THE BLANK CANVAS PROJECT

The Blank Canvas Project offers homeless individuals a blank canvas to express their stories through art. In the art world, it's often dominated by affluent collectors and galleries selling pieces that many people could create themselves, yet price them exorbitantly. Instead, I aim to provide a platform for those truly in need, allowing them to create meaningful art that also results in financial compensation. If those who are in need, rather than those in comfort, could earn through their creativity, we might move closer to a fairer world. The price of each piece will reflect the artist's unique situation, considering what they need to help get off the streets. Once sold, the artist will receive proceeds from their work. This method can be applied universally, empowering more individuals to benefit directly from their art. If we were to fully embrace the vision of interconnectedness and empathy in the *See Yourself* project, our approach toward understanding those in situations of hardship, such as homelessness, would be rooted in compassion, respect, and a desire to see ourselves in them. This worldview encourages us to recognise the shared humanity in every person, regardless of their circumstances. In this context, asking a homeless person questions would focus on their personal experience, their struggles, and their sense of being seen and valued as part of the larger human story.

In the art world, individual artists often create for personal gain, but this project aims to give a platform to those with deeper stories and needs. It started when I bought a blank canvas but realised I couldn't paint. After encountering many homeless individuals, I felt helpless but wondered if art could change their fortunes.

Instead of valuing superficial art, we can focus on creating genuine, meaningful pieces that resonate with those in need. This project allows individuals to express their struggles through art, offering both personal therapy and a way to address common societal issues.

I envision a collective identity through art—"Lonely," "Geeza," "Cages," "FIFA"—that encompasses various struggles. My goal is to amplify the voices of those suffering, challenging the current art market that often rewards the undeserving.

I aspire to bring attention to how taxpayer money is misused and to demand accountability from the elites, not just through taxes but by amplifying their responsibilities. By learning from those in need, I hope to foster a movement where everyone's voice matters, leading to real change.

We are a frustrated, divided people, but this project seeks to unify us peacefully. When we eventually lead together, we will ensure that everyone receives the recognition and support they deserve through their art. The Blank Canvas Project is about giving hope and a chance to those who need it most.

Transformative Exchange

In today’s world, many brands face the consequences of their controversial actions, often perceived as disconnected from the social issues affecting marginalised communities. The Blank Canvas Project offers a unique opportunity: a chance to exchange moral art, created by those in need, for the financial resources and publicity that large corporations—like those with tarnished reputations—can provide. This exchange doesn’t seek to forgive or erase past wrongdoings, but instead, focuses on proactively changing the future through concrete action.

At its heart, this idea is about fostering a cycle of positive change. Through art, individuals from underserved communities—often ignored by traditional systems—can express their struggles, their humanity, and their unique experiences. By selling these creations to corporations or brands that have been “villainised” for past actions, you're not just attempting to rehabilitate those brands' public image, but using their financial power and visibility to directly improve the lives of those who need it most.

The art created by people in need, whether it's the homeless, survivors of violence, or marginalised artists, is inherently valuable because it is born from experience and struggle. These works of art tell stories of survival, resilience, and hope—narratives that resonate with many who have been systematically ignored. What’s powerful is that this art doesn’t merely serve as a transaction; it provides those who have been disenfranchised with a platform to showcase their truth.

By working with corporations or brands seeking to improve their public image, you open up a pathway for those entities to use their resources to support real, impactful change. In doing so, you help shift the narrative for both the brand and the individuals in need. Brands can provide funding and visibility that reaches vast audiences, making a meaningful contribution to real social change, while also getting the opportunity to publicly align with something that is genuinely positive.

This approach doesn’t suggest a free pass for the corporations involved, nor does it absolve them of past misdeeds. Rather, it encourages them to invest in change through action rather than just words. And for those whose voices have been silenced or marginalised, the project offers both an outlet for expression and a tangible path out of poverty, giving them the chance to thrive and not just survive.

The true value here lies in the reciprocal exchange of resources: people in need gain financial support, recognition, and opportunities; brands looking to rebuild their image can start on a path of accountability, showing that they are willing to invest in change—starting with the people they may have overlooked in the past. It’s about shifting the dialogue from one of exploitation to one of mutual benefit and collective healing. The Blank Canvas Project offers a vision where the moral identity created by those in need can directly benefit the very entities that have the power to make things right.

Through this model, you create a space where no one is left behind, where the marginalised are elevated, and where big corporations are encouraged to act with empathy, responsibility, and real change. By purchasing art from those in need, a brand can offer more than just a reputation boost—they can facilitate transformation.

In essence, i’m suggesting that even brands with "dirty money" can play a role in making the world better, not by changing their past actions, but by using their current influence and financial power to make tangible contributions to people who are truly suffering. This idea focuses on utilising what is available now—however imperfect the source may be—to create a new reality that benefits the people who need it most.

By using the arts as a vehicle, you're offering a moral exchange that holds space for growth, reconciliation, and most importantly, real action. The project would create an ecosystem where corporate profit, when redirected into meaningful work, helps to address inequality, providing opportunity for people to move forward and helping to repair reputations in a way that feels aligned with real change.

In a recent conversation with a former homeless person and charity volunteer, we both acknowledged that the most practical and immediate solution to homelessness is, quite simply, housing—one person at a time. Even on the smallest scale, the idea is clear: purchase five properties, house five individuals. These could be old factories, unused army bases, or affordable housing. What matters is giving someone an address—a base from which they can apply for jobs, claim housing benefits, and begin rebuilding their life.

Once this method is proven effective, it becomes repeatable. As individuals move on and become self-sufficient, their place can be offered to someone new. With more funds, more properties can be purchased, keeping the momentum going and building a model of sustainable transition. What struck us was how quickly we, as regular people with no power beyond our intent and care, could arrive at such a simple and actionable solution. If we can figure it out, why can’t the government? The answer, it seems, is that they can—but they don’t.

This raises a deeper question about intention and integrity. If those in power truly had our best interests at heart, would we still be seeing the same cyclical failures? It’s not just incompetence—it begins to look like neglect. This is where the risk lies: even if a large sum of money were made available, how do we know it wouldn’t be wasted, as so much has been before?

That’s why I’ve come to see the 20% we take from each sale on our platform not as profit, but as a necessary and justified reserve. At first, I questioned the morality of taking anything at all—but I now recognize it as essential. This is not money earned through greed, but through purpose. It's a bank of earned trust, built through real work and real outcomes, ready to be reinvested directly into action when others fail to act.

This project was never born from a desire for wealth—but that doesn’t mean money isn’t a powerful tool for change. Just because something hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it’s wrong. If anything, it’s the lack of innovation that has failed people time and again. What if, in time, we became the very force we’ve been calling out for—an entity with real power and genuine empathy, committed to helping those in need when governments and charities fall short?

With this approach, anyone in true need would know where to turn. The 20% we retain becomes not just a fund, but a moral responsibility—a vehicle for change, earned through passionate work and guided by a vision of justice and action.

The topic of migration and asylum seekers is undeniably relevant when discussing concerns around overpopulation and its potential contribution to homelessness. Regardless of whether one sees this as good or bad, right or wrong, the reality is that it's happening—and it has a measurable impact on our systems.

What I find deeply frustrating is the contradictory stance taken by both the government and much of the public. On one hand, it's often stated—loudly—that British people should be the priority. Yet at the same time, we’re using taxpayer money to fund wars and conflicts in other countries—actions that may directly contribute to the very displacement driving more migrants and asylum seekers toward our borders.

To me, true leadership would mean opposing tyranny, division, and conflict at every level. Only then can we justifiably take a moral stance on protecting our borders. There *is* a world in which a nation can responsibly care for those already within its borders—providing support, stability, and opportunity—while simultaneously limiting further migration, *if* it also ceases to fuel the global crises that force people to flee in the first place.

What doesn’t make sense is the disconnect: ignoring the global issues we actively contribute to, while making hollow promises to a frustrated public left to deal with the consequences. It’s disingenuous and irresponsible.

The focus must shift toward truly caring for those already here, while also taking a firm and ethical stand against all forms of global tyranny. That dual approach—internal accountability paired with global responsibility—would allow us to act effectively at home while maintaining moral credibility in the eyes of the world.

For all pieces bought on our ‘STORE’, 80% will go to the artist and 20% will go to SEE YOURSELF.

For all photo portraits on our collective gallery bought, 80% will go to charities and 20% will go to SEE YOURSELF.

For this specific project the goal is to end homelessness in the uk.

I looked it up and it said it costs 20 billion.

We’ll be selling 20 photo portraits on our gallery each valued at a billion pounds.

SEE YOURSELF.