National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice News | April 2015

The newsletter for arts organisations working in criminal justice

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In this month's issue...

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National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice news

We are looking for a new Chair to lead the National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice

The National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice (NAACJ) is seeking an enthusiastic and collaborative leader as its new Chair. The NAACJ is a dynamic membership association for providers of arts activities with offenders and ex-offenders in prisons and community settings. We have developed an ambitious four year plan, Inspiring Futures, which aims to bring about a step-change in the reach and credibility of arts in criminal justice through a co-ordinated set of projects dovetailed with high-profile research conducted by the University of Cambridge. As Chair, you will oversee the delivery of Inspiring Futures through a balance of leadership and inclusivity. You will bring knowledge of either arts or criminal justice, and strong skills in multi-agency working, governance and communications. Please note the role is voluntary, with travel and other expenses reimbursed. A commitment of at least two days a month to the role and attendance at regular meetings in central London is required. Please click here for more information. 

Do you have experience of the prison system? We are looking for two new Steering Group members

The National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice (NAACJ) Steering Group is looking to recruit two new members. We would like to find two people who have been through the prison and/or probation system themselves and can bring this perspective to the leadership and direction of our organisation. If you have been in prison, youth detention, on probation or have served a community sentence and would be interested in joining us, we would love to hear from you. Our Steering Group is made up of 15 members - including artists and arts organisations that work in prison settings - who meet six times a year to discuss the work and priorities of the NAACJ. Out key aim is to ensure that both those serving time and ex-offenders in the community are able to participate in arts projects that can have a positive effect on their lives. 

We will be holding brief, informal meetings on Tuesday 12th May to discuss the role with potential candidates. All travel expenses for attending this meeting, and any future Steering Group meetings, will be paid (although the position itself is voluntary). If this is something that you feel passionately about please contact the NAACJ's Project Manager Chloe Courtney by emailing chloe.courtney@clinks.org or calling 020 7391 9887 to find out more. 

What events would you like to see?

We are looking to hold a series of peer learning events over the next few months where organisations are invited to share what they do and how they do it with a small group of National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice members. We'd like to invite suggestions from our members about the kind of events that would be most useful - is there an area of the arts in criminal justice sector that you'd like to learn more about, or to discuss with other members? From pitching your work to communications and advocacy, it would be great to hear your suggestions.

If you have an idea for a workshop you'd like to lead yourself, we'd also love to hear from you. The events will provide an excellent networking opportunity, as well as the chance to share what you're doing (perhaps in a practical way!), and will feed into the good practice strand of our work. If you are interested in suggesting an event, or sharing your work, please get in touch by emailing kate.davey@clinks.org. 

New blog posts: Using creative methods in research with offenders and developing drama-based workshops for women 

In the last month, the National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice have published two new blog posts. The first, written by Lucy Terry from Revolving Doors Agency, looks at using creative methods in research with offenders. The post flags up their recent report, 'A Good Life: Exploring what matters to people facing multiple and complex needs,' and looks at how they used 'collage as inquiry' to explore their research question. Participants were asked to create collages representing their 'good life', using arts materials, before talking through the different aspects of their good life with researchers, using their collages as the basis of the discussion. The second blog takes a look at the development of a drama-based workshop focusing on women and mythology, written by Bethany McDonald Shepherd, who was previously part of the National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice's professional mentoring scheme. Click here to visit our blog. 

Have you got something for the next newsletter?

The next newsletter will be sent on Thursday 28th May. Please email kate.davey@clinks.org with anything you would like included by Thursday 21st May. 

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Events and training

Critical thinking: Arts in prisons

Every Monday 25th May - 29th June 2015, 6pm-9pm | Goldsmiths, London | £180

This course combines practice and theory and aims to provide participants with an informed and viable prison arts proposal, plus a series of tools that will positively affect their broader art practice. The focus of the course is to help artists and arts practitioners working in prisons (or who may wish to work in prisons), to identify their critical position and where they would be best placed to realise their aims. For further information please contact Hannah Hull by emailing criticalthinking.apply@gmail.com. 

Arts, wellbeing and health: promoting good practice and evaluation

4th June 2015 | Portland Place, London | £99 - £225

Organised by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) in association with the National Alliance for Arts, Health and Wellbeing, this creative and interactive one day conference will use workshops and networking activities to explore the role of arts and music in health improvement. Following May's general election, this event provides the opportunity to reflect on the implications the outcome of the election has for the field. Click here for more information. 

Look Beyond: Geese Theatre Company training events

4th and 9th June 2015 | Salford and London | £75

Geese Theatre Company are running two intensive one day workshops to provide participants with an insight into their work, focusing particularly on their use of theatre and drama in criminal justice settings. Participants will have an opportunity to experience Geese's methodology and explore some of the theories which underpin the company's practice. Each workshop costs £75 per person and tickets can be booked through EventBrite. Click here for more information. 

Prisoners' Education Trust's Academic Symposium

9th June 2015 | Cambridge | Free

Prisoners' Education Trust (PET) has announced its upcoming second Annual Academic Symposium which will bring together academics from a range of disciplines, alongside other key stakeholders, to invigorate discussion surrounding education in prison. Themes for the event include: creating rehabilitative cultures through learning; bringing together universities and prisoner education; and technological innovation and breaking the digital divide. Confirmed speakers include: Professor Alison Liebling, University of Cambridge; Associate Professor Helen Farley, University of Southern Queensland; Dr Katherine Auty, University of Cambridge; and Governor Simon Beecroft, HMP Eastwood Park. Click here for more information. 

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Arts and criminal justice news

Clinks vacancy: Chief Executive

Clinks is looking for a highly committed and values-driven Chief Executive to succeed Clive Martin; providing inspirational leadership to the organisation and taking on the role as an influential advocate for the sector. This is a complex role, requiring a great deal of empathy with the mission and values of Clinks' membership along with a strong understanding of system reform within criminal justice. The closing date for applications is 11th May. Click here to find out more. 

The Forgiveness Project is looking for an Executive Director

The Forgiveness Project is seeking an Executive Director to scale up its award winning work during the next stage of its development. The Project is a small charity offering stories of forgiveness and space for open reflection, to build understanding and give people the opportunity to move forward from trauma and conflict, enabling both personal and societal transformation. The role is permanent and full time (35 hours per week, with evening and weekend work to be expected), and is based in London. The deadline for applications is 5th May 2015. Click here for more information. 

How the arts can help offenders mend their ways

"Allowing prison inmates to engage their imaginations through the arts can reap remarkable rewards," says Rupert Christiansen in a recent article on the Telegraph website. "Such activities can often raise the corrosively low levels of self-esteem that infect many petty criminals. And for some, the achievements can even be truly empowering, the means to the discovery of a better, higher self," he adds. Read the full article, written in response to Tim Robertson's valedictory lecture, by clicking here.  

STIR prisoner arts magazine celebrates its 10th issue

STIR is a creative arts magazine produced by prisoners for prisoners. The magazine features a variety of art forms, which are selected from submissions for each issue. Over time, STIR has become an outlet for those in Scottish prisons, allowing them to have a voice and express their thoughts and emotions in a meaningful way. Click here to visit the magazine's website.

CultureStep 2015-16 is now open

Funded by the Jane Hodge Foundation, CultureStep is an open access scheme designed to encourage new investment and develop established business engagement with the arts. Through CultureStep, A&B Cymru invests in innovative partnerships of all kinds between the two sectors, enhancing projects and increasing their long term effectiveness. All CultureStep projects must address at least one of the following priorities: arts and kids; arts and older people; arts and health; or arts and the environment. The next deadline for applications is 19th June 2015. Click here for further information. 

Awards recognise creative solutions to tackling homelessness

The Andy Ludlow Homelessness Awards seek to recognise organisations that have developed innovative and creative solutions to tackling homelessness in London. Projects that strive to improve services for homeless people, prevent homelessness or tackle disadvantage caused by homelessness - and that have been running for a minimum of six months - are eligible to enter. For 2015, there is a total of £55,000 available which will be divided as a first prize of £30,000; a second prize of £15,000; and third prize of £10,000. The prize money must be used to enhance or replicate the services of the project or to develop new services. The deadline for entries is 14th May. Click here for more information. 

More in arts and criminal justice...

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Resources and publications

Arts engagement up, income down

The annual Arts Index produced by the National Campaign for the Arts shows increased participation in the arts by adults and children and significantly reduced funding from Arts Councils across Britain. The Index - which measures financial inputs to the art sector against outputs (such as performances and the experiences of individuals) - fell slightly on the previous year. The Index takes into account public funding from the Treasury, Lottery funding and local government funding, and found that the cumulative amount per person invested through these three sources combined reached a new low in 2013/14 of £14.99. Click here to read the report. 

Art Works final report now available

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation's initiative Arts Works, which, over the past four years, has explored the issues facing artists in participatory settings, has published a final report. The report sets out the 'why' 'what' and 'how' of the programme, reviewing what was learned about the training and development needs of artists; methods for promoting quality; and creating the conditions for change. Click here to read the report. 

Clinks report: state of the sector

Clinks have launched their new 'state of the sector' report, highlighting how voluntary organisations working with offenders and their families are faring in the current economic, political and operational climate. The report shows that the sector continues to be diverse, and the needs of the people that organisations are working with are increasing and becoming more complex. The survey will help to inform the support Clinks give their members and the messages they communicate to policy makers. Download the report here. 

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This newsletter is written monthly by Kate Davey.

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Clinks manages the National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice and is the legally accountable body for all official National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice activity. Clinks is a registered charity registration no 1074546 and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales no 3562176