Unlock hope, talent, and potential in the lives of people in the criminal justice system
Creativity changes lives
Koestler Arts runs the UK’s largest awards and exhibitions programme recognising creative work by people in secure settings. Each year, thousands of entries are sent into the Koestler Awards from people in prisons, young offender institutions, secure hospitals, immigration centres, on community sentences and probation. Creative experts and volunteers review the work, provide feedback to entrants and select pieces for awards, publication and exhibitions. Selected works are then shared with audiences across the UK.
Creative expression behind locked doors carries power. When this work is seen by the wider public it can challenge assumptions about people in the justice system, opening up new ways of thinking about identity, creativity and the future – for entrants and audiences alike. For many participants it offers a chance to connect with the world as an artist rather than through the label of prisoner, and to share the power of art from within.
About us Our impact
Our work in prisons and beyond
Being creative in a locked room is rarely easy, and many artists work with very little. Koestler Arts exists to encourage people to paint, write, make music, and sculpt, using whatever they have to hand.
Through the Koestler Awards, entrants receive inspiration, feedback, and recognition for that work. We offer creative inspiration and opportunities to people in secure settings through our Associates, Art Aid and arts mentoring programmes, encouraging engagement with creativity year-round and even in the most difficult circumstances.
Through exhibitions, events, and publications, we bring this work to wider audiences, challenging assumptions about people in the criminal justice system and revealing the creativity and talent that exists within secure settings.
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Your support helps more people in prisons and other secure settings take part in the Koestler Awards and share their work with wider audiences.
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