Journey to creativity

Each winter, as the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, the Koestler Arts team embarks on a unique kind of road trip – spanning the length and breadth of the country, visiting prisons and secure settings to connect with creatives who have either entered or who are eligible to enter the Koestler Awards. This is a cornerstone of our work, bringing the Koestler Awards closer to the places where the art is made, an opportunity to recognise the achievements of those who participated and to encourage more future entrants before the submissions’ deadline.  

This time, the tour took our team to 23 prisons, from HMP Northumberland in the far north to Kent in the southeast. These journeys are always filled with inspiration and stories about the power of creativity to transform lives. 

We were excited to have people with lived experience of prison joining visits again this year, talking to people in person about the impact the arts have had in their lives.

Here are some highlights from the tour:

Wandsworth Welcomes Inua Ellams

At HM Prison Wandsworth, the art class had a special visit from our 2025 Exhibition Curator, Inua Ellams, who joined our Director of Arts, Phoebe, to talk about our plans for the year ahead. The room was full of curiosity and excitement as participants learned more about the Koestler Awards and shared their own artistic journeys. We’d previously had another visit to Wandsworth in September to go live on Radio Wanno, Wandsworth’s in-prison community radio station, with our 2024 Koestler Awards Judge, Benjamin.

John Costi Inspires in Dovegate and Woodhill

At HMP Dovegate in Uttoxeter and HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, our 2024 Exhibition Curator John Costi made a lasting impression. Staff at both sites reported a real buzz of motivation following his visit – proof that hearing from someone with lived experience of prison can be a powerful motivator and inspire people to enter. 

Five Prisons in Four Days

Our Director of Outreach,  Sarah, took on an ambitious itinerary in February, visiting five prisons across the North East. These establishments had all contributed artwork featured in our ‘Almost Home’ exhibition at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts in Gateshead. Sarah not only got to meet with existing and potential entrants but also met with huge numbers of prison staff.  

About her visit to Kirklevington Grange, she said:

…as we were packing the chairs and tables away, one of the prisoners returned with a rosary made of vapes. It was stunning! He’d made it for his wife but said he’d make a second one to enter. Another prisoner also popped back to say that he is working out on ROTL and making a table with a mosaic top and he hopes he might be able to enter it.

She came back to Koestler HQ full of ideas on how we can develop our work, ensuring it remains responsive and relevant to the people we serve, and with fresh insight into the conditions and environments in which Koestler Awards entries are created. 

A Full Day in Peterborough

We wrapped up the year’s visits with a special trip by our CEO, Fiona, to HMP Peterborough. It was a busy visit; in a single day, she presented at both the female and male sites, engaging with staff and participants alike.  

The people on the women’s site were super engaged; many had entered already this year. They loved the images and had lots of questions about mentoring, artwork meanings, judging and John Costi as curator. The men’s site had a large group, there were a few people who had already entered, and several who I think would be interested in submitting now.

It was a fitting finale to a year of meaningful connections, creative inspiration and new insights. We hope the visits may have inspired many more to take part and can’t wait to see what this year’s Awards will bring!