National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance

I'm Still Here
2018-09-19 - 2018-11-04 | Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX
19 September – 4 November 2018
Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London
Free, no booking required
I’m Still Here is the 11th exhibition produced by Koestler Trust in partnership with Southbank Centre. It follows the success of last year’s exhibition Inside, which was curated by Antony Gormley. This year, the diverse range of art, writing and music has been selected by the families of prisoners inside, giving a unique and very personal edge to the show that explores what it is like to have a loved one in prison.
Details of works to be included in I’m Still Here will be released at a later date.
Click here for more information

Opening Festival with The Rt Hon David Gauke MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
18 September, from 2pm
Royal Festival Hall, Clore Ballroom, Level 2
Free, no booking necessary
More information here
Voices from Prison
24 October, 7pm
An evening of spoken word and poetry
Pop-Up Koestler Art Shop
In the exhibition space daily
Exhibition tours
Led by ex-prisoner hosts
Monday to Thursday 6pm
Friday to Sunday 1.30pm and 6pm
Free, no booking required

The Koestler Trust is the UK’s best-known prison arts charity. Each year it encourages over 3,500 people within the criminal justice system to express themselves creatively and learn new skills by entering work to their annual Koestler Awards.

Image: Lucy, HM Young Offenders Institution Cookham Wood, acrylic on canvas 2018. Courtesy of Koestler Trust

Thick as Thieves
2018-10-11 - 2018-11-21 | Various – UK, Various, United Kingdom
11 October 2018 – 21 November 2018
Theatr Clywd | Salisbury Playhouse | Hull Truck
From £9
Book now
Thick as Thieves, co-produced by Clean Break and Theatr Clwyd and written by Katherine Chandler, will tour the UK in November 2018.
The play explores two women from very different worlds: Karen has built a picture-perfect life while Gail struggles to keep hers together. When Gail re-enters Karen’s life from out of the blue she brings with her everything Karen has been running from…
This tense, revealing play explores what it means to care for one another and asks who, in a time of increasing disconnect, we expect to look after us.
Click here for dates and booking

Clean Break was set up in 1979 by two women prisoners who believed that theatre could bring the hidden stories of imprisoned women to a wider audience. Still the only women’s theatre company of its kind, Clean Break has remained true to these roots and continues to inspire playwrights and captivate audiences with groundbreaking plays on the theme of women and crime.

Image courtesy of Clean Break

The Island
2018-10-20 - 2018-11-09 | Various – UK, Various, United Kingdom
20th October – 9th November
Wales (various locations) and Manchester Lowry Theatre
Book now
Presented by Fio
Written by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona
This soaring, award-winning drama draws on the stories that linger from the notorious prison on Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated, to mark 2018, his centenary year.
Two men, political prisoners and unlikely friends, stagger through days of pointless, back-breaking labour, coping with vicious beatings from the guards and spending their nights remembering a life outside their current misery. They prepare for a performance of Antigone in front of the other inmates and guards – an act of defiance from people who have lost everything…
a hugely powerful and moving piece of theatre, so impressively delivered by Joe and Wela as ‘John’ and ‘Winston’; they were giants on the stage that night. It was a privilege to be there; to be made to confront the uncomfortable truth of a tragic human injustice, yet see the courage of the human spirit prevail despite that injustice and all conveyed so movingly by Joe and Wela is an experience that will stay with me for a very, very long time.”
JENNIFER OWEN-ADAMS, CHAIR OF POWYS DANCE
Fio is a Cardiff-based theatre company working across the UK and internationally, bringing world class socio-political stories to local audiences. Everyone has a story to tell, and each individual is as important as the next. Together, Fio makes theatre that celebrates individuality, tearing down stereotypes and offering everybody a chance to make their mark in the world.
Click here for more information and book your tickets

Image courtesy of Fio

Lucy Orta: Procession Banners
2018-10-23 - 2019-01-20 | Birmingham – Generic, Birmingham, United Kingdom
23rd October 2018 – 20th January 2019
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Medicine Bakery and Gallery, Birmingham
Free, suggested donation £3
Early this year artist Lucy Orta collaborated with female residents of HMP Downview to design 30 banners to mark 100 years since British women won the vote. In 2016, many residents were transferred to HMP Downview after the closure of HMP Holloway, then the largest all women prison in Europe, and the notorious site where over 1,000 suffragettes were imprisoned. Seven banners were carried by London College of Fashion students as part of the centenary Processions march, produced by Artichoke, in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast on 10th June 2018.
Ikon Gallery exhibits a selection of banners for the first time at Medicine, the former gallery of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.
Click here for more information

Photo courtesy of Ikon Gallery and Michelle Marshall

Guilt Trip
2018-10-31 - 2018-11-24 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
31 October – 24 November 2018
7.30pm, Wednesdays to Saturdays
St Saviour’s Church, Walton Place, London SW3 1SA
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Intermission Youth Theatre‘s modern re-telling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing looks at loyalty, trust, equality, gender and respect.
Don P and the Aragon boys – Benedick and Claudio – have been invited to the party island of Messina by promotor Leon. Also in Messina (unbeknown to Leon), is his younger sister Hero and feisty cousin Beatrice.
Claudio falls instantly in love with Hero and pleads with Don P to help him win Hero’ love. Don P agrees and a plan is hatched. Claudio has to marry Hero in Messina to prove he is serious!
Also in Messina is Don John, Don P’s illegitimate and jealous brother. Prepared to do anything to ruin the happiness of his brother and the Aragon boys, Don John plots to deceive Claudio into believing Hero is unfaithful.
Meanwhile Benedick is highly irritated by the sight of his old flame Beatrice. Don P hatches a plan to set them up.
Will Claudio get his girl? Will Don John ruin the party? Will Beatrice and Benedick hook up?
It’s all happening in Messina, the land of sun, sea and social media!

Image courtesy of Intermission Youth Theatre

Have your say about Arts Council England's 10-year strategy
2018-11-08 09:30 - 12:00 (Europe/London) | Liverpool – generic, Liverpool, United Kingdom
8th November, 9:30am – 12:00 pm
FACT Gallery, Liverpool
Free
Limited spaces – book now
This workshop is an opportunity to contribute to Arts Council England’s thinking and share your views on the proposed outcomes that will shape its 2020-2030 strategy. The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) wants to explore where and how your innovative work may fit into Arts Council England’s vision.
We want to hear from artists and arts organisations (across all art forms) who are working, or would like to work, in criminal justice settings. We would also like to hear from people working in prisons and community settings who are interested in using the arts to support rehabilitation, employability and wellbeing.
John McMahon, Senior Manager, Policy and Research, from Arts Council England will introduce the strategy and outline the importance of a strong response from the criminal justice sector. Your views will help shape the NCJAA response to the consultation.
If you can’t attend the event but would like to feed into the consultation you can learn more on the process and fill in their survey on Arts Council England’s website
Book your place here

In April 2018 the NCJAA became an Arts Council England funded Sector Support Organisation as part of their National Portfolio. We aim to represent the views of artists, arts organisations and creative practitioners working in criminal justice settings.

Image: Odd Arts at the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance Annual Conference 2017

Media training: talking about arts in criminal justice settings
2018-11-13 10:00 - 16:00 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Tuesday 13th November 2018
10am – 4pm
The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London, SE11 5RR
£75
BOOK NOW

A one day training course on how to positively navigate conversations with the media about work in arts and the criminal justice system.
The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance has collaborated with Nine Media Training and consultancy to design a one day course, which aims to support and prepare members so that they can appropriately promote their work with confidence and expertise.
Nine Media Training and Consultancy has direct experience of working with people who have come into contact with the criminal justice system, and in training professionals on how to expertly handle conversations with the media.
The training includes exercises and discussions on:

how to give a great interview
media secrets
mock interviews
deflecting tricky questions
speaking on and off the record
using bridging techniques.

You can expect to go away armed with tools and techniques and feel able to speak confidently with journalists about their work.

Tea and coffee will be provided, however you will need to bring your own lunch.
Spaces are very limited and are offered on a first come, first served basis.
Click here to book your place

Image courtesy of Intermission Youth Theatre

Bullet Tongue
2018-11-14 - 2018-12-15 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
14th November – 15th December
151 Englefield Rd, London N1 3LH, UK
From £12.50

Click here to book
This immersive show is an authentic trip into life on a London estate, performed by and made with young people from Islington. They’ll take over a converted North London frame factory for a show that delves into the world of ‘County Line’ drug dealing, where gangs set up supply chains that reach out into the countryside or coastal towns.
Bullet Tongue is presented by youth charity The Big House, written by Andrew Day and Sonya Hale, and directed by Maggie Norris.
Praise for previous The Big House productions:
“Visceral storytelling. Shot through with moments of pure theatre, graced with vivid, moving performances by an excellent young cast. A stirring opening statement from this exciting new theatre group.”
– Jez Butterworth

The Big House is a charity working with care leavers and at risk young people, staging high profile theatre and film productions.

Image courtesy of The Big House

Staging Rehabilitation: a masterclass
2018-11-15 10:00 - 16:30 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Thursday 15th November
10am – 4:30pm
Clean Break, London
Tickets from £65.52
Three bursary places are available on this course to anyone who has had direct personal (not professional) experience of the criminal justice system. To apply for these, please write explaining your interest in the training event to general@cleanbreak.org.uk marking your email FAO Anna Herrmann.

This masterclass is for both theatre artists and criminal justice professionals interested in the specialised field of arts in the criminal justice system. The day will be an introduction to the work of two of the leading organisations in this field.
Participants will:

learn about the companies different working practices
understand the principles and theory underpinning their work
explore best practice in this field

The day will be participatory and involve drama and theatre exercises, group work, discussion and a plenary session at the end.
The course will be led by Anna Herrmann Joint Artistic Director at Clean Break and Andy Watson, Artistic Director of Geese, leading organisations in the field of arts and criminal justice and members of the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance Steering Group.
Click here to book

Inside Perspective
2018-11-27 - 2018-12-09 | Liverpool – generic, Liverpool, United Kingdom
27th November – 9th December 2018
Tate Exchange, Tate Liverpool
Free
An exhibition of prisoner artwork inspired by Op art in Focus, currently on display at Tate Liverpool, Inside Perspective will present an examination of the lines, shapes and colours used to create dazzling, optical effects.
This project is the second to be presented by social enterprise Novus, who deliver education, training and employability services to adults and young people in the UK’s prisons.
They have found that prisoners engaging in creative arts projects can help to increase self-confidence, tackle issues and build relationships with their families, and sustaining strong family relationships while in prison can play an important role in helping to reduce reoffending. Learners from a wide range of classes have used their skills to engage with the project.
Artwork will be displayed from adults and young people in prisons in the North West, North East, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, London, and Kent and Sussex, young people’s institutions (Kent, Staffordshire and Yorkshire) and secure training centre (Rugby).
Click here for more information

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons [public domain]

Head-Rot Holiday
2018-11-27 - 2018-12-22 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
The Hope Theatre, Islington, London
27th November – 22 December
Tuesday – Saturday only, 7:45pm
£15 / £12
BOOK NOW

“Christmas is a right frightening bastard. If you can survive it in here then there’s hope.”

Head-Rot Holiday was first staged by Clean Break, a theatre company dedicated to giving a voice to women in the criminal justice system. Nearly three decades later, Weighed In mounts a special revival of this irreverent dark comedy from one of the most important feminist writers of her generation, Sarah Daniels (Masterpieces, The Gut Girls).
Working in association with Women In Prison, this production, directed by Will Maynard, sheds a light on neglected stories of women caught in the criminal justice system.
“December 1991. In a secure hospital for the ‘criminally insane’, three women prepare for the Christmas disco. The parole board’s recipe for early release: put on a dress, wear some make-up… and dance with a rapist or killer of your choice. Ruth hears voices but distracts herself with karaoke. Claudia defies the racist nurses and longs to see her children. Dee applies mascara for the first time and is paid a visit by an angel. Behind iron bars, the patients and nurses of Penwell Hospital ask: in such a topsy-turvy world, who are you to say that I’m insane?”
Click here to book your ticket

Image courtesy of Weighed In Productions

don't forget the birds
2018-11-27 - 2018-12-01 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
27th November – 1st December
Battersea Arts Centre, London
From £10
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“Rich in contradictory humanity and a touching portrait of a mother-daughter bond.”
★★★★ The Guardian
At the end of Open Clasp’s award-winning drama Key Change, four women walk towards the prison gates. The sun is shining, their families are waiting. don’t forget the birds is the true story of what happened next for one of the original collaborators on Key Change, now released and working with Open Clasp Theatre Company.
Written by Catrina McHugh MBE and directed by Laura Lindow, this first-hand account from real-life mother and daughter, Cheryl and Abigail Byron, tells their heart lifting journey to find each other again.
A co-production with Live Theatre.

Image courtesy of Open Clasp Theatre Company

Rising
2018-11-27 19:00 - 21:00 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Tuesday 27th November
7pm
Livestreamed from London City Hall
Free

As part of the launch of the Mayor of London’s Winter Homelessness Campaign, Cardboard Citizens will perform Rising by Femi Keeling in the Council Chamber of London’s City Hall.
“Rising is the story of Terrence, who has just been released after a short prison sentence – he’s full of hope, but faced with battles against the system and demons from his past, he’s on the edge. He’s moving on, but is he moving in the right direction?”
Rising is a Forum Theatre piece, so the play will be followed by an interactive session where audience members at City Hall – and commentators online – will be able to step into the action and change the outcome of the story. There will also be a panel discussion with leading speakers on the issues of the play.
Viewers can comment and contribute to the debate from the Cardboard Citizens website, and by tweeting using the hashtag #CitzRising
The event will be livestreamed on the City of London website here, and on Cardboard Citizens’ website here (from 7pm)

Image courtesy of Cardboard Citizens

2018 Longford Lecture
2018-11-28 18:30 - 20:30 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Wednesday 28 November, 6.30pm
Church House, Westminster, London
Free (donations encouraged)
BOOK NOW
The Longford Trust has announced details for its 2018 Longford Lecture.
The broadcaster Jon Snow, one of its trustees, will chair a panel discussion on the theme ‘Why People Stop Doing Crime’. He will be joined by three current Longford Scholars, ex-prisoners who are studying for degrees with the trust’s support, plus the acclaimed actor Michael Balogun, who took up drama while inside.
Together – with contributions from distinguished voices in the audience – they will set out proposals to reduce the prison population and promote the rehabilitation of offenders. It will be broadcast live on National Prison Radio.
Click here to book your ticket

Image: Ken Loach at last year’s Longford Lecture. Courtesy of The Longford Trust, credit: Russell Bruns

Carol concert
2018-11-28 18:30 - 20:30 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Wednesday 28th November 2018
St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden
6.30pm
Free
Email events@prisonerseducation.org.uk to book your place
Prisoners’ Education Trust has announced a Christmas Carol Concert at St Paul’s Church in London.
The event, supported by Phoenix Equity Partners, promises to be an entertaining evening and will feature an array of Christmas carols sung by the London choir Fever Pitch and presentations from former prisoner learners and PET President, His Honour John Samuels QC.
Click here for more information

Image courtesy of Prisoners’ Education Trust, credit: Charles Milligan

Making art with young people in custody
2018-12-03 14:00 - 17:00 | Glasgow – generic, Glasgow, United Kingdom
3rd December 2018, 2pm – 5pm
National Theatre of Scotland, Glasgow
Free
BOOK NOW
A Scottish Prison Arts Network (SPAN) event for Year of Young People 2018. A sharing of ideas and practice from artists, young people and researchers.
14:00 – Welcome & Intros
14:20 – Provocation from Nina Vaswani (key note), Research Fellow at the Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice (CYCJ)
15:00 – Discussion from provocation in small groups
15:30 – Coffee break
16:00 – Presentation on MOTION by Glas(s) Performance and the National Theatre of Scotland (with contributions from young artist since released from Polmont and Barnardos)
16:45 – Shout outs from organisations working with young people in Scotland
17:00 – Annual General Meeting (all welcome) followed by wine
Click here to book your ticket

Image courtesy of SPAN

Bringing together the youth justice and arts sectors
2018-12-06 17:00 - 19:00 | Birmingham – Generic, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Thursday 6th December
Midland Arts Centre (mac), Birmingham
5 – 7pm
Free
Book here
Arts Connect and the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) would like to invite you to a Christmas networking event for professionals working in arts and criminal justice.
In a bid to unite the sector in the West Midlands, we are inviting professionals from Youth Offending Teams, Pupil Referral Units, Youth Offender Institutions, arts organisations and artists who work in this area.
This will be an ideal opportunity to: network, gain more insight into the work of Arts Connect and NCJAA and be kept informed on future opportunities, whilst also indulging in a festive atmosphere with mince pies and non-alcoholic mulled wine.
Click here to register your place

Image courtesy of Southbank Mosaics

Film screening: Tre Maison Dasan
2019-01-21 17:30 - 21:00 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Monday 21st January
The Roundhouse, London
Doors 5.30pm
£5
Safe Ground, in association with Hello World Productions, present a feature length documentary about the impact of parental imprisonment, followed by a community conversation.
The winner of 2018 award for Best Documentary Feature at Raindance Film Festival, Tre Maison Dasan is an intimate portrait of three boys growing up, each with a parent in prison. Directly told from the child’s perspective, the film is an exploration of relationships and separation, masculinity, and coming of age in America when a parent is behind bars.
Click here to book

Safe Ground is an award-winning charity delivering therapeutic group work with fathers in UK prisons since 2003.

Image courtesy of Safe Ground and Hello World Productions

Introduction to arts in prisons
2019-01-22 10:00 - 16:00 | Birmingham – Generic, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Tuesday 22 January 2019
10am – 4pm
Birmingham
£75
Book now
This one day introductory course will explore some of the questions to consider before embarking on a creative project in this unique setting. The course will also provide an overview of the current criminal justice system and an insight to working inside a prison, looking at the practicalities. During the day we will explore the process of desistance from crime and learn from case study examples of how to deliver creative activity safely and responsibly.
The course will be delivered by Rebbecca Hemmings (Development Officer for the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance) and Sara Lee (Director of Music in Prisons). It has been adapted from the Clinks Working and Volunteering in Prison training course.
The course is aimed at those with an arts background, but with little or no previous experience of working in a criminal justice settings. Please note this is not a qualification and will not provide a certificate to work in prisons.
Spaces are limited and this course sold out quickly last time, so please book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Click here to book

Image courtesy of Avodah Dance

Effective facilitation workshop
2019-01-27 10:00 - 17:00 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Sunday 27th January 2019
10am – 5pm
Royal College of Music, London
£25
BOOK NOW
Arts Council England has funded Good Vibrations to run a day-long effective facilitation workshop for music practitioners to develop their facilitation techniques.
My understanding of facilitation has been enriched, revitalised and broadened.”
– Participant, 2017
About the training:

It will be run by Good Vibrations, a national charity with an excellent reputation in criminal justice and mental health settings. See academic research on Good Vibrations’ impact and approach.
You will immerse yourself in the experience of being a participant in a condensed, typical Good Vibrations course.
You will observe an experienced facilitator modelling a range of facilitation techniques and experience the impact on group dynamics and musical outcomes.
You’ll have fun and will get the opportunity to get to know other practitioners working in challenging circumstances.
You’ll get recordings of the music you produce on the day.
You’ll learn a new skill – to play Javanese Gamelan!
We’ll share new Royal College of Music research on our facilitation approach – the theory behind what you experience on the day.
You will come out feeling inspired about the potential of incorporating the new facilitation techniques you’ve learnt into your practice.

Please email malcolm@good-vibrations.org.uk for further enquires or click here to book your ticket

Please note; the Royal College of Music is undergoing extensive building works, if you have any additional physical requirements please let Malcolm know.

Drawing Connections... at The Edges
2019-01-30 - 2019-04-30 | Cambridge – generic, Cambridge, United Kingdom
30th January – April 2019
Opening event Wednesday 30th January (from 2pm)
Radzinowicz Library, University of Cambridge
Free
Drawing Connections will exhibit work from an eight-week project bringing together residents at HMP Springhill with students from the local Banbury and Bicester College Art Faculty in a series of artist-led workshops held at HMP Springhill.
In addition to selected works from the project, visitors will be able to see the library’s permanent selection of Koestler Awards artworks – and meet participants and enjoy light refreshments at the exhibition’s opening on 30th January.
The exhibition continues until April 2019.
Please confirm attendance by emailing crimlib@hermes.cam.ac.uk
Click here for more information about the project

Image courtesy of Rebecca Greene

The Night Alphabet
2019-01-30 19:00 - 22:00 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Wednesday 30th January
7pm – 10pm
The Poetry Cafe, London
FREE
The Night Alphabet is a new collection of short stories from Joelle Taylor, and to celebrate it she has been mentoring three women from marginalised communities in the development of their careers: Lady Unchained (former prisoner), Sarah Crutwell (mental health advocate), and Ansori Sad Howidi (Iraqi / Syrian refugee).
The three women have made short poetry-prose films about their experiences which will be screened at the event. Following the screening there will be a live gig featuring all three women, and a reading from the The Night Alphabet by Joelle Taylor.
Find out more here

Image courtesy of Johannes Jansson/norden.org [CC BY 2.5 dk]

Rewriting Justice
2019-02-08 08:00 - 16:30 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Friday 8th February 2019
10am – 4.30pm
London
From £59.88
BOOK NOW
A one day introductory course for theatre-artists, early career playwrights and criminal justice professionals with an interest in the specialised field of theatre, women and criminal justice, led by Anna Herrmann, Clean Break‘s Joint Artistic Director, and Vivienne Franzmann (playwright).
Through drama and play-writing exercises, group work and discussion, participants will:

Learn creative ideas and exercises for facilitating playwriting with women in criminal justice settings
Explore best practice when working creatively with adults in vulnerable circumstances
Gain confidence and skills for managing challenging situations
Hear insights about working in prisons as a playwright for Clean Break.

Clean Break is the UK’s leading theatre company focusing exclusively on women in the criminal justice system. With a 40 year track record, this training will give participants a unique insight into the company’s successful approach to theatre practice in both prison and community settings.
Click here to book your place

Clean Break is offering three free bursary places to applicants who have had personal experience of the criminal justice system. If you qualify for one of these places email participation@cleanbreak.org.uk quoting ‘Rewriting Justice bursary place’ stating why you are eligible, and what you would like to get out of the day.

Image courtesy of Clean Break

Music in prisons: defining a successful project
2019-02-11 18:00 - 19:00 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
Monday 11th February
6pm – 7pm
Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London
Free
Register to attend here

The idea that music has the power to transform is as old as music itself. In recent years, this idea has been outworked most evidently in the various musical interventions and projects taking place around the world intended to bring about individual and social transformation.
In this evening seminar, Sarah Doxat-Pratt (University of Nottingham) will look specifically at music projects in a prison context, raising questions regarding who defines success in this area. Drawing on over a year of fieldwork with the Irene Taylor Trust, her paper will discuss the motivations and success criteria of prisoner participants themselves.

Image courtesy of Irene Taylor Trust, credit: Lizzie Coombes

Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train
2019-02-14 - 2019-03-30 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
14th February – 30th March 2019
Monday to Saturday
London
From £10
BOOK NOW
From Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Adly Guirgis (The Motherfucker with the Hat) and directed by Kate Hewitt, Young Vic present a dark comedy about the contradictory nature of faith.
Inside the lockdown wing of Rikers Island prison, a frightened young man accused of murdering a cult leader is confronted with a charismatic born-again serial killer and a sadistic guard. Will one man’s redemption lead to another’s damnation?
“Like a shot of caffeine straight in the veins”
– The Guardian

There is a Field
2019-02-20 - 2019-03-16 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
20th February – 16th March 2019
Theatre503, London
£17 / £12 / £10
BOOK NOW
“Why you all looking at me like that? Eh? You never seen a real Muslim before? Is it cos I’m white?”
Mark’s mother wants him to bury his father and it’s up to Saleh to find him and bring him home for a proper East End send off. Only Mark is no longer Mark, he’s Abdullah. There is A Field is a London story of faith, death and family strife reshaped by local crises and global events.

Synergy Theatre Project’s new production is written by former prisoner Martin Askew, directed by Esther Baker and features Archie Backhouse, Sarah Finigan, Roseanna Frascona, Sam Frenchum, Fabrizio Santino.
Synergy began working with Martin after his release from prison, commissioning There is a Field as his debut, full-length play. Martin grew up in the East End and started writing after witnessing the murder of a close friend. His screenplay Snow in Paradise was selected for the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.
Find out more and book here

Image courtesy of Synergy Theatre Project

The Biomechanics of the Treadwheel
2019-02-21 | Stafford – generic, Stafford, United Kingdom
21st February 2019
Morning
HMP Stafford
This is a public performance of Rideout‘s performing arts residency at HMP Stafford. If you would like to attend, please contact saul@rideout.org.uk no later than 14th February.

Following the success of last year’s Past Time partnership with Prisoners, Medical Care and Entitlement to Health in England and Ireland, 1850-2000 – a five-year Wellcome Trust-funded project led by Professor Hilary Marland (University of Warwick) and Dr Catherine Cox (University College Dublin) – Rideout (Creative Arts for Rehabilitation) is embarking on three further performing arts residencies, known collectively as Staging Time.
The first of these, The Biomechanics of the Treadwheel, will use a mix of parkour, contact improvisation, and Meyerhold’s actor training methodology to create a dance performance exploring the history of hard labour in Victorian prisons.
As part of this process, participants will create a new biomechanic etude based on hard labour, which will be made available in the form of an illustrated pamphlet.
Working with Rideout will be choreographer Dave McKenna from Being Frank Physical Theatre, illustrator Paul Gent, historian Professor Marland and theatre academic Dr Silvija Jestrovic, both from University of Warwick.
To find out more, or register your interest in attending the public performance, please contact saul@rideout.org.uk no later than 14th February.

Staging Time is funded by Arts Council England, University of Warwick and HMP Stafford. An external evaluation of the programme using a World Cafe methodology is being conducted by researchers from Staffordshire University and will be available in late 2019/early 2020.

Image courtesy of Rideout

Inside Bitch
2019-02-23 - 2019-03-19 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
27th February – 23rd March 2019
Royal Court Theatre, London
£18 (£12 Mondays)
BOOK NOW
“You’ve seen Orange is the New Black. You’ve seen Locked Up. You’ve seen Bad Girls. So, what have we got that’s different? Well, for one, we’ve been to prison.”
Clean Break and Royal Court Theatre present a play devised and performed by Clean Break members Lucy Edkins, Jennifer Joseph, Terri Ann Oudjar and Jade Small.
Created by women who aren’t guessing, Inside Bitch is a playful subversion of the representation of women in prison and how things aren’t quite as seen on TV.
Conceived by Stacey Gregg and Deborah Pearson.
Find out more and book here

Image courtesy of Clean Break

The Jumper Factory
2019-02-27 - 2019-03-09 | London – Generic, London, United Kingdom
27th February – 9th March
The Maria, Young Vic, London
From £15
Book now

“I wait whilst the world carries on, whilst my family grow old, whilst my lovers move on, and I count down the days, and I wait…
How would you survive in prison?”

From Young Vic Taking Part, created in collaboration with inmates at HMP Wandsworth and written by Luke Barnes, this new piece explores the stories of people behind bars and the resilience they need to face a world that moves without them.
Click here to book

Image courtesy of Young Vic, credit: Leon Puplett

Young people in the criminal justice system - how can the arts respond?
2019-02-27 09:30 - 16:00 | Birmingham – Generic, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Annual conference: 27th February 2019
9.30am – 4pm
The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
£90 (£70 for Clinks members).

Online bookings for this event are now closed. If you are still interested in attending, please contact events@clinks.org to be added to the waiting list.

The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) 2019 annual conference asks the question: How can the arts respond to the issues facing young people in the criminal justice system?
The conference aims to answer this question with workshops, performances, panel discussions and speeches from leading professionals and young people who have been in contact with the criminal justice system.
Intermission Youth Theatre will be performing Verona Road, the company’s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Speakers include:

(Video message) input from Edward Argar MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice
Abid Hussain, Director of Diversity, Arts Council England
Nathan Dennis, Director, First Class Legacy
Matt Griffiths, CEO, Youth Music
Neal Hazel, Youth Justice Board
Lynnette Kelly, West Midlands Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner
Jamal Khan, Waltham Forest Council Young Advisor and author
Craig Pinkey, Criminologist and urban youth specialist
Lisa Rowles, Director of Innovation and Evidence, Khulisa
Sandwell Youth Offending Team
Unitas
Dr Daniela Varley, Director, Recre8
and more to be announced.

In the youth justice system, nearly half of all children (under 18 years) are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds with increasing numbers of Muslims and the starkest disproportionality amongst Gypsy, Traveller and Roma children. In the adult estate, the distinct characteristics and needs of young adults (18–25 years) are unaddressed, resulting in disproportionate reoffending rates.
We know from evidence that the arts have the power to transform lives, reduce crime, challenge stereotypes and enhance art and culture for all. So, how can the sector help to support children and young people up to the age of 25 in contact with the criminal justice system?
The conference will discuss good practice and policy, at both local and national levels, where arts and culture aim to address: poor outcomes for young black, Asian and minority ethnic people in custody; Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs); health and wellbeing; leadership and role models. We will also explore effective partnership work, funding, and how evidence is used to make change.
NCJAA invites policy-makers, voluntary organisations, prison staff, practitioners, academics and artists working with the arts and young people in the youth/criminal justice system to attend and be a part of this important discussion.

We are offering 10 free places to those with a lived experience of the criminal justice system, or for who cost is a barrier to attending. Places will be given confidentially and on a first come first served basis. If you would like to apply please email info@artsincriminaljustice.org.uk
