How artists are using mattresses to tackle homelessness

A selection of the UK’s most respected contemporary artists have teamed up with mattress company Simba Sleep to help raise money for the homeless.

The festive project, dubbed the “Simba Art Collective”, sees five specially-designed (and strictly limited) mattresses go on sale this month. They feature new and exclusive designs from award-winning illustrator Kate Moross, as well as Camille Walala, D*FACE, Natasha Law and Freebeez. All profits are set to be given to UK homelessness charity Crisis. 

“Sleep is a basic human need and deprivation has a devastating impact on mental and physical wellbeing,” explained Simba Sleep co-founder James Cox. “Across the UK, thousands of people are sleeping rough – but to say sleeping is a falsity. For the homeless people Crisis support, sleep deprivation is a real issue – which is why we wanted to support them in their work.”

He added: “Art can help people rebuild their confidence, reconnect them with wider society and ultimately, take their first steps out of homelessness. Recognising the positive impact of their art project, we came up with the idea of bringing art and sleep together, and the Simba Art Collective was born.”

The five unique designs capture each artist’s unique aesthetic, ranging from soft and subtle to voltaic and vibrant. 100 in total (20 of each) will be made available to customers, with prices starting at £599 for a standard UK Double, and going up to £699 for a King Size. 

Homelessness in the UK has become a much more prominent problem over the last few months. Since 2010, rates of people sleeping rough have doubled, rising by 30 per cent in the last year alone. According to recent stats, more than a quarter of a million people in the country are now without homes – with plummeting temperatures making Christmas one of the toughest times of all. 

Artist Freebeez – who is himself a member of Crisis – said that the project would help stress the urgency of the UK’s homelessness problem. “It is important to me to find and use stuff that other people throw away,” he explained. “Not necessarily from not having the means, but as an anti-consumerist statement. I hope that by taking part in this show I can help draw more attention to homelessness.”

Ed Tait, the director of fundraising at Crisis, added that the charity were “really excited” about the collaboration. “The money raised will make a real difference, and enable us to us help more people leave homelessness behind for good,” he said. 

Check out the full designs in the gallery above, and learn more on the Simba Art Collective page here. The mattresses are on sale now until December 31.