The People Speak

Artists

The People Speak is an art collective that primarily takes its practice into the public domain of everyday civic space.

The People Speak creates projects in formats that look familiar at first, such as chat shows, game shows or even a soccer kick-about, but are reconfigured to put editorial decisions and agendas in the hands of the participants.

The work gets groups of strangers talking, thinking and being creative together. As The People Speak byline puts it, the collective creates ‘tools for the world to take over itself’.

In 2008 Peckham Platform (then Peckham Space) commissioned The People Speak and Harold Offeh to make a piece of art for Peckham Square. Instead of coming up with their own idea, the artists decided to help a large group of Peckham residents and visitors make a collaborative artwork.

The People Speak set up “Who Wants to Be?“, an ask-the-audience game show. Participants were asked what they would most like to see in Peckham Square, with their ideas visualised instantly on a giant screen. Rather than a physical artwork, participants agreed that what needed changing most in the area was people’s perception of Peckham. The resulting artwork took the form of an advert for Peckham.

The work was also part of the 2016 Peckham Platform Retrospective exhibition, a timeline of all 20 artists commissions realised by Peckham Platform between 2010 – 2016.

The People Speak

More Artists

Artists

Lottie Child

Lottie Child’s practice includes participatory, live art explorations of public space, utilising strategies of collaboration and spontaneous interaction

Artist Ana Laura Lopez wearing a blue jumper and leaning on a brick wall

Ana Laura López de la Torre

Ana Laura López de la Torre is an artist and writer based in Uruguay. Using the overlooked and the underrated as a starting point, her work creates visible and unexpected connections between things, people and places.

Artist Rachael House with pink hair and pink stripy top

Rachael House

Rachael House is an artist who makes events and objects. She is also co-director of the artist-run space Space Station Sixty-Five.

Meet the team

Our dynamic team includes producers, curators, artists and entrepreneurs from our local community

Meet the Team