In the summer of 2023, with social enterprise partner Pictora, 2makeit mounted a new Made Visible exhibition at Friends House featuring a variety of works created by staff and service users at The Hub and others who may suffer from labels that hold them back (e.g.‘homeless’, ‘offender’, ‘unemployed’). 

Each piece was exhibited without labels bringing out hidden talent to be…...’Made Visible’. Contributions came from refugees, prisoners, charity workers, NHS staff and those in the community experiencing mental health challenges. The show was open to the general public from 31st July until 1st September and received very enthusiastic comments, including:

“Just wonderful. What a beautiful and inspiring exhibition!”

Made Visible at the Royal Society of Arts

The Made Visible exhibition transferred to the Royal Society of Arts in January 2024 for a two-week run open to RSA Fellows and members of the public. The expanded show was on display in the historic vaults of the prestigious 18th Century venue and coupled with visitor numbers in the hundreds, feedback and raised profile it was one of 2makeit’s most significant events since the founding of the charity.

Again,the exhibition brought artists together from any background including work by NHS staff, refugees, those experiencing mental health challenges, offenders in prisons as far apart as HMP Inverness and HMP Brixton, charity workers, probation staff, jobless individuals and those living in hostel accommodation.

The special launch event was attended by many service users at the Hub and other artists with work in the show. Andy Haldane, RSA Chief Executive, spoke in glowing terms about the show: “What an incredible art exhibition.”

Most importantly, the exhibition had great impact and great meaning for our service users who contributed work to the exhibition and had the chance to see the show, one of whom provided this feedback:

“Some of the images have stayed with me and I thought about them all evening - in one of them, I could see myself and my own struggles within a drawing and it blew my mind. The building was amazing - with all the masonry, paintings and distinguished visitors…. It was so good to feel like everyone was there to appreciate the art, support each other and has made me want to start visiting galleries and feel more like it is ok for someone like me to go! …it was one of the best afternoons I have had in a seriously long time!”