In 2009 and 2010 I facilitated Rough Sleepers, a projectfor service users of St. Petrock’s homeless centre in Exeter, England. Interactive mapping techniques around participants’ unique perspectives on Exeter resulted in the creation of their own guides to the city that others might use. Mapping the contents of their bags showed what was important to carry with them, and labeling the places they frequented made a web of their marks on the city map. This offered a way to share their experiences, lessons learned, and advice with others, going beyond negative stereotypes associated with homelessness to acknowledge each different individual’s valuable knowledge of the city.
This project was a collaboration with socially-engaged artist Lisa Evans
Sarah Ashford Hart 