Cardboard Citizens changes the lives of homeless and displaced people through theatre and the performing arts.

Our mission

• We present plays performed by homeless and displaced people, to share experiences and problem-solve together;
• We work in partnership to widen the reach of the company's work and underpin its support for participants;
• We make theatre for general audiences so a wider public can share in the company's learning and understanding of the issues faced by homeless people;
• We enable excluded people to develop skills and confidence through projects and workshops;
• We meet the practical needs of homeless and displaced people, supporting them in matters of housing, education, employment, health, career and personal development.

Our vision

Cardboard Citizens strives to be a world leader in its field, creating great theatre that makes a real and positive difference to our society and those living on its margins.

 We know that theatre can be a catalyst for change, growth and learning for participants and audiences.

 We are working to further develop theatre projects in and out of hostels for a wide range of audiences, focussed on the lives of homeless and displaced people.

We will be supporting people in diverse ways, helping homeless people to play their part in the world, and society to understand how life is lived on the margins.

Our ambition is to enable every hostel resident in London to be able to access the company’s work, as audience or participant.

And to offer all homeless or displace people who become involved with the company individual help and support.

We will produce theatre-based and site-specific productions on a regular and sustainable basis, telling stories of the excluded.

Every audience member at a Cardboard Citizens show will learn about issues affecting the displaced and homeless people we work with.

The company will be fully engaged in national and international networks, where appropriate joining in alliances and campaigns to bring unheard voices to the fore.

All our partners, peers and friends will have the opportunity to share best practice, knowledge, skills and expertise, and to travel further with us on Cardboard Citizens’ future journey.

• History & Values