Images created by people sleeping rough in Middlesbrough go on display this week (11 June) on the main concourse at Middlesbrough Railway Station, which is hosting the exhibition in its public space. It will also be part of a packed programme of events at Middlesbrough’s Storytelling Festival (27 June to 1 July).
Through Our Eyes, curated by homelessness charity Depaul UK, is a collection of eight images and stories that show different stages of homelessness through the eyes of those who live it.
Depaul UK’s Middlesbrough team worked with four people currently experiencing or recently moving on from rough sleeping, giving them disposable cameras, photography guidance, and two weeks to document their world as they see and feel it.
Nana Kofi Asamoah-Adu, a photographer and Housing Management Worker at Depaul UK Middlesbrough, who brought the project to life, said:
“I really believe that photography is an act of listening, and I wanted to see what we could learn from listening to the images made by the people we support. There are so many preconceptions about people who sleep rough, and I wanted to find a way to empower those taking part, while humanising their experiences and provoking a wider dialogue within our community.”
Participant Mark, who photographed his tent behind a fence, said:
“My image shows what you have to do to get in and out of your tent. You have to climb a fence to get in and get that extra protection to make you feel safe. We don’t cause any disturbance or anything, we just keep to ourselves. This is how we live on the streets, just trying to find a bit of security. We are just trying to make the best of a sorry situation.”
Malcolm, another participant who photographed the ashes of his tent after it was burnt down, said:
“I have been homeless for four and a half years now and I would just like for people to leave me alone. I am no threat to anyone, I don’t do any damage, I keep myself to myself, but people just ruin my tent for a laugh because they think it’s funny.”
Local support for people who sleep rough, provided by Depaul UK, includes a safe, warm place to meet where they can have a cup of tea and a chat. From there, people can access additional support including housing advice, substance use services and mental health support, as well as pathways towards safer, more stable living.
The Middlesbrough Storytelling Festival celebrates the power of storytelling in all its forms. The photography will also be included within the festival programme, alongside work from a range of local and national contributors.
Middlesbrough continues to rank among the most deprived local authority areas nationally. Projects such as Through Our Eyes aim to humanise these statistics and create space for lived experience to be seen and heard.