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Obama portrait artist draws Burnham for Big Issue cover to highlight rough sleeping vow
Artist Shepard Fairey has created a portrait of UK prime minister Andy Burnham for a limited-edition Big Issue cover, using the image to keep public attention on Burnham’s promise to tackle rough sleeping. The cover, titled “Home”, will be sold by vendors from Monday and shown at London’s Saatchi Gallery, linking the artwork to a wider street culture exhibition.
The portrait shows Burnham wearing a red Big Issue tabard while selling the magazine with vendor Colin in 2023, before becoming prime minister. Burnham says councils receiving public funding will be asked to offer everyone sleeping rough a route off the streets, and argues support must continue throughout the year. The Big Issue says its 35-year history has supported 110,000 vendors, who have sold more than 230 million copies and earned £162 million.
In short
- Shepard Fairey’s portrait of Andy Burnham fronts a limited-edition Big Issue.
- The artwork is intended to keep Burnham’s rough sleeping pledge in view.
- Burnham says councils will be asked to offer everyone a route off the streets.
Explained simply
Rough sleeping means living on the streets, and people may face different barriers to finding a stable home. In the UK, councils and charities provide support, while The Big Issue offers people affected by homelessness the chance to earn money by selling the magazine.
Andy Burnham has spoken about tackling rough sleeping and says councils receiving public funding should offer people a way off the streets, with support available throughout the year. The Big Issue, founded in 1991, has worked with vendors for decades; its magazine is sold directly by vendors, who keep the income from their sales.
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