Lanre Olagoke: the artist on a mission to keep ART-ALIVE in Soho | My Soho Times

It might seem that art and homelessness have an unlikely connection, until you meet Lanre Olagoke – founder of Art-Alive Arts Trust. Once homeless himself, the artist and youth advocate used his talent to get through his toughest times. A powerful testimony that art holds much more value than just a price tag... Our editor Kai Lutterodt shares more.

I first met Lanre last year when my wondering eye curiously peered through the window of a pop-up art exhibition on Broadwick Street, in what was formerly a long-standing pharmacy. I was curious about its new occupants, yet as with most traditional art exhibitions, weary about walking in without an extended invite. However Lanre and a group of young artists exhibiting must have sensed my hesitation, and it wasn’t long before I was being ushered in and given a tour of their colourful works. As a young person of colour myself, it was refreshing to see such a space being opened up to young creatives from diverse backgrounds. One thing that Soho doesn’t lack is a diversity of talent, however the downside is in the lack of representation and opportunity for those who don’t ‘fit’ social norms to be included. Art-Alive is helping to change this.

Having previously worked from a studio on Greek Street for many years, the new Art-Alive studio is still just a stone’s throw away, maintaining a Soho connection. I accepted an invite to meet Lanre at his Carnaby studio to get a deeper understanding of his artistry, and where his passion for supporting some of the UK’s most vulnerable people stems from.

Founded in 1991 and set-up as a registered charity in 2001, in the past 20 years Art-Alive has worked with over 10,000 youth who are marginalised; “those who are homeless, have been on the street, drug addicts, ex-offenders, young offenders – you name it, anything to do with young people who are vulnerable.” Lanre explains in his artist overalls resembling an abstract painting.

Art-Alive works closely with Centrepoint, a youth homeless charity of which Prince William has been a patron of since 2005. Working collaboratively, Lanre tells me that he’s seen a lot of changes. “It’s important to find out the root cause of young people’s issues – a lot of times we don’t listen. No young person wants to be addicted to drugs, no young person wants to be homeless. Once we start listening, and offer follow up support, change comes.

“I have been homeless myself, at one point I was a drug addict… I  went through a lot of pain and rejection.” Lanre reveals of his past, “it was art which saved me. That’s what I have, and that’s what I’m giving to these young people.”

Lanre advocates for young people to have an artistic channel to express and release cooped up frustrations from everyday life. “What I had was my paint and brush. The canvas became my victim. The brush became my weapon. Instead of that brush being a knife, I beat the canvas with strokes” Lanre expressed with a sharp swoop of a gesture towards a canvas. “Every pain I had inside was going on that canvas – and guess what? The canvas can take it! That’s how art became my salvation.”

Find out more about Art-Alive Trust and how you can support, email info@artalive.org.uk | @artalive1

Written by Kai Lutterodt @the.soho.girl | Photo credit: Kai Lutterodt/My Soho Times