The newsletter for arts organisations working in criminal justice.
In this month's issue...
Hampshire Arts and Women's sector collaboration event: Caring for the Caretakers
13 October | Hampshire | free
The NCJAA is working alongside Clinks Women's Network and member organisation BearFace Theatre, to bring you an exciting event. Using the arts and other methods to bring practitioners and organisations together working, or with an interest in working with women in criminal justice. The purpose of this event is:
- To focus on people who are working with women in the criminal justice system - (specifically Hampshire & IOW area focus). People working towards the welfare of women in the area.
- To bring both practitioners and strategic leaders, in the voluntary sector, statutory agencies and local creative organisations together. A chance to learn more about what strengthens the networks that support us and to enhance signposting for service users.
- To offer a space where we can connect, reflect and restore. Considering our true trauma informed practice and reflective needs as practitioners.
NCJAA Writing Development Workshops
October 2023 – February 2024| online | free
The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) is excited to revive its writing development training programme. This training programme is for individuals and organisations delivering arts-based services and projects in the criminal justice system. Working in partnership with the Royal Literary Fund (RLF), free digital workshops will be held throughout 2022/23 to teach vital writing development skills for reports, case studies, and funding applications.
Starting with Report Writing on 18 October. Our online training programme will help attendees write reports that convey messages effectively and efficiently. Through writing exercises and discussion, you will discover how to organise information and approach the various stages of producing a report from initial ideas to final draft.
Visit the NCJAA website for information about the workshop programme.
Book now for NCJAA Writing Development Workshop - Writing Reports on Wednesday 18 October.
Book now: Clinks annual conference
22 November | Resource for London, Holloway | from £50
Clinks are theming their annual conference this year around race and justice. We know that racially minoritised people are overrepresented and unheard in the criminal justice system and despite continuous efforts made to tackle fundamental flaws within the system, progress remains slow. That is why this year, we would like to hand the baton over to you! We invite members of organisations that are led by/for racially minoritised people to come forward and share their expertise with the sector. We believe that race and justice should be a matter that every organisation addresses and invite non-specialist organisations to learn from the experts with us.
Early bird tickets are now on sale, so book yourself a space. Further details of the speakers and facilitators will be announced closer to the date of the conference via Clinks' regular communications channels. If you have any questions, please email us at events@clinks.org.
Find out more and book your place here.
Creating Roots for well-being through art
This publication is the beginning of the latest blog series Creating Roots for well-being through art. The lead blog is guest written by Mark Jones, Director at Higher Plain and Visiting Professor of Criminology at the University of South Wales. In the blog, Mark discusses The Creative Roots Project, an arts project that has been funded by the Arts Council for Wales and G4S that was delivered in Parc Prison from September 2022 to May 2023. Creative Roots was delivered through a multi-skilled arts team under the performance, live art and dance organisation Mr & Mrs Clark. The Creative Roots project aimed to provide a safe space for residents of Parc Prison to take time out of their daily routine to engage in a range of activities on the prison wing. Creative Roots offered an introduction to yoga style mindfulness exercises and different ways of creating art. Residents also had the opportunity to take part in sessions focussed on arts practices such as printmaking, fine art and painting, and photojournalism. The artwork was displayed in an exhibition inside and outside the prison in May 2023. The series also includes commentaries and reflections written by practitioners involved in the Creative Roots project. Read the blog.
Black History Month Events
Heard Live for Black History Month
5 October | Manchester | up to £7
Join Heard Storytelling for an inclusive event of true spoken storytelling this Black History Month. Heard Live is a true storytelling event that harnesses the power of people's lived experience to create positive change. The event will give a platform to captivating true stories and lived experiences. As well as enjoying a curated line up of storytellers, there will be a couple of spaces open for budding storytellers. If you decide to tell a story the audience will make you feel right at home.
Show up with an idea for a story or just sit back to listen – there is no pressure to get behind the mic. These events are about the joy of hearing the voices of others, finding a story in everyone, and coming to connect and learn. Find out more.
Edge Hill University host LOCKS by Ashleigh Nugent
5 October | Liverpool | free
Ashleigh Nugent, named Liverpool City Region’s Artist of the Year in 2022, will perform three chapters from his debut novel LOCKS. DJ Rasps will accompany the reading with 90s reggae and abstract visuals. Taking place at the Rose Theatre on 5 October at 18:30, as part of Edge Hill University’s Black History Month celebrations.
Book now.
WoW BHM 23: Dorothy Kuya Walking Tour
28 October | Liverpool | £10
National Museums Liverpool have commissioned Writing on the Wall to deliver a Creative Heritage Programme working with the archive of lifelong Black British activist Dorothy Kuya (1933-2013). Dorothy Kuya was born in 1933 into Liverpool’s Black community, one of the oldest in Europe. She grew up during a time of monumental upheaval and global change. She began her life of activism after joining the Young Communist League at age 13 and was an early member of the Movement for Colonial Freedom (now Liberation). The Dorothy Kuya walking tour will take you on a journey through three stages of Dorothy’s life and activism. Read more.
Yorkshire and the Humber Rehabilitation Partnership Forum
17 October | online | free
The Yorkshire and the Humber Rehabilitation Partnership, in conjunction with Clinks, invite voluntary sector organisations working in the criminal justice system to this regional event. Following a hugely successful event in May, which provided an update from Probation, Prisons and Police and Crime Commissioners, the next event will provide an opportunity to highlight the work of the voluntary sector.
The session will provide organisations working across Yorkshire and Humber an opportunity to network and collaborate as well as sharing good practice. Find out more.
Exhibition – Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening?
Until 27 October | Salford | free
Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening? Thatcher’s Children, Is Anybody Listening? This touring exhibition is showcasing two award-winning series of works by photographer and University alumnus Craig Easton. Passionate about politics since his teenage years, Craig aims to challenge the ‘accepted’ narratives and stereotypes presented in the mainstream media. In 2021, Easton was named Photographer of the Year at the Sony World Photography Awards for his series Bank Top, shot in Blackburn between 2019 and 2021 (before and during Covid). He was awarded second place in the documentary category for the series Thatcher’s Children, which started in 1992 and continued in 2016-22. Thatcher's Children is a long-term project, documenting the Williams family, trapped in a cycle of unemployment and poverty. Having reconnected with the family in 2016, Thatcher's Children not only captures intimate and personal moments of family life but also tells a wider story of the cyclical nature of social deprivation.
Hope: A new film from Clean Break. Co-created by Nicole Hall, Michelle Hamilton, Kirsty Housley, Carina Murray, Natasha Jean Sparkes, and River.
30 October | London | from £10
Hope is an uplifting story of personal growth and community activism, exploring what hope means for women facing adversity. Through personal stories, reflection, poetry and movement, Natasha, Carina, Michelle and Nicole navigate how we can hold on to hope in times of uncertainty, and what to do when the world makes you feel there is none to be found. Tickets are now on sale for screening events this Autumn including the film screening launch event and celebration at Kiln Theatre on 30 October. Find out more.
Call for evidence – Creativity and personal wellbeing
All submissions should be received by 12 October 2023
Together with University of the Arts: London and Brunel University London, What Works Wellbeing are bringing together the evidence on the links between creativity and personal wellbeing.
They want to know:
- What are the effects of creativity and creative participation on personal wellbeing?
- What are the relationships between creativity, creative participation, and personal wellbeing?
- What are the contexts and mechanisms that lead to the effects of and relationships between creativity and creative participation on personal wellbeing?
Find out more about how to submit evidence.
Centre for Cultural Value online evaluation training for arts, culture and heritage professionals.
online | free
This new, free-to-access course will help you understand the principles and master the practice of carrying out evaluation in the arts, culture, and heritage sector. This course is designed for professionals, practitioners, and managers in the arts, culture, and heritage who use evaluation in their work for decision-making, strategy, fundraising, and stakeholder relationship management. This might include independent, freelance, or research agency evaluators, in-house organisation evaluators, project managers and general managers of cultural organisations, artists and practitioners. This course will also be useful for consultants, freelance artists, funders, policymakers, and board members in arts, culture, and heritage settings, as well as students of arts and cultural management or cultural policy. Registration is now open, and the first two weeks of course content is now available to learners. Find out more.
Writers & Artists (W&A) Working-Class Writers' Prize 2023
Application deadline - 2 October
Are you a writer who identifies as working-class? If you are looking for an opportunity to hone your writing craft and let your work take centre stage, then this prize is for you. This competition is both a celebration of stories as a mode of communication, and a reminder of how vital it is that everyone can share their ideas and experiences via the written word. The W&A Working–Class Writers’ Prize includes a generous mentoring package as well as cash and other membership / training benefits and resources.
Find out information including how to apply
Imprisoned Art: Prison writing project
Imprisoned Art is a small non-profit aiming to shine light on the abundance of talent in prisons and secure hospitals. They are currently collecting submissions for a self-published book of art and writings on the theme of “the experience of imprisonment”. Questions and submissions can be sent to imprisonedart@outlook.com
Performing Recovery Issue 4
The December to February edition of Performing Recovery will focus on addiction recovery arts with veterans. Do you have an idea or know a group that might want to pitch an article for this? Do get in touch. Please note that contributors are currently unpaid.
Vacancies
Communications Coordinator - Clean Break
Trustee – Good Vibrations
Programme & Creative Engagement Officer – Rich Mix
Evaluator - Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance
Artistic Director – Arts Admin
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Want to include something in the next newsletter?
The next NCJAA monthly newsletter will be sent on 26 October. If you have any news, opportunities or events relating to art organisations or projects within the criminal justice system that you would like included, please submit your information via our online form by 16 October.
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