From trauma to hope to independence at Lincoln Cathedral

Framework's 25th Anniversary Art Exhibition- 'From trauma to hope to independence'. 

From trauma to hope to independence brings together paintings, installations, spoken word performance, real life testimonies and a soundscape of noises heard by people experiencing rough sleeping.

Artists Beatrice Giaquinto, Inge Tong and David ‘Stick Man’ Higgins held a series of art workshops with service users and frontline staff in Nottingham, Lincoln and Mansfield to hear stories of trauma, support and recovery.

Artist Beatrice Giaquinto has created three pieces including one inspired by an archive of 25 years of Framework Annual Reports, which tell the story of the charity and the impact it has made on people’s lives across the region. Another piece ‘Caught and Held’ is a response to the description of Framework being a safety net, having caught people and prevented them from ‘falling through the cracks’.

‘Breathing Space’ is a performance poem by David ‘Stick Man’ Higgins that reflects on the deeply human power of compassion, connection, and community support. The poem honours the Framework staff that provide hope, dignity and opportunity, offering a place of refuge and a catalyst for personal transformation, creativity, and growth.

David said: “The poem is an amalgam of people’s truth and experience, witnessing friendship, support, care and trust changing people’s perceptions of each other and releasing creativity. For a few hours, the spaces in the workshops became vibrant and so present.”

‘Transformation’ by artist Inge Tong is inspired by the art, conversation and unique time which evolved during the art workshops with Framework service users.

Service users past and present have also contributed pieces to a collection of poetry and prose and created artwork for a postcard collection, available to purchase at the exhibition and online.