New Starts Prison Arts

I was invited to speak at 'New Starts Prison Arts' symposium at Liverpool Hope University yesterday with my colleague Gareth Clark, about the 'Creative Roots' project delivered in HMP Parc. It was an inspiring day to hear all about the different projects and challenges that all the amazing organisations and people working within the Criminal Justice Sector are facing.

There's a link between health, access to green spaces, and opportunities to experience art, culture, and sports on social, health, and economic outcomes. Professor Tim Prentki, summarised and highlighted that cities without cultural centres - museums, art galleries, theatres, and access to sporting activities have higher levels of crime.

Sarah Hartley, National Lead fro Creative Strategies from Novus, said "It is becoming more and more clear that an investment in developing cultural capital is fundamental to the rehabilitation process". 

Dame Sally Coates said in her review of education in prison (May 2016),

"Let there be no doubt. Education should be at the heart of the prison system... Prisoners are in prison because they have done wrong. But once they have served their time, it is just... and in the interests of their communities that they have... the chance to re-enter society successfully, to find work, to live fulfilling lives. If education is the engine of social mobility, it is also the engine of prisoner rehabilitation” — Unlocking Potential, Ministry of Justice (2016)

A huge thank you to Dr Niamh Malone and Alison Jones for having us! Also to Mark Jones from Higher Plain Research and Education inviting us. 

#criminalJusticeSector #GeeseTheatre #womentheatrejustice #varshamanglam #sachahales # oliverchristian #HMP2Hope #PieceOfMind #socialdeterminantsonhealth