A Billion Hugs

Photo Steve Russell Studios

UPLIFTING LIVES AROUND THE CAPITAL…. BRITAIN’S FIRST MOBILE PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION FOCUSING ON MENTAL-WELLNESS APPEARS ON LONDON BUSES

A desire to help people dealing with unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression, and for them to receive a visual hug when they need it most, prompted artist, Lisa Sharpe, to launch ‘A Billion Hugs’ on London’s iconic Routemaster buses in 2022 and again in 2023.

Photo Steve Russell Studios

“It’s been an unstable time for us all over the last few years and I wanted to reach out to those who are struggling right now, to remind them to believe in themselves – so they feel more loved and connected – to know that they matter.” 

Considered to be the first ever mobile public art installation that focuses on mental-wellbeing, Lisa used 25 London buses as her canvas to share positive, uplifting messages with Londoners and visitors to the Capital.

Photo Steve Russell Studios

The inspiration came to Lisa in 2005, when having been signed off work due to burnout, on leaving her job at a London Art Gallery for the last time, she saw a bus advertising a horror movie and as she felt that low, dark, negative energy she thought: “How depressing! Wouldn’t it be so much nicer to see something more uplifting, something more joyful, something like ‘I Believe in You’ to remind people to believe in themselves…”

It was there and then, that she decided she was going to make a difference to people’s lives and that rather than spreading fear and sadness, that ONE day she would send out buses all around London spreading love and good energy – reminding people that they are loved and that they matter.

Photo Steve Russell Studios

Now, many years later, at a time when the world needs more love, hope, optimism, Lisa took on those very horror movies with this uplifting public art installation. With so many people struggling with their mental health right now – this is a welcome tonic to make people feel more connected and uplifted.

Collaborating with Mo Gawdat and OneBillionHappy

One side of the bus reads ‘You Matter You are Loved’ the other ‘We Believe in You.’ The latter has been co-created with OneBillionHappy, the happiness foundation set up by Mo Gawdat, following a 30-year career in tech and serving as Chief Business Officer at Google [X], Google's 'moonshot factory' of innovation. Mo has made happiness his primary topic of research, diving deeply into literature and conversing on the topic with some of the wisest people in the world.

In 2014, motivated by the tragic loss of his son, Ali, Mo began pouring his findings into his international bestselling book, Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy. His mission is to help one billion people become happier: OneBillionHappy, is his moonshot attempt to honour Ali by spreading the message that happiness can be learned and shared to one billion people.

“There is a nice alignment between what Lisa is trying to do and our mission at OneBillionHappy.” Mo Gawdat, founder OneBillionHappy

“Our mission is to make one billion people happy because we believe it is everybody’s birthright. We aim to inspire and educate as many people as possible so that they achieve happiness in their lives, and in the lives of those around them.” Sonja Dippel, CEO, OneBillionHappy