A national movement to change the narrative of homelessness and poverty.
We believe in the power of the arts to shift narratives, challenge stereotypes, and drive change.
EVERY STORY MATTERS. SHARE YOURS.
Following the success of our award-winning film series More Than One Story, which aimed to amplify the voices of those with lived experience of homelessness and poverty, we’re excited to share the next phase of the project: a ground-breaking collection of new writing and the launch of a national Artist Network.
In the UK today, over 16 million people are living in poverty – that’s around 1 in 4 of us. And one in every 200 households are experiencing homelessness. Yet these stories are too often unheard, overlooked, or told by someone else. It’s time to change that.
But here’s the problem: less than one in 10 people working in the creative industries come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and this inequality continues to limit who gets to speak and be heard. This is symptomatic of a broader systemic failure around representation and inequity in the UK.
There’s an urgent need for platforms that amplify the voices of those with lived experience and present an alternative to the stereotypical portrayals of homelessness. This is about more than representation – its about redistributing power, challenging narratives, and advocating for change.
The Open Call
We’re inviting writers with lived experience of homelessness or poverty to submit monologues for a new anthology, in association with Big Issue and published by Nick Hern Books.
More Than One Story: The Anthology will spotlight the many realities of homelessness and poverty in the UK . This will be more than a collection – it will be a living archive, a diary of our time.
Selected entries from this national open call will be published alongside new monologues by Malorie Blackman, Chris Bush, Michelle De Swarte, Inua Ellams, Matilda Ibini and Joelle Taylor, as well as the nine monologues commissioned for the More Than One Story film series.
Find out more in our short video.
The Stories We’re Looking for
We’re looking for monologues that highlight the complexity of the experiences of homelessness and poverty – the struggles, the resilience, the hope, the humour. Stories that challenge perceptions, build understanding, and inspire change.
Every story of homelessness or poverty matters and has a right to be told. We’re looking for writing that reflects your creativity and your voice in whichever way feels good to you. It could take the form of a monologue, a poem, a song, a manifesto, it could be set in the past, the now, the future, outer space or the houses of parliament.
Your monologue must:
- Talk to an experience of homelessness or poverty (which does not need to be autobiographical)
- Be authentically yours – no using AI please
- Not have been previously published or performed
- Be a maximum of 1,000 words
- Be performable by one person
The Writers We're Looking For
We recognise, and are committed to highlighting, the inequity that exists at the intersections between homelessness and poverty and other forms of oppression. We’re not here to define your experience, we’re here to help the stories you want to tell soar, safely and authentically. We know that experiences of homelessness and poverty are complex and take many forms.
Homelessness is more than rough sleeping. It can be sofa-surfing, living in temporary accommodation, unsafe or overcrowded housing, being at risk of domestic abuse, and more.
Poverty can mean lacking access to stable housing, education, healthcare, and opportunity. It’s often generational – and the trauma it carries can last a lifetime.
This opportunity is open to anyone
- Aged 16+
- Has lived experience of homelessness or poverty
- Resides in the UK
Whether you’re a first-time, emerging, or established writer, we want to hear from you.
What you’ll receive
If your work is selected:
- You’ll receive a commissioning fee of £300
- Your monologue will be published alongside other incredible writers with lived experience
- You’ll get editorial feedback from top industry professionals
- You’ll be invited to our official launch event
Every submission, selected or not, will receive feedback from our team.
You’ll also be among the first to join our new Artist Network – a space for connection, collaboration, and support for artists with lived experience. The network will officially launch later this year.
WRITER WELLBEING
Looking after yourself while writing is paramount, particularly when writing from a place of lived experience. Watch this video for tips on how to look after your wellbeing during the process.
HOW TO SUBMIT
Submissions are open until midnight on 30 June.
When you’re ready, complete the submission form, where you’ll be asked to:
- Confirm that your monologue meets our eligibility criteria
- Share your name, contact details, and where you’re based in the UK
- Submit your monologue as a document, picture, or audio file
- Fill out an anonymous equal opportunities form
Please note we only accept one submission per person, and your submission must not be anonymous.
You’re welcome to use a pseudonym, but we’ll need a valid email address to stay in touch.
If you have any questions, check our FAQs section, or if you need any adjustments, feel free to get in touch at: anthology@cardboardcitizens.org.uk
FAQS
Help bring these stories to life
As a small charity, Cardboard Citizens can only create opportunities like this by partnering with likeminded individuals and organisations.
Whether you’re submitting a monologue or not, please consider a donation of any size to help amplify these voices and fuel lasting change.
Together, we can change the narrative of homelessness and poverty.
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
