To celebrate the Family Housing Fund's 20th Anniversary and to raise awareness of the great need for affordable housing in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, the Fund sponsored "Home Sweet Home: An Affordable Housing Art Exhibit."

Through the work of 23 local artists, the exhibit portrays a wide range of housing circumstances-from the stark images of homelessness to the celebrations of a family moving into its first affordable home. 

Several artists worked with children living in affordable housing to create images of what it means to have a home.  Also, the Fund sponsored a poetry/essay contest for residents and children living in affordable housing.  The winning entries are displayed throughout the exhibit as well. 

"Home Sweet Home" takes you on a visual and literary journey through essays, poems, and nearly fifty pieces of fine art.  Click on the visual art button to view the artwork that includes photography, woodwork, textiles, watercolors, and oil paintings.  Learn more about the creation of the artwork and the 23 artists who helped produce "Home Sweet Home."  Read the poignant essays and poems by children and residents of affordable housing, age 9 to 43.  Also, check the exhibition calendar for an updated listing of when and where you can view "Home Sweet Home" in the Twin Cities metropolitan area during 2001 and 2002.

Send us your comments!  We would love to hear what you think about the exhibit.  Please e-mail any questions or comments to shawna@fhfund.org.

The artwork and excerpts of the essays and poems are featured in our 20th Anniversary Report, highlighting the work of the Fund since its inception in 1980.  We also created two companion pieces to the exhibit, Home Sweet Home: An Affordable Housing Art Exhibit and Home Sweet Home: A Collection of Essays and Poems.  To receive copies of these publications, please call the Fund at 612-375-9644 or e-mail miko@fhfund.org.

The Family Housing Fund is deeply grateful to these artists, children, and residents who, through their talents and efforts, have helped us uniquely convey the importance of affordable housing in our community.  The Fund would like to especially thank The McKnight Foundation, The St. Paul Companies, and The Minneapolis Foundation for their contributions to the Fund's Public Education Initiative.  Without their support, "Home Sweet Home" would not have been possible.