In 2019, Geoffrey McCauley, a guest at Interfaith Sanctuary, approached our staff with the idea to found an art collective for people without homes. McCauley noticed that while he was on the street making art, people expressed interest in his artwork and did not focus on the fact that he was unhoused. He wanted to give others in his situation the ability to connect with their creativity, so our shelter began providing space and materials for the Homeless Art Collective to meet.
“Art on the Street,” a documentary about the Homeless Art Collective, was funded by a grant through the Boise City Department of Arts and History and created by Erin Sheridan, Lucy Lee Florez, and Maxwell Seymour Peterson, three of our staff members at Interfaith Sanctuary Housing Services. It features interviews with McCauley, artist in residence Chris Alvarez, Project Well-Being Supervisor Nicki Vogel, Executive Director Jodi Peterson-Stigers, and Art Collective Collaborator and local printmaker Wendy Blickenstaff.
Peterson-Stigers said she hopes information about the art collective will reach artists in the community, housed or not, who are looking to create together. “Art connects them back to the things that matter to them,” she said. “Inside their home and outside their home, it allows them to equalize, to be something other, and I love that for them because then they start thinking bigger.”
We are so proud of this film, our artists, and our amazing community that keeps lifting us up through all of the challenges we are facing!
“Art on the Street” premiered at Treefort Music Fest and is now available to watch online!