Participant Group: Young and adult prisoners

Prisoners on Create projects win SEVEN prized Koestler Awards

Posted on August 30, 2024 by - News

Prisoners on Create projects win SEVEN prized Koestler Awards

I am delighted to share the wonderful news that prisoners who participated in four Create prison programmes during 2023/24 — Free Inside, Inside Change, Inside Stories, and My Dad’s in Prison — have been recognised with seven prestigious Koestler Awards.

These awards, presented by Koestler Arts, a charity dedicated to recognising and showcasing artwork by prisoners, detainees, and secure patients, celebrate the power of creativity within the prison community.

We are proud that a poetry collection entitled “Primrose and F-Wing,” created during our Free Inside project at women’s prison HMP Low Newton, has won a Gold Award. This collection offers a moving exploration of personal experiences and emotions, highlighting the profound impact of poetry as a tool for self-expression.

picture of a person writing

In the Radio & Podcast Production category, the production “Plain Jane,” created at HMP Low Newton during Inside Change received a Silver Award. This compelling work showcases the participants’ exceptional storytelling abilities.

Three radio dramas — “Bang Tidy,” “Inherited Identity,” and “May Contain Nuts” — have been recognised with Highly Commended Awards in the Radio & Podcast Production category. “Bang Tidy” was written in HMP Low Newton, while “Inherited Identity” and “May Contain Nuts,” were developed at HMP Styal, also part of the women’s estate. All these productions showcase participants profound creativity, which was nurtured during Inside Change, a programme that develops financial literacy skills through radio drama.

“Everybody should be able to be creative and find [their] own creative side (everyone has one!). The opportunity to find that is phenomenal. I feel so happy! Proud! It makes you feel free. To create the work we’ve made takes you away from prison.”

Larissa, a free inside particpant
an artwork from My Dad's In Prison

Finally, in the Arts Project category, “Dad’s do Stories” and “It’s Not Forever,” illustrated storybooks created by fathers during Inside Stories and My Dad’s in Prison respectively at HMP Oakwood, each received a Commended Award. “It’s Not Forever,” vividly captures the realities faced by families affected by incarceration. Participant, Ryan, reflected on the emotional journey:

“This project has been emotional. It’s nice that we all share that with each other. We’ve all got to know each other a bit better on the wing as well. Not everybody is in touch with their emotional side. It’s all a bit macho in prison. But I think if you want to be upset, you should be upset. We cry. I’ve cried on a visit before.”

Ryan, my dad’s in prison participant

At Create, we believe that everyone should have access to the creative arts. Creativity has the ability to enhance wellbeing, build confidence, and improve mental health. It allows us to express ourselves and envision new possibilities. Through our prison programmes, inmates not only discover their creative potential but also gain vital skills that help to support their reintegration into society.

As always, I would like extend my gratitude to the funders of these projects. Inside Change was funded by Santander UK Foundation Limited. Inside Stories was funded by 29th May Charitable Trust, Clifford Chance Foundation and John Stewart Memorial. My Dad’s in Prison was funded by The Boris Karloff Charitable Foundation, Edward Cadbury Trust, Elle (via HMP Oakwood), The Leigh Trust, and The Michael and Shirley Hunt Charitable Trust.

Furthermore, I extend this gratitude to our professional artists, and staff team for making these innovative projects possible, and to the prisons that continue to welcome us through their doors.

Nicky Goulder, Founding Chief Executive

Read more about our prison projects

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MEET LARISSA, A FREE INSIDE PARTICIPANT FROM DURHAM

Posted on May 28, 2024 by - Stories

MEET LARISSA, A FREE INSIDE PARTICIPANT FROM DURHAM

Free Inside is our multi-artform programme working with women in prison. Each project provides the participants with a rare chance to be creative and express themselves while improving their social skills and wellbeing.

In March 2024, women in HMP Low Newton’s PIPE Unit took part in photography workshops with our professional photographer Alejandra Carles-Tolra.

Larissa, who has been in prison for 15 years, shared her experience of the project.

LEARNING SOMETHING NEW

“We learned about photography and used a digital camera to create photos. I’ve not done anything like this before. I didn’t realise there was more to a camera than to just point and shoot. But we used light, abstract, colours and shapes to create photos. I understand now there’s more than a click and a flash to a camera.

“I wanted to do the project as I’ve always had an interest in photography. I think photos are precious. To be able to have this opportunity after being in prison for so long has been fabulous. To actually hold a digital camera and to know you can create a picture that will tell a story is amazing.”

BUILDING CONFIDENCE

“At the start I was really unsure and I lacked confidence. Using the camera was challenging. I have been in prison for so long now and technology changes, so I wasn’t used to it. But now I feel more confident and more able to take creative lead. I am so glad I decided to push myself, as I enjoyed the whole experience and we were able to create some amazing photography. It’s been brilliant.

The best thing about the project was working as part of a team. We were a really good team. I’ve learnt that I can work in a group confidently and positively. And I can put myself out of my comfort zone.

THE POWER OF CREATIVITY

“Everybody should be able to be creative and find [their] own creative side (everyone has one!). The opportunity to find that is phenomenal. And now, oh my [goodness], I feel so happy! Amazed! Proud! It makes you feel free. To create the work we’ve made takes you away from prison. I’ve been in prison for so long – I’ve done 15 years and my first parole is not until 2038 – but doing this, you forget where you are. I never thought I would have this in prison.

“It’s important as it gives us an opportunity to come together and work as a team. And this is something we could pick up as a job or a hobby after we get out. Or something to give us a new community. It gives us confidence.”

An exhibition of photographs from the project is going on show alongside the one-woman theatre show, ‘Surrender’ at The Arcola in London (19/06/24-13/07/24) and the Edinburgh Fringe (08/24).

* Name changed to protect anonymity

MY DAD’S IN PRISON – A CONVERSATION BETWEEN Graham, Neil and Ryan

Posted on February 28, 2024 by - Stories, Blogs

an artwork from My Dad's In Prison

MY DAD’S IN PRISON – A CONVERSATION BETWEEN graham, nEIl and ryan

an artwork from My Dad's In Prison

Create has a long history of working with fathers in prison. Our Inside Stories project helps improve the bond between prisoners and their children through storytelling and music. My Dad’s in Prison is our innovative storytelling project that promotes understanding of having a parent in prison.

In January 2024, 15 participants spent four days in writing workshops with Create writer Carol, followed by three days in collage workshops with Create artist Chloe. They created an illustrated book entitled ‘It’s Not Forever’, which is a heartfelt depiction of how being in prison affects them and their family. The project culminated in a sharing with family members the following month and the printed book has been shared with other residents at HMP Oakwood, and shared with other residents at HMP Oakwood and other prisons.

Graham, Neil and Ryan, who had all previously taken part in an Inside Stories project, spoke to us about their experiences on My Dad’s in Prison.

First of all, can you explain what the story you created is about?

Ryan: “The story is about us as dads in prison, and how we feel going to see our kids on a visit. How they feel in preparation for coming to see us the night before and on the way and after they leave. How we put on a brave face and try to hold it together, although we want to cry at times.”

What made you decide to take part in this project?

Graham: “Well they just said it’s all for your kids, so you do it, don’t you?”

Ryan: “Yes, you do it for your kids. It lets them know you’re thinking about them.”

Neil: “I’ll second that. It’s an amazing little gift for them. I asked to go on this project, because my little girl loved the Inside Stories [book]. Obviously with what Inside Stories turned out to be, I knew this would be a good book as well, which it has been. I’m very impressed with it. You get a nice family day out of it as well where you can share your emotions.”

Why is it meaningful for you to share this book with your kids?

Ryan: “It was a nice feeling to give a book to our kids. Hopefully they’ll learn something from it too, or realise that they’re not the only ones.”

Graham: “And they’ll realise that we know they’re struggling as well.”

Neil: “Yeah, they’ll realise that we understand their emotions. Because we had to put ourselves in our kids’ shoes. At the end of the day, obviously we’re being punished, but they’re also being punished. And actually, thinking about that, it plucked on a couple of heartstrings, I ain’t going to lie. And I’ve read the book out to a few family members and it made them cry. Even though we call them every day and speak to them, this is a different way of talking to them.”

Ryan: “Day to day you talk about normal life, you don’t talk about emotions and deep stuff all the time.”

Hopefully they’ll appreciate it and just see that. They know I love them. But with this, I suppose, you’re showing it as well as saying it.

Graham

How does being in prison affect your children?

Neil: “I’ve been in a few years now, so it has become the normality to them. I can imagine when I first came in, it was a bit daunting when they came to visit. They didn’t know what to expect. My son said it was a scary place to come in. He hated it.”

Ryan: “It’s a complete change for us isn’t it. I’ve been in here, being told what to do, locked behind a door. Out there it was not like that. It’s just difficult isn’t it. It’s a massive change.”

Neil: “You know, there’s things we miss out on. I know my son was talking about he was in a classroom and there was kids going ‘oh yeah, my dad this or my dad that’ and he’s like ‘oh, my dad’s in prison’ and he started welling up. And obviously I couldn’t be there. But it’s not forever, as the book is called. Reading out the story to them [at the sharing] will be a bit emotional I think. I would probably say it would bring us closer together.”

How did you feel about being creative?

Neil: “When I found out you had to make up a story and do a collage, you think; ‘Oh my [goodness], I’m just a roofer’. When it comes to doing things like that it’s a bit daunting. You’ve got to talk from your heart. You’ve got to hit the inner mushy bit inside of you.”

Ryan: “For me, the artistic side was a little bit difficult. That’s why it’s good to do it as a group, as we all put our little bit in. It’s good to see it come together.”

Neil: “We all split into groups, we all done little sections of the story, moulded it together, made a wicked story. If I was doing it on my own, I would’ve struggled. But because we did it as a group, it come together.”

Graham: “Yeah you wouldn’t think of making a story like that, but everyone did. You can write something. Before you know it, you’ve got a story.”

It’s amazing when it all come together. I was amazed at what we could do.

Neil

Working together

Ryan: “I think the fact that we all got together as a group was good. Teamwork is something that we don’t really do in prison. But it’s good to actually do it. You have to sort of work as a team, try and get on with everyone. I think it was a good group, so nobody was overpowering. Everybody had an opinion, but everyone was willing to let it go for the greater good.”

Ryan: “This project has been emotional. It’s nice that we all share that with each other. We’ve all got to know each other a bit better on the wing as well. Not everybody is in touch with their emotional side. It’s all a bit macho in prison. But I think if you want to be upset, you should be upset. We cry. I’ve cried on a visit before.”

Graham: “I give him a big cuddle when he come back. And then it started him again.”

Ryan: “It’ll start me off now if you carry on.”

Neil: “We’re all in the same boat here really. Even though we’ve all done different crimes, we still all have the same emotions towards your kids. Not everyone’s story is the same, but everybody gets each other.”

And the best part is the end result, that we have something to give to our kids.

GRAHAM

My Dad’s in Prison was funded by The Boris Karloff Charitable Foundation, Edward Cadbury Trust, Elle (via HMP Oakwood), The Leigh Trust, and The Michael and Shirley Hunt Charitable Trust.

Prisoners on Create projects win three prized Koestler Awards

Posted on September 1, 2023 by - News, Blogs

Prisoners on Create projects win three prized Koestler Awards

I am very pleased to announce that prisoners who created radio plays as part of Create’s Inside Change project in 2022/23 have won three prestigious Koestler Awards.

The prizes are awarded by Koestler Arts, a charity dedicated to awarding, exhibiting and selling artwork by prisoners, detainees and secure patients.

Inside Change enables prisoners to explore financial literacy through radio drama. Working with our professional drama artist and sound engineer in a series of high-quality creative arts workshops, they write, perform and record a radio play centred around personal finance issues. This helps them to develop their financial capability, which aids transition back into society on release. Where possible, plays are broadcast on National Prison Radio so that other prisoners can hear them.

“This project has definitely been one of the more productive things I’ve done since I’ve been in jail. I feel like I’ve come away from this with actual knowledge that will help me in the future.”

Harrison, Inside Change Particpant

Out of the Woodwork, a play written and recorded by prisoners during summer 2022 with our drama and sound artists, was given a highly-coveted Bronze Performance Award by Koestler Arts. Two other performances, Crop Circle and Tiger Castle, produced during autumn and winter 2022, were respectively highly commended and commended by the judges.

At Create, we believe that everyone should have access to creativity. The creative arts have a unique ability to improve our wellbeing, confidence, and mental health. Creativity enables us to express ourselves and imagine new possibilities. And on our Inside Change project, prisoners learn crucial new skills to help them on release.

We are delighted to see the artwork created by prisoners recognised with these Koestler Awards, which again proves how vital and important this work is.

As ever, I am hugely grateful to the funders, artists and Create staff team for making these innovative projects possible, and to the prisons that welcome us through their doors.

Nicky Goulder, Founding Chief Executive

Read more about our prison projects

Funded by Santander Foundation

santander foundation logo

meet harrison, an inside change participant

Posted on February 21, 2023 by - Stories

inside change drama script

meet harrison, an inside change participant

Inside Change is our creative project that upskills prisoners about personal finances through radio drama.

In December 2022, a group of prisoners worked with our professional drama and recording artists James Baldwin and Tony Russell to write, perform and record a radio play themed around finance. This enabled them to develop their understanding of topics such as budgeting, debit cards, APR and money choices, helping them transition back into the community on release with new skills and improved self-esteem.

We spoke to Harrison about his experiences on the project.

“My name is Harrison, I’m 32 and I’m an inmate. I’ve got a 15-year sentence, with five-and-a-half years left, so I’ll be released in June 2028.

“This week we’ve been doing a money management course called Inside Change in which we made a radio play. I played a character called Dean and I really enjoyed it.

“It was good to work in a group and as a team. I’ve never done anything like this before, but a few of the lads on the wing had done [the project] the week before and told us it was a decent course, so I jumped on it.

“At first I wondered, ‘what have I signed up to?’ It involved a lot of speaking in front of an audience, but as I got into the project I really enjoyed it and I’m glad I did it. I’ve learnt a few things about banking, and I’ve also had experience in public speaking. I think that’s important because in the future, it will help with speaking in front of people in a meeting, so it’s really helped.

“I’VE COME AWAY WITH KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL HELP ME IN THE FUTURE”

“I really enjoyed working with the artists, James and Tony. They guided us and worked really well with us. It was good working in a group with the other lads too, we had a good laugh.

“This project has definitely been one of the more productive things I’ve done since I’ve been in jail. Some of the courses you go on are pointless, but I feel like I’ve come away from this with actual knowledge that will help me in the future. The business pitching exercise was good practice for anything I want to do in the future.

“The project has taught me that I should believe in myself and put myself out there more.”

This project was funded by Santander UK Foundation Limited.

inside change drama script

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Meet matt, a prisoner and create participant

Posted on December 15, 2022 by - Stories

Meet matt, a prisoner and create participant

creative writing post its

Inside Change is our project that enables prisoners to explore financial literacy through radio drama.

In September 2022, a group of prisoners worked with our professional drama and recording artists James and Tony to write, perform and record a radio play. Centred on personal finance issues, this enabled them to develop their financial capability in areas such as budgeting, debit, APR and money choices. The project has been designed to support a smoother transition back into the community on release, with new literacy, finance and social skills, and improved self-esteem.

We spoke to Matt (23) about his experiences on the project.

“I’ve done nothing like this before at all. We’ve learnt lots of things about money management, such as mortgages. We’ve learnt how to handle debt, build credit and move forward in the future with money.

“I signed up because I thought it would be interesting to try something different, like with the radio stuff, and learn something new. It’s been a good laugh. I feel comfortable, I feel like I’ve learnt a lot of things, met some good people.

“It’s taught me how to build credit and certain mortgage options you can take out, and basically helping me move forward with future decisions because I’m still quite young. I can put forward what I’ve learnt to other people who have the same worries as I did before starting the project.

“It was really good working with James. He’s good energy, very positive and he listened to everyone who speaks to him. It was good working with the group. I’ll speak to them more often now than I did originally.

“It’s just been fun to be honest with you. It’s been really, really good, I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve also learnt that I’m terrible at doing a Philip Schofield accent!

“Doing something creative is important because it takes you out of prison and makes you feel like you’re not in prison for the time you’re here.”

Inside Change at this prison was funded by The Boris Karloff Charitable Foundation and Santander UK Foundation Limited.

Prisoners win four prestigious Koestler aRTS Awards

Posted on September 2, 2022 by - News, Blogs

A collage from the Koestler winning My Dad's In Prison project anthology

Prisoners win four prestigious Koestler Arts awards

A collage from the My Dad's In Prison project anthology

I am delighted to announce that prisoners who created artwork on Create projects in 2021/22 have won four prestigious Koestler Awards, including a most highly prized “Platinum”.

The prizes are awarded by Koestler Arts, a charity dedicated to awarding, exhibiting and selling artwork by prisoners, detainees and secure patients. The winning artwork came from two of our projects: Inside Change and My Dad’s In Prison.

Inside Change

Inside Change enables prisoners to explore financial literacy through radio drama. Working with our professional drama artist and sound engineer in a series of high-quality creative arts workshops, they write, perform and record a radio play centred around personal finance issues, helping them to develop their financial capability, which aids transition back into society on release. Each play is broadcast on National Prison Radio so that other prisoners can hear them.

Poor Man’s Fortune, a play written and recorded by prisoners last autumn under the guidance of our drama and sound artists, was given a top Platinum Radio Production Award by Koestler Arts, while another piece from the same project, Trap Xmas, was also commended by the judges.

My Dad’s In Prison

My Dad’s In Prison is our new innovative storytelling project that promotes understanding of having a parent in prison. Working under the guidance of our professional writer and visual artist, prisoners collaboratively devise a children’s book, which they illustrate using collage. This simply and sensitively explores having a parent in prison, promoting understanding and reassurance. 

“I think the project has had an impact on us all. A lot of people haven’t shown it, because you go back to your pad at night and you reflect on everything. My children think I’m working away so for me, this book means a lot because when they grow up, I can actually sit and explain what we did and how we did it. It’s going to be easier for me to tell them about my time in prison.”

Kieran, My Dad’s In Prison participant

The Anthology that the prisoners created in November 2021, with the support of Create’s writer and visual artist was given a Silver Award, and the project itself secured a Bronze Award. I’m delighted to say you can scroll through the book below, and also listen to Create Patron Erwin James read a selection of the pieces.

At Create we are committed to giving prisoners a chance to express themselves creatively and be heard. By taking part in our projects, they build confidence and hope, reconnect with loved ones, and learn crucial new skills to help them when they are released. It is truly rewarding and inspiring to see their work recognised with these Koestler Awards; it’s the icing on the cake.

As ever, I am hugely grateful to the funders, artists and Create staff team for making these innovative projects possible, and to the prisons that welcome us through their doors.

Nicky Goulder, Founding Chief Executive

Read more about our prison projects

MEET A FEMALE PRISONER AND FREE INSIDE PARTICIPANT

Posted on August 5, 2022 by - News, Stories

picture of a person writing

meet a female prisoner and free inside participant

“I was worried it would be like school and I reverted to being the class clown. But as I listened and gave it a chance, I ended up enjoying it and getting into it. I really like the final piece I’ve written.”

free inside participant

In July 2022, a group of women in prison took part in four days of creative writing workshops with Create writer Carol Topolski as part of our new project, Free Inside.

Free Inside is our creative writing project working with a women’s prison in tandem with a specialist unit. The project provides the participants with a rare chance to be creative and express themselves while improving their literacy and life skills.

One participant shared their experience on the project.

Finding Inspiration

“We started the workshop by discussing a subject, choosing ‘teeth’ to begin with. Everybody had a different point of view on it. It was good as it got the mind going and thinking in different ways about something as boring as a mouth with teeth in it. We then made a list of words and we had to write a short story from them which, again, everyone answered differently. Mine was about Gandalf and how magic can be bad.

“We then decided where we wanted to take our main piece of writing. I based mine on my experience of drugs and getting clean. The other girls based theirs on their experiences, like their grandmothers, etc.

A NEW EXPERIENCE

“I’ve been creative before but never with writing. At first, I was worried it would be like school and I reverted to being the class clown. But as I listened and gave it a chance, I ended up enjoying it and getting into it. I really like the final piece I’ve written. I’ve learnt that even if you write something that you don’t quite like, you can edit it and change it and take it down different paths until you do like it.

free inside inside change
Post-its from the creative writing workshops

“It was good to see everyone’s expressions whilst I read my piece out loud. I’m not that confident when it comes to reading out loud, but it gave me a confidence boost and the praise was nice as it doesn’t happen all the time. It was good to finish the piece and I’m looking forward to seeing it as an end product as I want the layout to be in the form of a ladder, showing the journey I’ve been on and climbed up.

“I like Carol, she was very easy to get on with. I shared very personal parts of myself, and I never felt judged by her. She also really helped me to word my story better. I could see myself doing more creative writing if [Create] came back. It helped that I knew the others. I’ve had an issue with one of the group members in the past, but I can trust her now and it’s good. [The project] helped.

“I think people who don’t write should always give it a try because I didn’t think I was good at writing, but I’ve actually come up with a good piece.”

Stories from our project with fathers in prison

Posted on January 14, 2022 by - Stories

Image from our My Dad's In Prison project

Stories from our project with fathers in prison

Create has a long history of working with fathers in prison. Our Inside Stories project, which has been running for 13 years, helps improve the bond between prisoners and their children using the art of storytelling and music. The stories are often set in fantasy lands with magical protagonists inspired by their children, but in our new project with fathers in prison, participants are encouraged to set fantasy aside and express their vulnerabilities on the page.

My Dad’s In Prison is our innovative storytelling project that promotes understanding of having a parent in prison. Working with professional writers and visual artists, prisoners work collaboratively to write and illustrate a story that simply and sensitively explores this experience, promoting understanding and reassurance around a taboo topic.

In November 2021, participants spent four days in writing workshops with Create writer Carol Topolski, working through their thoughts and feelings on being in prison together and combining their experiences into a book. They then spent two days on visual arts and collage workshops, providing them with the inspiration and the skills to design their book before it goes to print. The project culminated in a sharing with family and friends in December 2021 and the printed book was shared with other residents at Oakwood HMP.

We spoke to Kieran and Adil (not their real names), two residents at Oakwood who shared with us their experiences on My Dad’s In Prison.

MEET KIERAN

“I’ve really enjoyed the last two weeks. We’ve been writing stories from different people’s perspectives about our families, our children and about life in prison. We’ve also been doing creative stuff like artwork for the books. I don’t really write because I’m a tree surgeon, so the writing bit for me was a bit difficult but once I got into it, I really enjoyed it. The bit at the start was a bit emotional but I think that was a good thing.

“Life has sad parts, and good parts, it’s like a book.”

“Originally I didn’t want to do this project because it makes you miss your family a lot. Talking about your family can get emotional, especially when you’re in front of other men, you put a bit of a front on when you’re in prison. That was the hardest part, but once I got through that I enjoyed it. It makes you think about what you’re missing and how your children feel.

“If I had written a story on my own, I wouldn’t have gone down the emotional route. But it’s good we’ve done that because it makes me think a lot more about it. Life ain’t all good is it? You have sad parts, you have good parts … it’s like a book isn’t it? Life is like a book.

“We aren’t bad people for being in prison.”

“I think the project has had an impact on us all. A lot of people haven’t shown it, because you go back to your pad at night and you reflect on everything. My children think I’m working away so for me, this book means a lot because when they grow up, I can actually sit and explain what we did and how we did it. It’s going to be easier for me to tell them about my time in prison.

“I think [My Dad’s In Prison] should be offered to more people because a lot more people would benefit from this, it would bring their families closer. Writing a book about being in prison would show that you aren’t a bad person for being in prison. Everybody makes mistakes and we have to learn from them. 

meet adil

“When I walked into this project, I was apprehensive listening to what was going to be involved. All the feelings and issues we were going to be discussing. I’m only six months into my three-year sentence, so I didn’t really want to start touching on these feelings, I wanted to suppress them.

“At the beginning I thought, what have I got myself into? I genuinely did not want to be here any longer, but slowly throughout the week, it became almost therapeutic. Speaking to you guys and to my fellow residents in prison, it made me address a lot of the issues that I was scared of. It genuinely made me grow as a person.

“Even if we hadn’t written the book, I honestly believe that just the sessions where we sat together and worked through, just doodling our thoughts on paper and having these candid conversations that we don’t get time to do on the actual prison wing itself… I will always use that word therapeutic, it really made me grow as a person and grow as a father.

“It really made me grow as a person and grow as a father.”

“From my perspective, because my son is three years old, I’m hoping he might not remember my time in prison. But if it ever comes up and he thinks “Dad, where were you for three years of my life? There’s no pictures of me and you together, no birthdays or festivities or anything” then this book can go a long way to show that at that time I was actually thinking of him. This book with the collective of the whole group is taking it another step further, it’s not just my thoughts, it’s other people’s thoughts and I can look back and remember how other people were feeling at the time.”

You can read the book that Kieran, Adil and other prisoners at Oakwood created together below.

Prisoners’ Inside Stories scoop five Koestler Awards

Posted on November 1, 2021 by - News

artwork by prisoners as part of inside stories

Prisoners Scoop Five Koestler Awards

artwork by prisoners as part of inside stories

Tales from the Other Side, a wonderful collection of short stories written, recorded, illustrated and set to music by a group of prisoners during our Inside Stories project, has been recognised with five Koestler Awards.

The prizes are awarded by Koestler Arts, a charity dedicated to awarding, exhibiting and selling artwork by prisoners, detainees and secure patients. 

“I really enjoyed it because it was for my little girl. It taught me how to think outside the box and use my imagination.”

participant

Our Inside Stories project gives prisoners the opportunity to produce illustrated stories and music for their children. Working under the guidance of our professional writer, visual artist and musicians, they work in pairs to write, record and illustrate original stories, which they then set to music in groups. The project enables them to build creativity, teamwork, communication and arts skills that they can use with their children during prison visits and on release, enhancing connectivity and wellbeing.

Following their fathers’ performance in the prison during a special family visit, the children receive a copy of the professionally produced storybook and CD, helping to maintain the bond between parent and child, and enabling them to have a very personal part of their Dad at home. The Ministry of Justice has found that sustaining family ties makes it easier for prisoners to reintegrate into society and increases their chance of finding a job and stable accommodation on release.

I’m delighted to share The Nightmare Warrior, which won a Bronze Mixed Media Koestler Award:

artwork by prisoners as part of inside stories

“This project has helped my partner, children and parents feel more relaxed and positive about my time in prison.”

Participant

Since 2012, work made during our prison projects across the UK has been recognised with 100 Koestler Awards, recognising the creativity, imagination and talent of dozens of prisoners. We are incredibly proud of them all.

Nicky Goulder, Founding Chief Executive

artwork by prisoners as part of inside stories

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