YOU ARE INVITED TO THE UNSEEN ARTS HUB TO MEET OUR ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, MASTER GILDER SERA HODGSON

Working across multiple disciplines including gilding painting and sculpture, Sera has inspired the public to think differently about women’s experiences of homelessness. As Artist in Residence at the UNSEEN Arts Hub, Sera will be creating her exhibition "Time: A gift not a given" which is inspired by a counsellor who supported her through difficult times. Her passing reminded Sera of how precious life is and that time is a gift and not a given.

WHEN

10am - 5pm

24-27 November 2022

WHERE

UNSEEN Arts Hub, Centenary Square, Parramatta

ABOUT SERA

"COVID-19 brought out negative aspects of society that I was unfortunately already familiar with. During the pandemic people started to behave differently because they weren’t coping with the lockdown and isolation, but it didn’t bother me as I could focus on my life, future, and healing from the trauma in my life that resulted in my homelessness. This included escaping a violent relationship with a same sex partner. I have made a consciousness decision not to be a victim or survivor any longer and to live a life free from trauma and violence. I did not expect that my life would unfold to where I would then find myself in a DV relationship which, after leaving, resulted in further trauma and homelessness. Thanks to the UNSEEN Art Hub, YWCA and Every Voice, the Art Gilding Academy Master Gilding Course provided me a safe place to heal, grow and find my independence which will allow me carve a safe pathway for us all to heal and change society and secure an equitable and safe future for young women." - Sera

LGBTQIA+ people are at least twice as likely as heterosexuals to experience homelessness. For LGBTQIA+ persons with a disability, 78 % have experienced homelessness and 66 % have faced discrimination. LGBTQIA+ people are more likely to experience homelessness at a younger age, and this is driven by family rejection. They often experience misgendering, harassment, violence and discrimination in shared accommodation facilities, rooming houses and services, as well as discrimination in private rental. Fears of, or actual negative experiences suffered in homelessness services are creating barriers to seeking help.

WHY AN UNSEEN ARTS HUB?

Highly visible and innovative, the UNSEEN Arts Hub uses art’s unique power of arousing curiosity to generate a safe space within communities to raise public awareness of the complex and unexpected circumstances leading to women’s hidden homelessness. The UNSEEN Arts Hub challenges dehumanising attitudes and misconceptions that promote the negative stereotypes, fear and stigma so often associated with women who experience housing insecurity and homelessness in our communities These stereotypes often translate into not-in-my-back-yard approaches to social and affordable housing. Instead, the UNSEEN Arts Hub generates tolerance and understanding of the causes of women’s homelessness and the pathways needed to secure safe and adequate housing for women at risk. For homelessness to end, change must happen in the hearts and minds of all Australians before policy can reflect much-needed social change.

WHAT IS WOMEN'S HIDDEN HOMELESSNESS?

In Australia, over 50,000 women are experiencing homelessness, mainly caused by domestic violence and financial abuse. While some 400,000 women over 45 are estimated to be at risk of homelessness, fear and stigma causes many to avoid support services and remain in violent situations. Others stay in temporary or overcrowded accommodation, or sleep in their car or concealed places. Older women are the fastest-growing cohort experiencing homelessness, and 400,000 women over 45 are currently estimated to be at risk. Without the opportunity to learn from those with lived experience, the diversity and scale of women’s housing insecurity and homelessness will continue to be underestimated, making the future increasingly bleak for young women.The UNSEEN Arts Hub makes visible the narratives of these women through the power of art and face-to-face engagement with the public.

Thank you to the City of Parramatta, Bonnie Support Services, Western Sydney University and Museum of Understanding Through Tolerance and Inclusion, along with Primary Comms Group, for supporting the Parramatta activation of the UNSEEN Arts Hub. This activation would not be possible without the leadership of women from the UNSEEN Arts Hub who have lived experience of housing insecurity and homelessness. We also wish to thank Code Green, AutoSkin, Avery Dennison, American Shingles, AWS, Soroptimist, Share the Dignity and Khun Khao Foundation, as without them - we wouldn't have an arts hub.