Arts & Homelessness International

Arts & Homelessness International (artshomelessint.com – charity number 1182955) was founded by Streetwise Opera in 2012 and is now a separate charity.

AHI (formerly known as With One Voice) is a movement which is building the arts and homelessness sector globally through exchanges in policy and practice.

Arts & Homelessness International focuses on strengthening existing projects, helping new projects to start, raising awareness of the role of arts in homelessness support and influencing policy.

The movement was born out of an event at the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad where we brought together 300 performers affected by homelessness; this was the first time in Olympic history that homeless people were given a platform to celebrate their achievements.

Following a successful series of exchanges between arts and homelessness initiatives in the UK and Brazil, we supported a programme involving homeless performers which was part of the Rio Cultural Olympiad in 2016. Significant artistic, social and policy impacts and a global consultation showed a need for a movement which connected, supported and strengthened arts and homelessness projects around the world.

Arts & Homelessness International has commissioned research and delivered work in Brazil, Japan, USA, Canada and Scotland. In 2018 we produced the first ever international arts and homelessness summit and festival in Manchester, attended by 250 delegates from 15 countries. Festival events and exhibitions reached audiences of over 100,000 people.

The project became an independent organisation in April 2019, marking the departure of Streetwise Opera founder Matt Peacock, who left Streetwise Opera to lead the new charity.

The two organisations retain close links, and as a leading organisation in the arts and homelessness sector, Streetwise Opera is now an active member of the Arts & Homelessness International movement.