The newsletter for arts organisations working in criminal justice
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In this month's issue...
- National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice news
- Events and training
- Arts and criminal justice news
- Resources & publications
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National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice news
Singing the same tune: arts in criminal justice settings championed across government departments
Unlocking Potential: a review of education in prison, the much-anticipated report by Dame Sally Coates, was published on Wednesday 18th May as a prelude to the Queen's speech, which announced new freedoms for prison governors to reform jails in England. The National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice is enormously encouraged and (cautiously) optimistic about Dame Sally Coates' progressive review, which puts education at the heart of rehabilitation. A central tenet of the report is a recognition of the role arts can play in prison education and specifically the power art has to engage new learners and transform lives. Championing the arts, Dame Sally Coates' review states: "Prison education should include greater provision of high quality arts provision."
Alison Frater, Chair of the NAACJ, and Jessica Plant, Manager of the NAACJ have written a blog on the review and what it means for the arts in prisons. Click here to read the blog.
Arts in Prison: increasing access and delivering innovation
23rd June 2016 | Birmingham | Free for NAACJ members
The National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice (NAACJ) is delighted to be hosting a half-day workshop with the pioneering arts charity Safe Ground. The event will provide an opportunity for experienced arts practitioners and new members to come together with leaders in the field and consider the challenges of delivering successful arts interventions in a prison setting. The workshop will explore the barriers and how we might overcome them; how we can work safely and effectively to support the needs of prisoners; and how we can be solution focused and creative in this challenging environment. For more information and details on how to book, please click here.
Invitation to tender: a guide to commissioning arts in criminal justice settings
We are looking for an individual or an organisation to write a guide in partnership with us that outlines the valuable role arts can play in a range of criminal justice settings. The publication will include guidance and case studies to better inform potential partners and commissioners of the role arts can play in the rehabilitation journey. The aim of the publication is to ensure we are continually making the case for arts in criminal justice settings by providing key commissioners and decision makers with up to date information about best practice and the role the arts can play in all aspects of rehabilitation and crime prevention in a rapidly changing policy landscape. The deadline for submissions of interest is 5pm, 27th June 2016. Click here for more information.
Want to include something in the next newsletter?
Our next newsletter will be sent on Thursday 30th June. Please email kate.davey@clinks.org with anything you would like included by Tuesday 21st June.
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Events and training
Lammy Review consultation events
1st and 7th June 2016 | London and Manchester | Free
Clinks are holding consultation events to gather the views of voluntary sector organisations working with people from Black Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds to inform their response to the government's review of racial bias and BAME over-representation in the Criminal Justice System. This will ensure that the knowledge and expertise of the voluntary sector working with those from BAME backgrounds is reflected in the final report and recommendations. The review was announced by David Cameron in January 2016 and is being led by David Lammy MP. The final report is expected to be published in spring 2017. Click here for more information and details on how to book.
Embodying Social Justice: Contemporary Perspectives Across the Arts and Psychological Therapies
10th and 11th June 2016 | University of Roehampton, London | Various prices
This conference organised by the University of Roehampton will be a chance for those interested to explore their work or practice via 'embodiment.' The event will be relevant for psychotherapists, arts therapists, counsellors, therapeutic practitioners, artists, researchers, social workers and people who use services in a range of settings (e.g. hospitals, care homes, universities, arts centres). The programme will explore the links between the personal-political, psychological and the body in the creative-therapeutic process. Click here for more information.
How to change public opinion on justice issues
22nd June - 13th July 2016 | Various locations | £0 - £50
Clinks, in partnership with Transform Justice, are running half-day workshops which will cover how to use powerful new approaches to winning arguments on the justice system. The workshops are based on robust research which reveals that some well-used sector messages are counter-productive, while others are very effective. You will learn how to make your communications more powerful for the public, the media and policy makers. Click here for more information.
Criminal Research: writing wrongs in the creative arts in prisons
22nd June 2016 | Bath Spa University | Free
This day of workshops and discussions aims to bring together an array of academics from the humanities, social sciences and the arts with some of the most experienced prison writing practitioners in the UK and criminal justice professionals in a bid to move beyond the binary of reconviction studies and unearth the foundations of an alternative, writer-led approach to prison arts research. The value of writing in prison is supported by a number of prisoners who have become professional writers and a number of professional writers who have facilitated prisoners' creativity. This anecdotal evidence, however, is often lost in academic research that aims to evaluate the impact of the arts through 'scientific' measurement. Click here for more information.
Art Reach: an exhibition of artwork and poetry from San Quentin
24th June - 6th July 2016 | Made in Greenwich Gallery, London
This is the first leg of an exhibition of work by death row inmates in California, organised by London-based artist Nicola White. Nicola has been writing to a prisoner on death row in San Quentin for the past six years, and between them they came up with the idea of an exhibition featuring art and poetry by him and some of his fellow inmates. The works will be for sale, with proceeds going partly to Amicus (lawyers fighting for justice on death row) and partly to buy art materials for the inmates. There will be an opening event on Sunday 26th June, 4 - 7pm, where there will be an opportunity to meet Nicola and a representative from Amicus and find out more about the issues around death row. Click here for more information.
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Arts and criminal justice news
Do you have experience of delivering musical projects in prisons?
Research suggests that playing music together creates social bonds and increases empathy among participants. Catherine Hatcher, a Master's student at the University of Oxford, is seeking to further this research by exploring how musical projects working within the Criminal Justice System are developing empathy among participants, and why this empathy cultivation is both significant and important. She is looking to conduct interviews with anyone who has experience of delivering musical projects in prisons, or anyone who has observed the effects of musical activities within the Criminal Justice System. If you are interested in volunteering 10 minutes of your time to share your invaluable experiences or opinions, please send an email to catherine.hatcher@new.ox.ac.uk.
Government Culture White Paper response to APPG recommendations
The Government has promised to respond to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Arts Health and Wellbeing's recommendations for the role of culture in health and wellbeing when the result of the APPG's inquiry is published next year. In the recently published Culture White Paper, the Government sets out a range of pledges to elevate the role of culture in supporting health and wellbeing, concluding that 'while many commissioners in Clinical Commissioning Groups and local authorities are receptive to the role culture can play in improving health and care outcomes, we want to move to a position where the evidence and practice of successful outcomes is much better known in both communities and where the relationship between commissioners and the cultural sectors is much more collaborative.' Click here for more information.
Why our attitude to technology in prisons needs an upgrade
Last month, Head of Policy at Prisoners' Education Trust Nina Champion spoke about technology in our jails on Radio 4's Today Programme. She says in a blog on the subject: 'Technology has become vital to how learners learn and teachers teach. The approaches that have become normal in our schools could also make education more inspiring, engaging and accessible in our jails. This is particularly vital given the poor experience of education of many in the system - nearly half have been excluded from school; nearly half have no qualifications, and a quarter have been assessed as having a learning difficulty or disability. Technology offers a better way to engage groups in the classroom, and allow the individuals to engage with further study in their cell.' Click here to read Nina's blog.
Sound Sense is looking for a new director
An opportunity to lead Sound Sense, the UK professional association of community music and community musicians, has arisen following the retirement of the previous post holder. This is an important time for Sound Sense, with membership numbers increasing, UK-wide strategic partnerships to develop, and significant projects to fundraise for. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker, strong on partnership working, and a persuasive communicator. You'll have a strong understanding of participatory arts, and preferably experience in and knowledge of community music. The deadline for applications is 9th June. Click here for more information.
CMS Select Committee: the Arts Council and the wider cultural landscape
On 3rd May, Arts Council England (ACE) Chair Sir Peter Bazalgette and ACE Chief Executive Darren Henley appeared before the Culture Select Committee. The session was part of the Countries of Culture inquiry, which launched in March to examine the wider cultural landscape. The meeting covered investment in arts across England; the success of partnerships; diversity; resilience; and leadership and innovation. Click here to read more.
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Resources & publications
Understanding the value of arts and culture report
This report presents the outcomes of the Arts and Humanities Research Council's Cultural Value project which looked at how we think about the value of the arts and culture to individuals and to society. This report sets out the often striking findings of the project's work. Some 70 original pieces of work collectively make up the Cultural Value project - a mixture of new research, critical reviews of the literature, and specialist workshops. This work has probed, challenged and advanced our thinking about how better to understand and capture the elusive phenomenon that is called 'cultural value.' The authors of the report have also drawn on a wide range of literature from the UK and internationally. The result is amongst the most extensive of attempts to grasp the difference to individuals, society and the economy that engagement with the arts and culture makes. Click here to download the report.
Good practice in service user involvement
Clinks' guide 'Good practice in service user involvement' features six case studies of good practice in service user involvement from the voluntary sector working in criminal justice. It includes a project involving experts-by-experience in a prison healthcare procurement process in West Yorkshire; a scheme to train and support wellbeing reps in Peterborough prison; and the lived experience team for the national Liaison and Diversion programme board. The guide aims to showcase meaningful and achievable ways to involve patients and service users in all stages of commissioning, designing and delivering services for people in contact with the Criminal Justice System. Download the case studies 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