The newsletter for arts organisations working in criminal justice | April 2014
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In this month's issue...
[[{"attributes":{},"fields":{}}]]Arts Alliance news
Write to be Heard resource is now available on Virtual Campus
We are pleased to announce that a resource compiled from information from the Arts Alliance's Write to be Heard project is now available in all prison establishments with access to Virtual Campus. The resource includes writing exercises, sound clips from writers, and examples of some of the work entered into the Write to be Heard competition. The project itself ran from April 2013 - March 2014, aiming to encourage hard-to-reach offenders to engage with education and arts opportunities in prison and encompassing a national creative writing competition, a schedule of creative writing workshops and masterclasses, and a series of programmes broadcast on National Prison Radio. Click here for more information.
Video and resources from the ESRC seminar series are now online
During the final ESRC seminar in Leicester, we asked our members Inside Job Productions to film several of our delegates discussing ways that we can efficiently evaluate arts interventions in the Criminal Justice System. Those who share their thoughts in the video include Charlotte Bilby, Angus McLewin, Jess Haskins, Pat Walker, John Speyer, Nicola Abrams and Georgina Eaton. We have also uploaded some of the presentations from the seminar series to our website. Click here for more information.
From the Evidence Library...
'The Melting Pot: Evaluation' is the report from a three year Writers in Prison Network creative writing and mentoring project that took place at the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Unit at HMP Frankland. The report shows how the project contributed to the overall wellbeing of men in the unit as well as their rehabilitation programme. Click here to download the report.
Please email your submissions for next month's newsletter to Kate Davey by 16 May.
[[{"attributes":{},"fields":{}}]]Events & training
Can radical compassion win the war against violent extremism?
28 April, 6.30 - 8.30pm | London | £11
Sharing their own personal journeys of moving away from extremism, Tony McAleer; a former white supremacist and former organiser for the White Aryan Resistance in Canada will speak alongside Hadiya Masieh; a former female Islamic extremist who was recruited by Hizb ut-Tahrir radicals, until the 7/7 London bombings changed her perspective. The conversation will be led by Rachel Briggs OBE; Research and Policy Director of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. This event is part of a series of ten dialogues around the issue of forgiveness hosted by The Forgiveness Project; a UK-based charity that uses real stories of victims and perpetrators of crime to facilitate conflict resolution, break the cycle of vengeance and encourage behavioural change. Click here for more information.
The Fight in the Dog
29 April - 1 May 2014 | 6pm | £10 (£8 concessions)
The next Playing for Time Theatre Company production in HMP Winchester is a play written for performance in the prison by playwright Rib Davis entitled 'The Fight in the Dog'. The play is set during the First World War and focuses on the lives and beliefs of conscientious objectors, some of whom ended up incarcerated in Winchester Prison. Performances will take place in the main Prison Sports Hall. Please contact playingfortime@winchester.ac.uk for ticket application forms.
Opportunity for female offenders in East London
7, 8, 14, 15, 21 & 22 May 2014 | Whitechapel, London
Homegrown is running a series of drama workshops for female ex-offenders looking at themes of home and belonging through the use of drama exercises, boosting confidence, building strong relationships and gaining skills. For further information about participating email Sarah Bartley.
Public Art Now: Thinking Beyond Measure
8 - 13 May 2014 | Bristol, London, Leeds, Birmingham | £10
Building an evidence base is fundamental to making the case for the arts; finding arts-sensitive methods to gather and analyse data has become one of the primary challenges for the sector. These one-day workshops will introduce you to new approaches to research and evaluation in the arts. Researchers from the University of Central Lancashire, working alongside arts producers Situations, have been developing an innovative new group based method - the Visual Matrix - to move beyond overt measures of impact and unlock the deeper story of an artwork's effects on the imagination. These workshops will be running in various parts of the UK throughout the first two weeks in May. Click here for more information.
Artswork: partnership working in the arts and cultural sectors
13 May 2014 | University of Nottingham | £150
This course is being run by the national youth arts development agency Artswork, and offers practical techniques with other organisations and individuals in order to achieve a successful youth arts project or event. The training will use an interactive approach to explore issues such as defining roles and setting realistic targets and troubleshooting for problem areas - including when and how to bow out gracefully if partnerships aren't working. Click here for more information.
Acting with Synergy
14 May - 23 July 2014 | London | Free
Synergy Theatre Project is offering a free ten week course in acting for ex-prisoners. The course will teach the techniques used by professional actors before exploring them in fun practical sessions. No previous experience is required, just a commitment and a willingness to give it a go. The course will run on Wednesdays 11am - 1.30pm for 10 weeks starting on the 14 May. For more information email info@synergytheatreproject.co.uk or call 020 3668 6730. The deadline for applications in Friday 2 May.
The Reader Organisation's national conference
15 May 2014, 9am - 4.30pm | Euston Road, London | £140
The Reader Organisation's fifth annual national conference will explore how their shared reading model uses literature to improve mental health, reduce social isolation and enhance quality of life. Academic research into The Reader Organisation's projects has demonstrated statistically significant improvements in the mental health of those suffering mild to moderate depression, reduced agitation for those suffering with dementia, and improved emotional, social and educational wellbeing for women in prison. The conference offers an opportunity for commissioners, practitioners and professionals from all sectors to examine the impact of shared reading on individuals, communities and organisations. Click here for more information.
London Creativity and Wellbeing Week
2 - 11 June 2014 | London
London Creativity and Wellbeing Week happened for the first time in 2012 and has now become a crucial feature in the capital's cultural calendar. There is a growing body of evidence indicating the profound effect engagement in the arts and creativity can have on health and wellbeing. With debates and discussions, performances and exhibitions, tours and practical sessions, the week is an opportunity to find out more, make connections, be inspired, and shape the future of arts, creativity and wellbeing. Click here for more information.
Geese Theatre to perform at Birmingham Repertory Theatre
9 June 2014, 8pm | Birmingham REP | £12
'Stay' is an insight into one man's controlling behaviours, emotional abuse and physical violence. Devised and developed to be performed for perpetrators of domestic abuse as part of rehabilitation programmes, the play provides a challenging insight into one man's cycle of abuse, the attitudes and beliefs which support it and the impact his behaviours have on those around him. This is a rare opportunity to see Geese Theatre Company's work outside of the Criminal Justice System. The performance will be followed by a Q and A with Geese's Artistic Directors. Click here to book tickets or call 0121 236 4455.
The Future of Youth Custody
26 June 2014, 10.15am - 4.30pm | Central London | £236 - £395
For those young offenders that are detained by the state, seven in ten released from detention currently reoffend within twelve months. 'Transforming Youth Custody: Government response to the consultation' (January 2014) sets out the Government's ambitious programme for reforming youth custody settings in England, placing education at the heart of detention to improve rehabilitation. This timely symposium offers an invaluable opportunity for practitioners and key stakeholders to examine the Government's vision for the future of youth custody. The symposium will explore how to utilise young offenders' time in custody to set them back on the right track through effective education, rehabilitation and resettlement support. Click here for more information.
[[{"attributes":{},"fields":{}}]]Arts & criminal justice news
Good Vibrations are seeking an Executive Director
This is an exciting opportunity to take the helm at Good Vibrations, one of the country's leading arts in prisons charities. The charity works in a range of secure establishments throughout the UK, helping participants develop crucial life and work skills through music. Good Vibrations are looking for someone who is an excellent leader, able to plan strategically and effectively in an unpredictable and challenging operating environment, who has proven fundraising and financial management skills, and who is passionate about working positively and creatively with the most troubled and hardest to reach individuals in our society. Salary: £38,000 - £44,000pa. depending on experience. It is a full time, permanent position. Deadline: Noon, 16 May 2014. Click here for an application pack.
Call for submissions for Outside In London exhibition
The next Outside In exhibition, which will take place in London in September, is open for submissions from artists living in Greater London. The show itself will be a group exhibition of five artists inspired by the theme of the subconscious and using drawing as a primary medium. The deadline is 11 June 2014. Outside In, based at Pallant House Gallery in Chichester, provides a platform for artists who find it difficult to access the art world due to mental health issues, disability, health or social circumstance. If you are interested, or know of any artists who might be, you can see further submission guidelines and instructions here.
The Good Prison: a new book from Lemos&Crane
Why do some people commit crimes when others don't? How can prisons stop offenders continuing with a life of crime? Gerard Lemos, an influential policy expert, argues that conscience formed by family relationships and reinforced through community life is crucial. In 'The Good Prison: conscience, crime and punishment', Lemos draws on the many examples from his previous research, and emphasises the importance of restoration as punishment as well as mindfulness, creativity and spirituality together with a belief in your own autonomy. A positive use of the welfare system could sustain changes in ex-offenders that are achieved by the Good Prison. Click here for more information or to buy the book (£8.99).
Research enquiry from the National Alliance for Arts Health and Wellbeing
The National Alliance for Arts Health and Wellbeing and the UK Arts and Health Research Network has responded to the Arts Council Cultural Value report by calling for additional evidence which supports the impact of the arts on health. Both organisations have been in contact with the Arts Council about the limited scope of the published report. Aware of the diffuse nature of the evidence base for arts in health, the National Alliance is attempting to develop a comprehensive database of research into the full range of ways in which the arts affect health and wellbeing. If you are aware of research that demonstrates the value of the arts to health and wellbeing, please email Damian Hebron.
Geese Theatre Company are seeking male actors / Groupworkers
Geese Theatre Company is a team of actors and group workers who present interactive drama and conduct workshops, staff training and consultation within the Criminal Justice System. The company is currently looking for Male Actors / Groupworkers to become involved in all of their performance, workshop and group-work programmes. The company provides six months training and a starting salary in the region on £20,500. If you are interested, please email info@geese.co.uk, marking 'recruitment' in the subject line for an information pack and application form. Deadline: 10am, 30 May. Click here for more information.
Write for Life Project from Literature Wales
The Write for Life Project was funded by the Welsh Government’s Department for Education and Skills and delivered creative writing projects in Welsh prisons. Literature Wales worked in partnership with the five prisons in Wales (HMP Cardiff, HMP & YOI Parc, HMP Prescoed, HMP Swansea and HMP Usk) as well as the probation hostels Quay House and Mandeville House to engage adult prisoners whose literacy skills are below Basic Skills Level One in literature-related activities. Between April 2009 and March 2011, over 500 prisoners took part in creative writing workshops and reading groups to experience literature and introduce them to working with professional writers. The project was based on the potential of writing to help people express themselves, develop a sense of self-belief and confidence and to empower people with the skills needed for life. 'In Then Out Out Then In', an anthology of writing from the Write for Life Project, is available from Literature Wales. For more information, contact Literature Wales on: 029 2047 2266 / post@literaturewales.org / www.literaturewales.org
Leading authors continue the campaign for books behind bars
"Books represent a lifeline behind bars, a way of nourishing the mind and filling the many hours that prisoners spend locked in their cells." This was the main thrust of the letter that more than 80 prominent members of the British literary establishment sent to justice secretary Chris Grayling in March, expressing their disagreement with the newly enforced ban on family members and friends sending books to prisoners. The campaign against the measure continues to gain momentum, as was made clear again recently at the London Book Fair. Click here to read which books leading authors would send to someone in prison. You can also read the Arts Alliance's thoughts here.
More in arts and criminal justice...
- Alan Davey, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, has written a Guardian article about the news that GCSE arts courses will join the first round of reformed exams.
- Sajid Javid has replaced Maria Miller as UK Culture Secretary.
- Following his question on guitars in prisons at Justice Questions, Kevin Brennan has written to Jeremy Wright MP to request he clarifies the reasons why the UK Government has banned guitars from prisons.
[[{"attributes":{},"fields":{}}]]Resources & Publications
Personalisation in the Criminal Justice System
Criminal Justice Alliance has published a policy briefing on the potential for personalisation within the Criminal Justice System and lessons that can be learned from the social care sector over recent decades. The paper examines how a personalisation agenda could be achieved within a justice reinvestment model, focusing on community budgets, and whether the Transforming Rehabilitation changes are likely to help or hinder a personalised approach. Click here to download the report.
Get Creative: Arts for All
Drawing on research and good practice gathered as part of Homeless Link's Get Creative: Arts for All project, this short briefing presents and celebrates the value of creative and cultural activities for people who are homeless. The report shows how these activities are unique in achieving a range of outcomes, whilst outlining how commissioners, arts and cultural institutions and homelessness services can all play a role to help support investment in these activities in future. Click here for more information on the project.
Local authority arts and health case studies
The Chief Cultural and Leisure Officers Association has posted its guide to best practice in local authority engagement in arts and health. The organisation has produced a brochure showcasing a range of local authority arts in health case studies from across the country highlighting the benefits to public health of commissioning arts and leisure activity. The document is aimed at commissioners and providers of culture and leisure services in England to help them to understand and engage more effectively with each other; contribute to health and wellbeing in their locality by engaging with the right partnerships; and more convincingly demonstrate the contribution the sector can make. Click here to read the document.
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This newsletter is written monthly by Kate Davey.© Clinks59 Carter Lane,
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