Night of the Homeless: Home town without a home

The voice of homeless women will be heard at the Helsinki City Museum

As a part of the Night of the Homeless event, Helsinki City Museum organizes a discussion session entitled “Home town without a home. At the event, artist Katriina Haikala presents the Women’s Room community arts project that set out from the need to highlight homelessness among women in particular. Meetings arranged for women living at Rinnekoti housing units have focused on the following themes, for example: safer premises, safer experience of being a woman, love, sense of community, participation and self-image. The participants have worked on the topics through participatory art-based methods.

As a result of a survey of the project, the Rakkauksia exhibition saw daylight (Kallio, Helsinki, address Alppikatu 2, Alppikulma building). The video installation of the exhibition will be on display at the City Museum from 10 October until 31 October. In addition to the art exhibition, a survey will be published about the project at the end of 2023, the aim of which is to investigate the use of art-based methods in work for the homeless.

The results of a survey of the project, which was conducted by researcher Leena Alanko, will be published at the Helsinki City Museum, at the same time discussing how art can contribute to efforts to help homeless people. The topic will be discussed by Anne Hietalahti community worker at Rinnekodit, artist Katriina Haikala, researcher Leena Alanko and experience mentor Laura Bredin.

The Women’s Room project has been implemented through support from the Finnish Cultural Foundation and Rinnekodit. The discussion session of the Night of the Homeless event will be arranged in cooperation with Rinnekodit and the Helsinki City Museum.

Photo: Johanna Tirronen