The Big Solution
'Homelessness is a big issue affecting hundreds of thousands of people across the UK, and the issue has reached critical levels around the country in 2026.' The Big Issue
Insight: People only pay attention when they fear it could happen to them.
Idea: How to stop someone in their tracks.
Photo by Leroy Skalstad on Unsplash
In busy areas on the way to Leeds train station and known homelessness hotspots, we will create a consent-based public installation sharing the life stories of people experiencing homelessness. This will include, where available, personal images from their lives before and during homelessness and recorded audio stories in their own words.
The aim is to create moments of pause in busy public spaces and encourage engagement with lived experiences often overlooked in everyday city movement.
Near Leeds train station, local vendors will be central to the project under the message “Everyone has a story.” In collaboration with The Big Issue, we will produce a limited-edition special issue featuring vendors’ personal stories. Each edition will be individually designed to reflect the vendor’s experiences and identity, making each magazine unique and sold directly by the vendors.