University of Surrey X Koestler Arts
Exhibition partnership with the University of Surrey, exploring food in women’s prisons
Coming early 2023
Koestler Arts is partnering with the University of Surrey to showcase an art exhibition all about food in women’s prisons and other settings.
Surrey’s Department of Sociology are beginning a large research project called ‘Doing Porridge: Understanding women’s experiences of food in prison’. Their work will explore food practices in prison, as well as the social and cultural meanings of food for individuals. They’ll be doing this through interviews, observations, focus groups and art workshops in several UK women’s prisons.
Towards the end of this project, Koestler Arts will present a public exhibition of artwork on the theme of food – a combination of art made in the project’s creative workshops and pieces entered into the 2022 Koestler Awards. Food is often a popular topic for Koestler Awards entrants and for this year’s Koestler Awards we have made our themed category ‘Taste’ to encourage even more entries. Visual art, writing and music will all be considered for the show.
We’ll update this page as the project develops.
Taking Part
2022 Koestler Awards artwork by anyone in a women’s prison will be considered for this exhibition, to match Surrey’s research focus.

As Koestler Awards eligibility usually extends to other settings, we’ll also welcome food-themed entries from women in secure hospitals, immigration removal centres, young offender institutions, secure children’s homes and on probation. (Please note, if you are in one of these settings you will need to identify as a woman on your Koestler Awards entry form, so that we can find your work).
Visual art, writing and music from these groups are all eligible. We are looking forward to seeing your new artwork this year!