2024-25 Associates Cohort

We are thrilled to announce and welcome the 3rd cohort of AHI Associate Leaders. The AHI Associate Leadership Programme is a year-long, leadership and professional development programme for a group of 8 individuals, all of whom are or have been homeless. The third year runs April 2024 – April 2025. 

The cohort will have 5 set meetings per year and continuous follow up with a trained coach and relevant staff members. They will be allocated a personal creative budget to use for an individual project, take part in placements in the cultural sector, shadow AHI’s programmes and deliver freelance projects.  

We celebrate the generosity of the following supporters who have made this programme happen – David Wise, Linbury Trust, Big Give crowdfunder donors and Lankelly Chase.

2023-24 Associate Leaders (in alphabetical order)  

Anonymous

Mixed-media artist. They aim to use their craft alongside their lived experience to shed light on the complex issues surrounding homelessness.

Having struggled through housing insecurity, they have witnessed firsthand, along with their loyal dog, the devastating impact the lack of stable shelter and support can have on an individual. They would like to amplify the voices of unhoused creatives, change societal stigmas, inspire compassion and drive into action these voices.

They are interested in building a resource for civic and social action to focus on supporting communities that can regenerate individuals and communities. Recent work includes co-producing One Roof Festival with the Old Diorama Arts Centre (ODAC) and co-building the ‘Send a Smile’ installation with David Tovey for AHI & Underground Lights, which toured the country in 2024. The installation celebrated the power of connection and creativity in difficult times through postcards from arts and homelessness projects across the globe. They volunteer with the Museum of Homelessness and several other charities, alongside working as a painter and decorator for specialist arts-based refurbishment projects, including ODAC and Bow Arts Studios on Regent’s Park Estate.

Having been granted the opportunity to be a part of the Associate Leadership programme 2024 with the Arts and Homelessness International, they are committed to using their artistic platform to advocate, along with their dog to work in partnership to build a more empathetic and inclusive community where no one is left without a place to call home.

Calum Perrin

Calum draws on music, performance, installation and documentary-making traditions to create projects which explore the intersections between subject and sound; fact and fiction; concrete and abstract. Calum’s recent work includes Anatomies (Paraorchestra), Chromophonia; Unread; Northumberland’s Electric Coast (BBC Radio 3), Bells That Still Can Ring; Radio Waves (BBC Radio 4), Risk Lab (Theater Rampe Stuttgart, Deutsches Theater Berlin), Peper Harrow: Iain’s Story (Drake Music), It’s a Motherf**king Pleasure (Soho Theatre, Underbelly, UK Tour), Dugsi Dayz (Royal Court Theatre) and Ten Days in a Madhouse (Jack Studio Theatre). Calum is London based.

David Sparkes

David Sparkes is an Artist, poet, engineer and performer. Currently working for and supporting an ever-increasing number of community-building organisations in the Plymouth, UK area. David is Plymouth based.  

Jodie Cole

Jodie Cole is a working-class choreographer, facilitator & lead artist at Jodie Cole Dance. She runs workshops & movement sessions for institutions across the UK & is trained to level 3 British Sign Language. In 2022 Jodie created & toured Boogie Booth, a popup participatory dance experience with embedded BSL & in 2023 she explored “Class, Collaboration, & Complex PTSD” as part of her Developing Your Creative Practice Arts Council grant. Currently Jodie is an associate for the Jerwood Toolkit promoting socio-economic diversity in the arts & she is developing a new audio described participatory show, Feel The Beat. Jodie is Kent based.  

Julia Peculiaa

Julia Peculiaa has A Circular Sustainable Clothing and Accessories Brand. She takes surplus items destined for landfill and turn them into unique, affordable statement pieces. 

She conducts Educational Talks about fast fashion perils, and mindful consumerism in order to maintain a manageable level of sustainability. Alongside the talks she delivers re-work workshops, fun and creative methods to minimise fast fashion waste. 

She is currently in the process of attaining a Sustainable Retailer certification and will be introducing the ‘buy back’ scheme that takes circularity to its ultimate level.  Julia is Suffolk based.  

Omy Kolawole 

Omy Kolawole is an aspiring photojournalist with a background in photography, media and communications. His focus is in portrait, landscape and event photography. He worked in Kenya, Uganda as well as the United Kingdom shooting for weddings, birthday parties, Music festivals and charity events.  

His aspiration is to make short films and documentaries. Omy’s goal is to one day have his own company that will help and support young people in the creative industry. Omy is Kent based.  

 Sandy Fajuyigbe

Sandy Fajuyigbe, or ArtistandSpace, is a mixed-media creative practitioner based in London. They hold a postgraduate degree in Illustration and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Marketing. Sandy has a unique approach to creativity as a neurodivergent individual with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. They are passionate about graphic design, illustrations, lino printing, and using art and storytelling as a form of expression and well-conducted research. Sandy started drawing in their sketchbook at 14 as a therapeutic way to communicate their feelings, and they found drawing to be easier than writing. After being encouraged by friends, Sandy started sharing their art online in 2021 and has since showcased their work at Boxpark, Omaka Gallery, A New Direction and on various social media platforms. Throughout their art journey and discovery, Sandy continues to share stories about their struggles and experiences and aims to inspire and encourage others to continue to follow their dreams. Sandy is London based.

Sarah Hough

 Sarah raps, produces her own music and writes lyrics/poetry. She creates music videos using effects. Sarah has recently launched her new podcast called ‘Sacred Cows Podcast UK’ in which she shares experiences with the goals of killing the stigma around mental health and starting an open conversation about trauma and shame. Sarah has made several other podcasts for Groundswell about homelessness, mental health, multiple disadvantage and Woman’s health. Sarah is London based.