ARTWORK created by Wirral residents living or working in social housing has been showcased at an exhibition.

Magenta Living teamed up recently with Happy Times Activities and Open Door Charity to develop an art exhibition showcasing social housing and challenging some of the perceptions around social housing. 

The LENS experience is the brainchild of Lee Pennington, founder of Open Door Charity and they partnered for the second time with Happy Times Activities, a local Social Enterprise whose mission is to increase happiness and provide a sense of belonging for vulnerable adults.

Helen Oliver, Founder and Director of Happy Times, said: “This exhibition is the result of the great workshops we held.  It’s fabulous – I’m so pleased to see all the artwork come together like this. 

“Each one has a story and each story is unique.  Through art, we have explored the perceptions and feelings about social housing, and it’s been really positive for Magenta Living –so many people have expressed how grateful they are to Magenta for the support they’ve offered.”  

The recent exhibition was held at Open Door’s Bloom Building in Birkenhead.  Open Door is a local charity which Magenta Living also work closely with who are committed to providing free, fast and effective mental health support at the point that people need it most. 

Four workshops were held for people to come together to explore the lived experience of social housing and express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns through art. The exhibition showcases the outcomes from these workshops - a mix of art created by Wirral residents of all ages and abilities who live or work in social housing.   

Kerri Burson, Community Regeneration Officer at Magenta Living, said: “This has been a wonderful project to be a part of, working with colleagues and local community organisations to come together to make a difference to people's lives.

“It really does feel like we are opening doors, empowering people and doing the right thing.”