea he was living under it.

“Facing homelessness can be one of the hardest times of an individual's life ... it has a flow-on to things like work, too. It’s very hard to make clear decisions when you don’t know where you’re going to sleep or don’t know where your next meal is coming from.

“We work as a team to ensure that at the end of their time with us, our community members walk away better resourced, empowered and equipped than when they first came to us. Whatever we do, we walk alongside each individual to enrich their life.

“That’s the beauty and strength of the Art Expo. It helps us achieve that in a very beautiful and healing way.”

– Naomi Singlehurst