The winner of the artrepublic street art competition is Brighton based artist Grant DeJonge (Attached is the winning image entitled ‘Lost’, plus winner Grant Dejonge with wife Jacquie and street artist Inkie)

Preparations have begun to transform a 2 storey-wall into an original work of art.  The wall kindly donated by myhotels has been prepped, and the winning image will serve as a reminder of the UK homeless situation when it is unveiled on Brighton’s Jubilee Street on Friday 5th February.

The next location is in Covent Garden, London where the image will be painstakingly reproduced onto a 4-storey building.

The image will be sold as a limited edition print through the artrepublic galleries in Brighton and London and online at www.artrepublic.com

Lawrence Alkin, CEO artrepublic, has agreed to donate £1 from every single transaction taken during the months of Jan, Feb & March 2010 to StreetSmart.  To date artrepublic have donated £1,500 to the charity.

Glen Pougnet, Director StreetSmart comments: “I think that the shortlist was truly magnificent but the winning piece is really powerful work. Congratulations to the artist and very many thanks to artrepublic.  Every single penny donated will be used to fund vital projects to help the homeless in both London and Brighton.”

DeJonge is a self-taught artist from London, but for the past 14 years has lived and worked around Brighton.  He is ecstatic about winning the competition:  “I had just finished a building job so had no more work on, when I heard about the artrepublic Street Art competition. Whilst creating the image using oils on canvas, it made me realise that I want to concentrate on my art again.  Never for a minute did I think about winning, especially as my work is not strictly ‘street’.”  Dejonge was unaware that established street art judges – Inkie, Eine, Static and Pure Evil were unanimous in choosing his  image due to its originality, use of colour and for the fact it conveyed the right, thought-provoking message.  DeJonge concludes “I wanted to include subtle details to my piece such as having no shadow under the bench and the use of a vivid “fairy tale” red for her coat.  I am delighted to win this competition and look forward to working with artrepublic.  I hope my image serves as a reminder of the homeless situation and that it helps to highlight the excellent work that charities like StreetSmart are doing .”

The image will be available to view in Brighton and London from February until end of March 2010.

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Cardboard Citizens, the homeless people’s theatre company, is visiting hostels all over London this Autumn, with a new Forum Theatre play, Led Easy by David Watson (children’s BAFTA winner in 2008) directed by Emma Bernard.

Led Easy presents three characters led astray by figures from their past, present and future: Leo, a teenager whose friend Switchy offers danger, excitement and a life beyond the rules…Emma, who volunteers at a day centre for the homeless, struggling with the systems of cynicism and bureaucracy around her… Eve, fresh out of prison, who wants to make a fresh start and re-connect with her child but the temptations of her old crowd loom large…

After the performances, these short plays are also used as the basis for the Forum Theatre methodology, developed by the great Brazilian theatre practitioner and theorist, Augusto Boal. Forum Theatre allows audience members to join the actors on stage and experiment with solutions to the issues encountered by the characters. The performances are also an opportunity for Cardboard Citizens to encourage audience members to join their performing arts workshops, engage with their support staff and move their lives on through gaining more stable housing, jobs, education or training.

“For me theatre was associated with Shakespeare, I just didn’t relate to that. This play grabbed my attention because it was made from true life stories, and the interactive forum really grabbed me.”
(D, hostel resident, 2008)

Cardboard Citizens have toured over 500 Forum Theatre shows, performed by ex-homeless actors, in London’s hostels and day centres for the past 10 years, to audiences of over 10,000 homeless people. The cast of Led Easy includes Jo Allitt, Ian S. Kalman, Jennifer Lewin, Terry O’Leary and Andre Skeete, all of whom have direct experience of homelessness.

Showcase Performances:

Toynbee Studios 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6AB
Monday 16 November, 3pm & 7.30pm
Tuesday 17 November, 3pm & 7.30pm
Tickets are £5 / £1 for those with experience of homelessness.

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