Art Installations Revealed for World Homeless Day

Path Marks World Homeless Day with Art Installations Celebrating Hope and Home

To mark World Homeless Day (10TH October 2025), Plymouth homeless charity, Path, has unveiled two inspiring art installations in Plymouth city centre, aiming to raise awareness and spark conversation about homelessness in the city.

The first installation — a striking mural titled “There’s No Place Like Home” — was revealed in the heart of the city centre, serving as a bold reminder that everyone deserves a safe place to call home. The second, a collaborative project with Plymouth Artists Together, was launched at the Union Corner Artists’ gallery. The charity invited local artists and members of the community to contribute their own artwork symbolising what homelessness means to them, creating a shared space for expression, empathy and awareness.

In attendance were Councillor Chris Penberthy and Luke Pollard MP, who praised the initiative for blending creativity and compassion in support of some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.

For over 30 years, Path has been at the heart of tackling homelessness in Plymouth, supporting thousands of people to find stability, security, and a place to call home. In 2024–25 alone, Path supported more than 1,700 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, supported 421 people sleeping rough through outreach, provided prevention advice and support to 249 people, and housed an average of 350 people each night in Path accommodation.

Across the UK, homelessness continues to rise. The latest government data shows that an estimated 4,667 people were sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2024, while 131,140 households were in temporary accommodation as of March 2025 — the highest number on record.

 Victoria Allen, CEO of Path, said,

“At Path, we believe that everyone deserves the safety, dignity, and stability of a home. These art installations serve as a poignant visual reminder that homelessness isn’t just about bricks and mortar — it’s about community, compassion, and shared humanity. As we mark World Homeless Day, we also celebrate the resilience of those we support and the dedication of our staff and partners who make change possible every day.”

Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Communities and Cooperative Development, said, "As Path celebrates its 30th birthday, these artistic projects are a timely reminder to everyone that homeless people are not just statistics and numbers on a page, they are real people, living real lives, who just want somewhere to call home.

"We will continue to work with PATH and the Plymouth Alliance improve the lives of homeless households in the city both in the short-term through support services for people at the coal face of the housing crisis, and in the long-term, by supporting the market to deliver more truly affordable housing through the ambitious Plan for Homes programme."

Mike Vosper from Plymouth Artists Together said, “I was delighted to be part of this important project, and I knew our members would feel the same. Their artwork truly speaks for itself.”

An anonymous local artist, who was referred to Path after becoming homeless last year and has since rebuilt their life, said,

“I was referred to Path in December 2024 after being made homeless. From the very first contact, the team were helpful and did whatever they could to support me. They guided me through all the forms and administration I struggled with, and even over Christmas, helped me find temporary accommodation and checked in with me. Later, they supported me in finding a more permanent room and applying for a bursary to move my things. Since then, they’ve continued to help me work towards social housing. Path is such a good organisation — they make you feel heard and genuinely want to help. Thanks to Path, I have a roof over my head tonight.”

Path is a local charity working to prevent homelessness and support people in crisis with practical help, personalised support, and routes to stability. Celebrating 30 years of service, Path continues to work alongside Plymouth City Council and local partners to ensure that everyone in the city has a safe place to call home.

For more information, please visit www.pathdevon.org