Activity Sheets For Prison Learners
We produce monthly Art Aid sheets featuring creative tasks that can be done in cell and with just paper and a pencil, in hopes of inspiring creativity for people in secure settings.
New sheets will be available from the first Monday of every month. Establishment staff and Koestler entrants can request to be sent each new sheet directly by emailing charis@koestlerarts.org.uk or writing to FREEPOST Koestler Arts.
December 2024
Perfect your portraits with this step-by-step guide to drawing eyes by Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and mentee, Paul.
November 2024
Create visual artwork from a new perspective in this drawing and sculpting task set by former Koestler Award winner, mentee and team member, Lee.
October 2024
Have a go at drawing images out of simple, repetitive strokes and patterns known as ‘tangles’, in a task set by Koestler Award winner Katie.
September 2024
Reflect on where you are now and why, and where you are going, or where you would like to be with this drawing task set by a Koestler Award-winner.
August 2024
Have a go at a song writing task set by Koestler Exhibition Host and now Koestler Awards Judge, Benjamin.
July 2024
Koestler Award-winner and mentee Charlotte shares a story-writing exercise using things you see around you as inspiration.
June 2024
Try a drawing task set by Koestler mentee, Cal, using shape and tone to express yourself.
May 2024
What animal do you see yourself as? Koestler Arts mentee Osman challenges you to draw an animal that best represents you.
April 2024
Work on your character dialogue in this creative writing task set by Koestler mentee, Christian.
March 2024
Koestler Award winner and mentee, Joe, shares his tips and creative prompts for putting together a great short story!
February 2024
Koestler Award winner and mentee, Drew, sets a self-portrait task using any reflective surface you can find to add dimension to your drawings.
January 2024
Illuminate your writing with intricate designs and artwork, with Koestler Awards winner and former mentee, Seb.
December 2023
Try a creative writing task to express gratitude to those who have helped you this year with Koestler Arts mentee, Joanne.
November 2023
Try an experimental drawing task to create something original and inventive, with Koestler Awards winner, exhibited artist and mentee, Colin.
October 2023
Imagine you are away on a holiday at your dream destination, and draw, paint or write about the sights, sounds, tastes, feelings and smells you’d experience with Koestler Award winner and former mentee, Clare.
September 2023
Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and former mentee, Mark, has set a creative writing and illustration task inspired by the title of our upcoming exhibition, IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
August 2023
Koestler Awards winner and exhibited artist, Wayne, takes us through a creative exercise to design your idea of a perfect cell.
July 2023
Put yourself in someone else’s shoes in this writing task set by former Koestler Awards winner and mentee, Stephen.
June 2023
Former Koestler Exhibition Host, Unicorn, shares ideas on how you can brighten up letters & envelopes to your loved ones with just a pencil or pen!
May 2023
Have a go at this creative reflection task set by a Koestler Award winner from a Secure Children’s Home.
April 2023
In celebration of our exhibition in Scotland earlier this year, this creative task was set by the talented artist behind the ‘Our World’ poster image.
March 2023
Koestler Award winner, Will, shares advice and suggested starting points for anyone interested in script writing.
February 2023
Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and mentee, Ben, takes us through a crafty paper folding exercise.
January 2023
Koestler Arts mentee and volunteer, Chris, has set a journaling task to help you kick start your creative writing.
December 2022
Koestler Awards winner, exhibited artist and former mentee Sam shares three different activities that will keep you busy over the festive period!
November 2022
Koestler Award winner, mentee and exhibited artist Adam shares a step-by-step drawing guide inspired by this year’s exhibition title: Freedom.
October 2022
Imagine a scenario, and then have a go at turning it into a piece of creative writing (a song, a poem, a story or a letter) with a Koestler Awards winner.
September 2022
A simple step-by-step task to draw a traditional tattoo style rose, set by Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and former mentee, Ghost13.
August 2022
Try this creative writing task set by Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and former mentee Christopher.
July 2022
Have a go at drawing using a grid map with Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and former mentee, Sarah.
June 2022
Try your hand at play-writing with help from Koestler Award Winner, exhibited artist and mentee, Seb.
May 2022
Have a go at seeing the funny in the not so funny in this drawing task, with Koestler Award Winner Joe.
April 2022
Try something new with this blind drawing task, with Koestler Award winning artist and mentee, Jordan.
March 2022
Learn how to write and edit prose with Koestler Award-winning writer and mentee, Tim.
February 2022
Create the peaceful view you’d like to see outside your door with Koestler Award winner, exhibited writer and mentee, Kanthé.
January 2022
Design a unique alphabet and develop your own font with Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and former mentee, Ghost13.
December 2021
Draw a three-act story inspired by the festive season, with Koestler Award winner, exhibited writer and mentee, Simon.
November 2021
Improve your portraits with this eye drawing tutorial set by Koestler Award winner and mentee, Chad.
October 2021
Follow a step-by-step guide to starting a new writing project with Koestler Award-winning artist and current Koestler Arts mentee, Eva.
September 2021
Create an image of how freedom looks and feels with this drawing activity set by Paul, a Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and former mentee.
August 2021
Explore the 5 senses with a writing and drawing task set by Koestler Award winner, exhibited Artist, published writer and former mentee, Clare.
July 2021
Channel your feelings and emotions with a writing task set by Koestler Arts mentee, Lee.
June 2021
Sketch the places you’ve lived in this drawing task set by Koestler Award winner and mentee Andy. Andy’s work was displayed in our recent exhibition ‘Soul Journey to Truth’.
May 2021 #1
Travel in your imagination with a drawing and writing task set by former Koestler Arts Mentee, Mark.
May 2021 #2
Celebrate the launch of our new exhibition ‘Soul Journey to Truth’, with a self-reflective writing task set by writer and former Koestler Mentee Charlotte.
April 2021 #1
Create an abstract artwork with Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and mentee, James.
April 2021 #2
Unblock your creativity with a freewriting task, set by writer, Koestler Award-winner and former mentee, Dale.
March 2021 #1
This task combines writing and drawing to make a calligram, an image made up of words, in the shape of an object. Set by Koestler Award winner, writer and former Mentee Thomas.
March 2021 #2
Explore found shapes and words with 2 creative tasks set by Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist and former Mentee, Mark.
February 2021 #1
Take your pencil for a walk with Koestler Award winner and current Mentee, Sean.
February 2021 #2
Try your hand at the traditional prison artform of soap carving with Koestler Award winner, exhibited artist, former Mentee and former Koestler staff member, Lee.
January 2021 #1
Learn how to make paper mache sculptures with Koestler Award-winning artist Danny.
January 2021 #2
Explore our 2021 Themed Category, Together, with 2 creative tasks set by artist James and writer Charlotte, both of whom are former Koestler Mentees.
December 2020
*Xmas inside is never easy. Getting creative can help get you through & receiving something might help someone else too.” Card-making with Koestler Mentee, Steve.
November 2020
Make your own creative prompt cards and achieve something new each day with artist and Koestler Mentee, Sam.
October 2020
What is the letter you really wish you could write? Express yourself on paper in a letter that will not be sent. Set by former Mentee and writer, Charlotte.
September 2020
Learn how to make bread flowers with long-time entrant and Koestler Mentee, Neil.
August 2020
Draw with words in the first of our new monthly Art Aid sheets.
Looking for more?
In response to the coronavirus lockdown, we created and shared weekly Art Aid activity sheets in 2020. If you are looking for more creative activities to help inspire learning in prisons and secure settings, please download our 2020 Art Aid booklet which includes 15 more tasks!
