The newsletter for arts organisations working in criminal justice.
In this month's issue..
It was great to get out and see some projects in November. In the world of remote and screen-based working, you can sometimes miss out on the connections made through in-person conversations, the little trails of thought that spark from a chat over a coffee and the passion and creativity that organisations and artists share when showing you their projects and work, that in turn feed your own enthusiasm for the subject. So thanks to those of you who hosted me and I hope to see more of you in 2026.
One of the visits I made was to the 30th Anniversary show of the Irene Taylor Trust. There is more information about that in the Members News section below and a link to the streamed event. I also got along to the Koestler Arts Night Owls and Abstractions exhibition which was advertised in our last newsletter and covered by Sky News, showing how mainstream media can help justice-focused arts projects reach wider audiences.
2026: There will be another newsletter in February and you can always email me with news in between for sending out to the network. In early 2026, look out for the Anne Peaker event date, more Royal Literary Fund workshops and the launch of the next NCJAA Mentoring & Bursary Scheme.
I’ll be away from 19th December and returning on 5th January. Enjoy any time off you might have in the coming weeks and see you next year.
- Lou Clark, NCJAA Project Manager
Clinks News: ANNE FOX CEO OF CLINKS TO STAND DOWN AFTER A DECADE OF SERVICE
After ten years at the helm of Clinks supporting voluntary organisations that work with people in the criminal justice system and their families, stalwart Anne Fox is standing down. Read more here
Criminal Justice News: Swift Courts
Ministry of Justice, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, The Rt Hon David Lammy MP and Sarah Sackman KC MP announced "new ‘Swift Courts’, that will see cases with a likely sentence of three years or less heard by a Judge alone - estimated to take 20% less time than a jury trial" in an effort to ensure "victims will be put first under plans to modernise the criminal courts and cut delays." Read the announcement here
NCJAA Members and Network News: Prison Radio Association - The British Podcast Awards
Congratulation to the PRA for winning a number of awards at the British Podcast Awards, filling the whole podium with a Gold Silver Bronze finish. More on this and their latest podcasts can be found here
NCJAA Members and Network News: Sparks in the Dark - How a prison reading group sparked a revolution
“Earlier this year I agreed to spend 12 weeks in HMP Guys Marsh with nine men I’d never met and who I knew next to nothing about. The idea was simple: take these men, with their wounds and their grief and their unresolved trauma and create a community rooted in addiction recovery, sustainable amidst the chaos and the craziness of daily prison life. It was a pilot, a punt. It could have landed badly, and I and everyone involved could have been left wiping egg off our faces – only it didn’t land badly, it was incredible, and what those 12 weeks have taught me (and hopefully them!) has been life-changing”. Read the full article here
NCJAA Members and Network News: International Restorative Justice Week 2025 at RJ4All Evidence-Based Restorative Justice: What Works for Young People
This blog highlights the most important lessons from Restorative Justice Week 2025 at RJ4All. It brings together insights from experts and community members on what truly supports young people through evidence based Restorative Justice. From healing without the expectation of forgiveness, to building identity, resilience and belonging, the blog shows how restorative approaches help young people repair harm, grow with confidence and thrive in their communities.
Recently we have also submitted a number of open letters to key MPS and leads, which can be found here:
- Open Letter to Jake Richards MP: Time for an Evidence-Based Approach to Restorative Justice for Youth Justice
- Open Letter to Lord Timpson: Restorative Justice as the Foundation for Rehabilitation and Ending the Cycle of Reoffending
NCJAA Members and Network News: 30th Anniversary Show at Rich Mix, November 2025
This very special show at Rich Mix celebrated 30 years of the Irene Taylor Trust through exhilarating live music performances. The first half featured performances by our Sounding Out musicians, memories and reflections from 30 years of Music in Prisons and the Irene Taylor Trust. In the second half our Young Producers took over, curating invigorating music with young artists emerging from our Making Tracks projects and former prisoner support musicians from Sounding Out. A packed out audience in Rich Mix responded very warmly. For those unable to join us a livestream was made available and can be viewed here
NCJAA Members and Network News: The Smiley Charity Film Awards
(The Smileys) has emerged as a cornerstone of positive change in the UK, supporting over 5,000 charities and captivating the engagement of over 1 million individuals through voting. Watch Clinks members entries:
- Glitch - Change Grow Live
- The Fatal Question - StreetDoctors
- The impact of long-term imprisonment - Prisoners Abroad
- The Cycle - Criminal Justice Alliance
- Dreams - Voices from HMP Eastwood Park - Rift Social Enterprise CIC
- Help bring someone's future back - Samaritans
- Connection - National Prison Radio
Event: Clinks Annual Conference 2026 28 January | 09:30 - 16:00 | London | Variable
Join us for Clinks' Annual Conference; our biggest event of the year bringing together voluntary organisations working in the criminal justice system from across England and Wales. This year's theme, Stronger Together: Celebrating Community, Championing Progress, reflects the heart of our sector; the power of collaboration, connection, and shared purpose. There will be some NCJAA members providing performance and workshops. More info and booking here
RESOURCE: Prisoners' Education Trust have published their 2026–2027 Course Prospectus
'The most forward-looking and accessible edition yet.' The prospectus features cutting-edge courses on AI and environmental sustainability, new digital learning opportunities, and more options to help people in prison focus on the future. Featuring nearly 120 courses, learners can find the prospectus in prison libraries and education departments across England and Wales, as well as on PET's website in prisons. View here
VACANCY: Koestler Arts - Young People’s Coordinator
VACANCY: Clinks - Digital Communications Officer
VACANCY: Clinks - Area Engagement Officers x 2 (East of England or South Central/South West)
Want to post a vacancy?
Clinks members can post job and volunteer vacancies on our Jobs Board for free.
Full instructions for uploading a vacancy can be found here. For assistance, email membership@clinks.org
Want to include something in the next newsletter?
The next NCJAA newsletter will be sent on 25 February. 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 Monday 16 February.
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