Auction and exhibition in aid of homeless charity Cardboard Citizens includes art by Tracey Emin and Ian Davenport

Art A-listers like Ian Davenport, Tracey Emin and Brian Eno will be taking part in an online auction and one-day exhibition, Art on the Mind, in order to support and raise awareness of Cardboard Citizens, a charity which uses theatre and wider creative means to help people who have experienced homelessness. The online auction will be starting tomorrow (19 April), and the exhibition will take place in London on Wednesday 25 April. Other artists involved include Martin Creed, Sir Antony Gormley, Sir Anish Kapoor, Harland Miller and Gavin Turk.

Cardboard citizens is a theatrical project founded 26 years ago in Cardboard City, a campsite of over 200 rough sleepers in London’s central Waterloo area. The charity has since grown and supports over 300,000 homeless across the UK. The award-winning theatre company, whose patrons include Kate Winslet, has travelled the country and performed both traditional and immersive pieces in countless hotels, day centres and prisons. The upcoming auction and exhibition also hopes to raise awareness around the charity’s increasing focus on mental health.

Ian Davenport explains his motivation behind his involvement in the project: “When I was contacted by Cardboard Citizens about donating a piece of work I knew I wanted to be involved in the project right away. I have become more aware of the increasing numbers of homeless people in the UK and Art on the Mind is an important event that will help with the mental health issues raised by this awful situation. Anything that can be done to provide support to enable people to move away from homelessness is a very positive step.”

Kate Winslet, Oscar-winning actress and patron of Cardboard Citizens, states: “Homelessness continues to grow, and the link between mental health issues, experience of trauma, and homelessness is increasingly well documented. Art On The Mind is a timely and important event to raise awareness around these issues and raise crucial funds to help Cardboard Citizens’ vital work. I hope as many people as possible will support the auction featuring a superb collection of artists.”