‘‘Taken together, their collective spirit of bricolaged defiance reads like an alternative design history of Britain…’’
These are the words of journalist Alice Kemp-Habib whose smart and powerful review of our new exhibition in World of Interiors highlights the contrasts, unexpected connections and moments of defiance that appeared throughout our new exhibition Criminal: An Untold History of Homelessness, Resistance and Survival.
Visitors at Criminal exhibition May 2026
Criminal did not shy away from the hard truths.
Criminalisation of homelessness is hard wired into how councils, government departments & sadly some homelessness services operate. The exhibition shows how this evolved over hundreds of years. Legendary architectural critic Cath Slessor stated that show delivers a rage-making punch in the gut and awarded us four stars which we are delighted about.
In the last ten years we have seen far too many examples of people criminalised just for trying to exist. We want to show the histories and stories people don’t often see but also show that there is hope.
Cath Slessor Review of Criminal, published on Mon 25 May 2026
Over the season we welcomed thousands of visitors; graffiti writers, civil servants from the Ministry of Homes, Communities and Local Government and Number 10, students, people experiencing homelessness, social workers, politicians, artists, CEOs and activists.
We have had visitors from Brazil, Canada, USA, Japan and across Europe. In some ways, this isn’t surprising due to the global influences in the exhibition. On the one hand Misako Ichimura and the Nora Collective of Tokyo have had their work shown as pioneering activists resisting criminalisation. On the other hand, much of the most important thinking on the science of trauma that shapes MoH’s work comes from Canada.
Criminal Opening Night Preview © Lucinda MacPherson
Cold Comfort / Kushti Shillow Installation by Gemma Lees Photocredit: Lucinda MacPherson
This brings us hope. In every part of the exhibition you also about learn from the legends who resisted both past and present and who have responded with creativity and compassion. Our commissioned artists Gemma Lees, Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives, 10Foot, Surfing Sofas and Matt Bonner have responded beautifully to - and influenced - the themes of the show and we are really grateful to be working with them. We are also grateful for our talented community and crew who worked so hard to make the exhibition a reality.
Yes Loitering, Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives Photocredit: Lucinda MacPherson
The exhibition design itself, which we worked with the amazing Matt Bonner and Studio Boloz on, was a challenge to hostile architecture and disinformation. There are invitations to dwell, play and create analogue media. This makes the very act of visiting an act of compassion and collective resistance. Throughout the season we’ve seen visitors hang out in our hammock, play chess, enjoy ice creams, make zines and much more.
During the season we ran legal clinics with our colleagues at SK legal, ran a fundraiser for Jamaica, delivered an all night Human Rights Night Walk, ran the first ever Street Legends Chess Cup, hosted a sold out talks series Finsbury Park after Dark with Lewis Brown.
We also regularly intervened on police activity regarding people sleeping rough in the park and were able to build a productive relationship with Haringey’s rough sleeping team, resulting in people being offered accommodation and support rather than enforcement action being taken.
At the end of the season we were invited to the Prime Minister’s rough sleeping summit and we featured on BBC news The World Today giving our thoughts on new policies to tackle homelessness in the UK. You can watch this here
Watch this space for our 2027 offering, which we have begun programming and thank you to everyone who made Criminal so special.
We will announce information on our winter community offer shortly.
Swing at the Criminal exhibition photocredit: Lydia Lange
10Foot’s Greater Villain photocredit: Lydia Lange (Limited editions of these prints are for sale at the exhibition)
Surfing Sofas Publishing House in action photocredit: Lucinda MacPherson
Criminal Opening Night Preview photocredit: Lucinda MacPherson
Site cleared down for winter mode, October 2026