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WEL NSW

The UNSEEN multimedia art installation is collaboration between Blur Projects and the Women Electoral Lobby NSW, which gives voice to the faces behind the statistics of women’s homelessness. Between March and December 2021, the UNSEEN Tiny House, UNSEEN Car and UNSEEN Couch will be temporarily installed in either Martin Place or Circular Quay to offer an innovative opportunity to generate awareness of who becomes homeless and why. Some women experiencing homelessness sleep rough, however, many others remain unseen, hidden from view through fear of stigmatisation.  The UNSEEN car reflects the hidden nature of their experiences of homelessness and housing insecurity and how, for others a car is the only safe place to live with their children. Too often these women are told to 'move on' by people living in nearby houses.  The UNSEEN couch recognises how women who experience housing insecurity often "couch surf' between the homes of friends and family, hoping to not wear out their welcome. The UNSEEN tiny house highlights how the Australian housing market lacks affordable rental housing and the tightly targeted social housing with long waiting lists. UNSEEN offers women who have, or are experiencing homelessness, to engage with artists and advocates to generate greater public awareness of the impact homelessness has had or is having on their lives. By sharing their stories, the women provide a first-hand insight into the diversity of who finds themselves homeless and why. Some women have chosen to remain anonymous and translate their stories in private, while others have choosen to disclose all or part of their identities through creative expressions of song, theatre, poetry, sculpture, writing or weaving. The purpose of UNSEEN is to ensure the voices of women who have, or are experiencing homelessness are included in conversations about which can inform and improve social policy.