RENTERS!

Overview

RENTERS! 

Private View: Thursday 6 June, 6-9PM 

Exhibition: 7 – 16 June 2024 

Opening Times: Monday – Sunday, 12 - 5pm 

Where: Safehouse 1, Copeland Park, Peckham, SE15 3SN 

RENTERS! brings together artistic practices from UAL students and recent graduates to formulate discussion around the living conditions of students in London. The exhibition builds on research carried out in Arts SU’s Private Renters Report, which revealed huge levels of dissatisfaction with the private rental sector, and how it impacts students’ physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.  

Over 300 students shared their experiences with us on a wide range of topics including affordability of accommodation, property conditions, and the impact of their living situation on their health. We are incredibly grateful to every student who responded and shared their experience with us.  

The exhibition includes artworks by students from a variety of courses and colleges across UAL. Through sculpture, painting, photography, video, design and other multidisciplinary practices, RENTERS! critically engages with wider conversations around tenants’ rights, guardianship, impacts on health and wellbeing, privatisation, and art and gentrification. 

Through this exhibition we hope to generate discussion about how both the University and Arts SU can support students who are balancing the priorities of their studies, with a high-cost yet low-quality private rental market. We believe this exhibition will connect with communities to see the common ground and actions that can be taken as a collective, and call attention to wider issues of renting across London and the UK. 

Exhibiting Artists: Arin He, Beth Webster, Charlotte Guy, Hanjun Shi, Jade Nicklin, Jiayu Liaing, Jundai Lin, Kirsten Tingle, Laura Gaggero & Marta Montaña Gómez, Maisie Ridpath, Ngai Ning Yu, Petrica Bistran, Sadie Lee & Zoe R. Murphy. 

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Public Programme:

The Student Housing Crisis: What we need from the General Election

Monday 10th June, 3pm - 4pm

Student Unions, universities and various other groups have been fighting for students in an ever-increasing housing crisis. With the latest changes proposed for the Rental Reform Bill leaving students worse off than ever when it comes to renting, what solutions can we ask for from politicians with a General Election around the corner? Hear from Sabbatical Officers, including our very own LCC Officer, the NUS, University Housing Advice and Generation Rent (the Renter’s Reform Coalition) on their experiences of the housing crisis, working with young people affected by it, lobbying the government and more. The panel will end with an open round table for the audience to join the discussion.

Moderator: Chloe Wilkinson-Silk, Arts SU Advice Manager

Panellists: Sophia Nasif - Sabbatical Officer at UAL, Izzy Russell - Sabbatical Officer at Bristol, Chloe Field/Nehaal Bajwa - NUS Officer, Fazz/Farhat Jaigirdan - University of London Housing Services, Conor O'Shea - Generation Rent

Coup de Cake x Housing Listening Workshop

Wednesday 12th June, 2pm - 4pm

Have you had issues with housing this year? Have you struggled to know what to do and how to act?

Using artist, Honor Freeman’s, ‘Coup de cake’ technique, participants will gather to decorate cakes, listen and share their experience of housing. Led by Camberwell College Citizens, learn about local and London-wide housing campaigns that you could get involved in, and be a part of the change!

BE YOUR OWN LANDLORD

Thursday 13th June, 3pm - 5pm

Renting from private landlords exists today as the least secure and poorest quality housing tenure. This has led to a growing number of Londoners looking to take control of their housing security, and in doing so, challenging the very idea of what it means to own a home. Housing Co-operatives and new models of Collective Ownership are emerging with the aim of enabling people to come together, pool resources, and be their own landlords.

Join us for examples of how renters have taken control, and how you can do it too.

Led by Levent Kerimol, Community led housing London

Fight for Home: A Shelter Meet and Greet

Friday 14th June, 12pm - 5pm (Talks happening at 1pm)

Join Shelter to chat about the rental crisis and your housing rights. A representative from Shelter will begin with a short talk introducing Shelter's mission and ways you can get involved. There will also be an opportunity to talk about student's rights in private renting, and to delve into Shelter's manifesto. 

This is a great opportunity to learn how we can collectively fight for safe and secure homes for everyone.