Coastal Carolina University has coordinated an interactive documentation project with people experiencing homelessness in Horry County that resulted in a traveling exhibit of photographs and stories. “Reframing Homelessness: A Photovoice Exhibit” will be on display at Fresh Brewed Coffee House in Myrtle Beach on Saturday, September 9, 2023 and at the Horry County Memorial Library in Conway on September 18 – 19, 2023. SC Humanities supported this exhibit with a Mini Grant.
In Spring 2023, people experiencing homelessness in Horry County were given disposable cameras to document their lives, and each participant picked one image and provided an accompanying statement to be included in the exhibit. This “photovoice” method captures the lived experiences of people from underrepresented or underserved populations. It is frequently used to enhance community engagement and foster social change.
The exhibit will be on display at Fresh Brewed Coffee House, a nonprofit coffee house where anybody can come in for free or paid coffee and food, on Saturday, September 9. Fresh Brewed is located at 933 Broadway Street, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. It will also be shown at the Horry County Memorial Library (801 N. Main Street, Conway, SC 29526) on Monday, September 18 – Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The exhibit will be available to travel to other venues as well.
The goal for the “Reframing Homelessness” exhibit is to enhance the lives of people experiencing homelessness by reaching and influencing community members and policymakers.
The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c)3 organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos, and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually. South Carolina Humanities receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as corporate, foundation and individual donors. The National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.
Image from the Reframing Homelessness exhibit. The accompanying text is: “Home. My dogs eat better than I do. When people see me with my dogs they want to help out. There is no place around here to get shelter if you have a dog so I have to sleep outside.”
