Meet our new poet in residence - Surfing Sofas

We are delighted to announce that Surfing Sofas (aka Justin Brown) will be our Poet in Residence to coincide with our historic move to our new base in Finsbury Park.

Surfing Sofas is a hip-hop artist and poet who writes about homelessness and its related social issues to tackle stigma and raise awareness about the homelessness and housing crisis in the UK. His moving, lyrical and prescient rhymes have seen him emerge as an influential voice in arts and homelessness circles, and beyond. He has been long-standing collaborator with MoH, co-curator of the One Festival of Homeless Arts and he is also a creative associate of Arts and Homelessness International. His latest poetry collection Reflecting from the Sofa was just released early this year.

Where to catch Surfing Sofas - our national vigil 20 April

We have been working with Surfing Sofas over the last few months to prepare for the residency and his first appearance will be this Thursday outside Downing Street at our National Vigil to remember those who have died homeless.

He will perform the first piece he’s written as part of the residency - Till the Day we meet again.

Throughout the year he will spend time documenting, responding and capturing stories about homelessness, our collection and more besides. For those who can’t make it check out the poem below.

With thanks to Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Arts Council England for supporting our artistic programme this year and Lyrix Organix for their partnership.