Art that saves lives

Every week The Big Issue magazine contains a page celebrating the work of artists who have had experience of homelessness. As well as money, shelter and employment being necessary to help somebody reintegrate with society, art can be used as an incredible, therapeutic tool to restore and reconnect.

One of our frequent contributors over the years has been Geraldine Crimmins. With her own history of homelessness and addiction, art has completely changed her life around. Now, Geraldine is spreading the support art gave her among other people who have experienced homelessness. Earlier this year she formed a group, Drummond Street Artists, and now this loose collective that Crimmins mentored, have opened their very first exhibition. You can meet the artists and find out about their stories in this week’s Big Issue.

Also inside

• We spend time with the asylum seekers still holding on to hope in the camps of Calais
• Dr Alice Roberts’ shares her accidental journey from medicine to archaeology in a Letter To My Younger Self
• How football fans are plugging the food bank gap
• Tolkien died 50 years ago but his books still speak to the modern age
• Ella Lily Hyland talks about opening the Edinburgh Film Festival with a Silent Roar
• And Manchester vendor Justin introduces us to Bumper, his pet who loves attention (and clearly loved posing for our photographer)

Plus much more!

If you can, please buy a copy from your local vendor.

If you can’t buy in person, you can purchase magazines from The Big Issue Shop or download a digital version via The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play