Invitation to participate in "From His House to Our Home": A Being Human exhibition

The Being Human festival is the UK’s only national festival of the humanities. A celebration of humanities research through public engagement, it is led by the School of Advanced Study at the University of London, the UK’s national centre for the pursuit, support and promotion of research in the humanities, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy.

In November each year the festival brings together universities, museums, galleries, archives, independent research organisations, community and commercial partners to make research in the humanities accessible to non-specialist audiences and demonstrate its relevance to our everyday lives. Every year the festival features around 300 events across the country, working with an average of around 80 universities and research organisations in 50 towns and cities each year.

The theme for this year's festival is Renewal, a theme that is particularly interested in new ideas, new generations, new ways of doing things, new responses and who better to turn to for new ways of being and doing things than our youngest citizens and future leaders. 

As such we hope you will encourage your students to participate in Sheffield University's contribution to this theme, and even called "From His House to Our Home", described below.

For more information on the Being Human festival, please see https://beinghumanfestival.org/being-human-2021-renewal/

For more information about "From His House to Our Home" see hishouseourhome.wordpress.com

If you have further questions, please email maisha.wester@sheffield.ac.uk

Invitation to participate in "From His House to Our Home": A Being Human exhibition

Everyone deserves a home but what should a truly welcoming, safe home be like? A home that has space for everyone and makes everyone feel welcome. 

Imagine what such a nation or city or house would be like. 

This exhibit invites you to contribute artwork which tells the story of home. Your art can either:

1. depict what your experience in the UK or Sheffield or home has been like so far; or

2. imagine what a really welcoming nation, city, or house looks like. 

The following forms of art will be accepted:

paintings

drawings

comics/ graphic sketches

photos

collages

music

short 3-5min videos

Tik Tok-style videos

poetry

short fiction

Be as creative as you like with your piece. 

Select pieces will be displayed in the face-to-face Sheffield Being Human "From His House to Our Home" exhibit alongside commissioned artwork. The larger exhibit examines the ways people of colour have been denied a sense of home in various nations and locations; your artwork will be part of inviting attendees to imagine and fight for a different, more welcoming and inclusive environment.

All submitted pieces will be displayed in the online gallery, which will be accessible across the world. The only exceptions to this are pieces which include offensive content. Remember, your "home" should be welcoming to all. 

The live exhibit and opening celebration will be held on Nov 18, 2021. All of Sheffield is invited to attend this celebration and art showcase. As such, any artist who wishes to be included in the live exhibit must have their works postmarked by Oct 15, 2021. Any work postmarked between Oct 15 and Nov. 19 will only be included in the online gallery. All physically submitted artwork will be returned; artists can arrange pick up from the School of English after Dec 10, 2021 and will be held for collection until Jan 31.

You can submit contributions via email or Royal mail to:

Maisha Wester

School of English
Jessop West
1 Upper Hanover Street
Sheffield
S3 7RA 
Ourhome@sheffield.ac.uk

We will also arrange a pick up from local schools. 

For further information and updates about "From His House to Our Home) see hishouseourhome.wordpress.com

If you have any questions. please contact maisha.wester@sheffield.ac.uk