The newsletter for arts organisations working in criminal justice.
In this month's issue...
- National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance news
- Events and training
- Arts and criminal justice news
- Resources and publications
Supporting arts in criminal justice through Covid-19
The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) is working alongside Clinks to support the voluntary sector and people delivering arts activity in the criminal justice system through Covid-19. This is an unsettling time for everyone and we know there is a lot of fast-changing information which can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate. Clinks has set up a Covid-19 web page to collate essential updates and signpost to helpful information from the wider voluntary and arts and culture sectors. The page will be updated as often as possible. If you have any specific questions regarding how Covid-19 will affect you, please use the dedicated mailbox covid19@clinks.org. The NCJAA is also continuing conversations with the Arts Forum, where we will continue to raise issues and concerns from our network. Visit the Covid-19 web page here
Covid-19 creative call out
We are also collating information on how creative activity can support people in the criminal justice system during Covid-19. Please let us know if you have any ideas for innovative solutions or examples of what is already happening. We will work towards sharing practical information across our network. Get in touch with us at info@artsincriminaljustice.org.uk
Last chance to tell us what you think
Our annual survey closes next week. It is vital we hear from as many of the NCJAA network as possible and if you have not already responded, please do. The survey asks you to consider the work you have been doing over the past year and to think about the support you will need in the future, bearing in mind and beyond the current situation. We appreciate this may be difficult given your new and urgent priorities but we hope that this period can also be used as an opportunity to step back and reflect on all the work you do in arts and criminal justice. As a thank you for taking part, we are offering you the chance to win £50 high street vouchers. The survey closes Tuesday 31st March. Take the survey here
Steering group elections
Next week we will be inviting our network to choose new members of our steering group. We have received 18 applications for six available places. Please keep an eye out for candidate statements and information on how to vote on Monday.
New blog: Why we need more black artists working in prisons
Daniel Anderson is an actor, writer and co-founder and artistic director of Coventry-based creative company Rites of Passage Productions. Daniel writes for our blog about how theatre and arts saved his life and how he thinks they can improve the lives of other black people in contact with the criminal justice system. Read the blog here
New blog post: Releasing your mind from prison
Dawn Harrison is Senior Interventions Coordinator at Changing Lives, a charity in the North East of England. Her creative thinking underpins her work in the field of criminal justice. Dawn's episode of the Crime and Consequence podcast, titled ‘Releasing your mind from prison’, is now available to listen to and read on our blog. In the episode Dawn describes the incredible journey through arts, culture and heritage she took with a group of women on probation orders in South Tyneside. Listen to the episode here
Changes to the team
We are saying goodbye to our Communications and Engagement Officer Dora Dixon, who will be leaving the NCJAA next month to take up a new role at the homelessness charity, Crisis. We want to say a huge thank you to Dora for her energy and creativity over the last two years and we wish her all the best in her new position. She will be missed by the team and the network. Dora's last working day will be Friday 17th April and we will soon be recruiting for her replacement.
Want to include something in the next newsletter?
We will be sending our next newsletter on Thursday 23rd April. Please email info@artsincriminaljustice.org.uk with any news, research, events, opportunities or blog proposals by Tuesday 14th April.
Watch Open Clasp Theatre
Available now | Online | Free
As theatres around the world are forced to close their doors, Open Clasp Theatre Company has made its award-winning prison drama, Key Change, available to watch for free online. Key Change was created with women serving at HMP Low Newton in County Durham and it originally toured to male prisons before touring prisons and theatres in Edinburgh and New York. It was performed in the Houses of Parliament in partnership with the NCJAA, Clinks and the Prison Reform Trust. In 2017, Key Change was streamed globally as part of the UN campaign to end violence against women and girls. Watch the play here
Watch Synergy Theatre Company
Available now | Online | Free
Performed by a company of professional and former-prisoner actors, Synergy Theatre Company's Girls Like That toured across London schools and prisons and the Unicorn Theatre in 2014. The play, which explores gender equality and the pressures on today’s digital generation, reached audiences of over 5,000 and over 350 young people took part in accompanying workshops. It is now available to watch online. Watch the play here
Insights20 festival postponed
October 2020 | England and Wales | Free
Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has decided to postpone the Insights20 festival to October. Tickets to events are still valid and delegates can continue to register. The festival has had 8,000 ticket registrations in less than two weeks. Over the next few months, HMPPS will be liaising with individual hosts to rearrange events. Find out more here
An introduction to culture, health and wellbeing
Available now | Online | Free
The Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance's online training course is designed to help people develop, deliver and evaluate the impact of arts and culture for health and wellbeing. Students can study at their own pace. The course has six modules: An introduction to health and wellbeing, Partnership and co-creation, Types of audiences and activities, Measuring impact, Organisational change and Next steps. Take the training here
Arts Council of Wales responds to Covid-19
In response to Covid-19, the Arts Council of Wales has published information for those working as artists, freelancers and in publicly funded cultural organisations. The page will be updated as the situation develops. It includes guidance relating to events, performance and venues; funding support and changes for its regularly funded and project funded organisations; and support for freelancers. Visit the page here
Koestler Awards deadline extended
Koestler Arts is extending its Koestler Awards deadline. The new deadline will be announced when its team is allowed back in the office. For now, Koestler Arts is asking all entrants from prisons and other secure settings to prepare their artwork as usual and rest assured that the work will be accepted under a new, reasonable deadline. Any post already sent will be held safely until then - there will just be a delay in a response. Koestler Arts is still working, and can answer emails as usual. The team would like to thank those who share their artwork, or support people in doing so, in these difficult times. Stay up to date here
Budget 2020
Clinks has summarised criminal justice commitments in the Budget 2020 in a series of tweets. Commitments include funding for the creation of a Centre of Excellence for Tackling Youth Violence; funding towards community sentences; prison maintenance; and to launch a Royal Commission on the Criminal Justice process in England and Wales. Read more here
HMPPS continued funding for theatre in prisons
Earlier this year, theatre company No Place Productions secured a second grant from HMPPS to continue supporting prisoners in the North West in 2020-22. From 220 applications received by HMPPS, 16 were successful. No Place Productions was awarded funding under the theme 'Improving health and wellbeing' and will work with a writer to create a drama production aimed at reducing the use of psychoactive substances by prison residents. This will be piloted in prisons within North West England. Last year, John, No Place Productions' co-founder, wrote a blog post for the NCJAA about the work it delivered with its 2018-20 grant. Read the blog post here
Emergency funding from Arts Council England
Arts Council England is making £160 million of emergency funding available for organisations and individuals who will need it during the Covid-19 crisis. This includes £20m for individuals (made up of grants of up to £2,500 each), £90m for National Portfolio Organisations and £50m for organisations outside of the National Portfolio. All potential applicants will need to be registered on Grantium by Friday 3rd April. The emergency funding has come from reallocation of Arts Council England's National Lottery Project Grants, Developing Your Creative Practice, and Development Funds for the 2020-21 period, and uses up almost all of its reserves. Arts Council England has also changed funding requirements for individuals and organisations currently in receipt of regular funding. Find out more about its Covid-19 support here
Prison history performance lyrics and sheet music
Devised and performed by men at HMP Stafford, Ghost Songs of Conscientious Objectors is a music production that explores the experience of WW1 conscientious objectors and celebrates their role in prison reforms. It was co-facilitated by The Irene Taylor Trust and Rideout. The two charities have made the lyrics and sheet music available online and grant a non-exclusive license to amateur choirs and/or groups to perform the work free of charge, on the condition that you inform them of your intention to do so. Download the score here [PDF]
Report on leadership in prison education
The Prisoner Learning Alliance has published a report on leadership in prison education. It spoke to over 50 staff in 10 prisons on the challenges of new prison education contracts - including the challenges of the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) - and what support can address these. Download the report here [PDF]
Arts and culture impact fund
Nesta has launched a new investment fund for the UK’s arts, culture and heritage organisations. The new Arts and Culture Impact Fund will invest in organisations of all sizes that demonstrate a clear social impact. It offers repayable finance of between £150,000 and £1 million, with a repayment term of one to 10 years and interest rates ranging between 3% and 10%. Impact investment aims to provide organisations with capital for both a financial and social return. Nesta’s previous impact investment funding has supported InHouse Records to deliver its prison work in the community, with a focus on prevention. Find out more here
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This newsletter is written monthly. Email info@artsincriminaljustice.org.uk if you wish to submit any news.
Clinks manages the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) and is the legally accountable body for all official NCJAA activity.
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