A THREE-day art event is being held to celebrate the GEM programme.

The development scheme is run by the Centre for Partnership, part of Keighley social housing group Incommunities.

Since 2009, more than 230 GEM 'graduates' have secured prestigious jobs, mainly in the housing sector.

The celebration – The Art of Homelessness – features work by renowned artist David Tovey, a patron of the GEM programme, who has exhibited at prestigious venues such as Tate Modern and Tate Liverpool.

Pieces on display will include his haunting installations A Soldier’'s Story and Shelter, plus a selection of portraits from his Faces of the Abused series.

The event takes place at Salts Mill, Saltaire, later this month, and Mr Tovey will be available to discuss his work with visitors.

It is open to the public between 10am and 5.30pm on Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21. Admission is free.

An invitation-only session is being held on the Friday, when a GEM cohort will showcase work it has carried out on homelessness during the past year.

Incommunities group chief executive and GEM programme chairman, Geraldine Howley, said: "The Art of Homelessness event and exhibition aims to highlight this growing national crisis and capture the passion and energy our GEMs can bring to the housing sector.

"These young leaders of tomorrow have a key role to play in embracing this issue and identifying sustainable solutions.

"The event will not only offer a unique experience for our GEM graduates but will hopefully, through the power of creativity, highlight the issue and perceptions of homelessness to a far wider audience and show how good housing can really change people's lives."