1. 05/07/13 1UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
“The primary purpose of penal
establishments is to provide secure and
humane containment for people who are in
custody.
Within this purpose, the staff of these
establishments endeavour, by a variety of
positive means, to help people in their care
to rehabilitate themselves in preparation
for their release.”
GUIDELINES ON THE OPERATION OF EDUCATION, VOCATIONAL
TRAINING AND LIBRARY SERVICES IN PRISONS AND YOUNG
OFFENDER CENTRES IN NORTHERN IRELAND, July 1985
2. Dr Alan Clarke 2
Undertaken as part of the Art &
Culture in Prison European project
PREVIOUS RESEARCH
ON ARTS IN UK PRISONS
Prisons = 50+ Arts groups = 11
3. Dr Alan Clarke 3
Most prisons offer some
arts activities, both
regularly & one-off
Education is the main
supporter of arts
activities
There are a surprising
proportion of dedicated
arts spaces
Charities provide a substantial
part of the funding support
The rationale for arts
activities tends to be
equally divided between
creative and educational
Negative media reaction is
a major restricting factor
STATISTICAL
INFORMATION
External arts groups
are an important
factor in delivering
arts in prisons
4. Dr Alan Clarke 4
ART-FORMS
THEATRE/ DRAMA
Tends to be offered
as one-off activity
by outside groups
MUSIC
Music is a major
offering in most
prisons, both as
regular & one-off
activities
DANCE
Very little dance
offered & then
only as an
occasional one-off
ativity
VISUAL ARTS
Offered in a range of
forms in most prisons,
particularly as an
ongoing activity
MULTIMEDIA
Surprisingly regular
offering in many
prisons, possibly
through the emphasis
on ICT as a basic skill
WRITING
Encouraged in
many prisons,
both as ongoing
activity & through
engaging writers-
in-residence
OTHER
Mainly crafts or
environmentally
orientated
5. Dr Alan Clarke 5
Combined arts projects,
involving different areas of the
prison, are extremely effective
Arts are a very effective
way of delivering key skills
in a prison context
Arts projects
involving the wider
public can help
bring about a
positive change in
their perceptions
about offenders
Arts projects
involving external
community
organisations can
provide a positive
stimulus to prisoners
Collaborations
between the prison
and outside arts
organisations can
achieve really
positive outcomes
GOOD PRACTICE
6. 05/07/13 6UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
RESULTS OF UK RESEARCH INTO ARTISTS’
RESPONSES TO WORKING IN PRISONS
Organised by Arts
Professional
for the CRED-ability project
www.cred-ability.eu
Presentation by Dr Alan Clarke
International Consultant
for The College of Teachers
7. 05/07/13 7UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
“I think everyone
deserves a chance to
express themselves.
I think art is a human
being's innate method
of expression.”
Visual artist
8. 05/07/13 8UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
ARTISTS WHO WOULD LIKE
TO WORK IN PRISONS
= 50 responses
ARTISTS WORKING/ HAVE
WORKED IN PRISONS
= 30 responses
CURRENTLY WITH AN ORGANISATION
23 22
9. 05/07/13 9UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
Theatre practitioner
“The arts are a great way to re-engage
people in positive activity … provide
an opportunity to articulate the often
inarticulable, re-write personal
narrative and build trust and
confidence in self and others.”
10. 05/07/13 10UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
19-24 years old
25-34 years old
AGE-RANGE
35-44 years old
45-54 years old
55-64 years old
ARTISTS WHO WOULD LIKE
TO WORK IN PRISONS [50]
ARTISTS WORKING/ HAVE
WORKED IN PRISONS [30]
5
18
13
17
5
1
9
6
11
4
11. 05/07/13 11UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
Writer and arts therapist
“The arts, facilitated by a knowledgeable
practitioner, who can give undue positive
regard, and exhibit empathy and honesty,
can enable such clients to explore their
feelings, from a safe distance, at their own
pace, in their own language. This can enable
them to integrate the shadow aspects, and
feelings of their nature, instead of
repressing them, leading to a more whole
and balanced person.”
13. 05/07/13 13UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
Visual artist
Madelaine Smith, theatre pracitioner
“I want to let the offenders know that although
they made mistakes, that doesn't mean that they
are no good and can't change. I think the artwork
could also let them know that they are not alone.”
15. 05/07/13 15UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
“I had direct experience of the criminal justice system as a teen,
including a period of incarceration and as clichéd as it sounds the
opportunity to engage with the arts was the beginning of the
creation of a new story for myself. …The arts can easily absorb all
perjorative labels including 'offender' or 'mental' and that is why I
want to work in prison so that I may facilitate that process for
another. Creating a space where it is possible to begin forming a
new life-affirming identity, and also to begin the process to owning
their story/history through creative exploration and catharsis.”
Expressive sound artist
16. 05/07/13 16UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
Yes = 34
PREVIOUS SOCIAL
ARTS EXPERIENCE?
No = 9
ARTISTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO WORK IN PRISONS [50]
PREVIOUS TRAINING
FOR PRISON WORK?
Yes = 9
No = 30
WOULD LIKE FURTHER
TRAINING?
Yes = 38 Don’t know = 2 No = 0
17. 05/07/13 17UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
3-5 years = 2 Yes = 17
5-10 years = 6
< 1 Year = 9
1-3 years = 9
No = 6
10 years + = 6
ARTISTS WORKING/ HAVE WORKED IN PRISONS [30]
LENGTH OF TIME
WORKED IN PRISON?
PREPARATION SUFFICIENT?
Don’t know = 5
WOULD LIKE FURTHER TRAINING?
Yes = 19 No = 4 Don’t know = 6
EXPECTATIONS MET?
Yes = 23 No = 2 Don’t know = 7
19. 05/07/13 19UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
7
PREFERRED TRAINERS
Prison system
Arts organisations
Other artists
Educational bodies
Funders
Other s
ARTISTS WHO WOULD LIKE
TO WORK IN PRISONS [50]
ARTISTS WORKING/ HAVE
WORKED IN PRISONS [30]
32
32
26
13
32 17
12
14
6
4
2
20. 05/07/13 20UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
Yes = 25
9
ENTRY LEVEL OF TRAINING
LEVEL 4
LEVEL 3
LEVEL 5
LEVEL 6
Don’t know = 7
ARTISTS WHO
WOULD LIKE TO
WORK IN PRISONS
[50]
ARTISTS
WORKING/ HAVE
WORKED IN
PRISONS [30]
ACCREDITATION?
OTHER
10
5
10
4
No = 6
4
3
4
8
7
Yes = 6 No = 11
Don’t know = 11
21. 05/07/13 21UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
18
PREFERRED TEACHING METHODS
Online facilities
Classroom teaching
Other
Hands-on workshops
Video tutorials
Printed material
Mobile technology
ARTISTS WHO
WOULD LIKE TO
WORK IN
PRISONS [50]
ARTISTS
WORKING/ HAVE
WORKED IN
PRISONS [30]
18
37
11
6
21
1
16
10
26
7
4
16
3
22. 05/07/13 UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530 22
“Never forget that once you are inside a jail you are in the world
operated and dominated and controlled by officers; it's their world and
no matter how infuriating or annoying you find the way the officers
have organized this world, you have to obey its rules: this means you
have to bend, you have to go with the flow, you have to work with the
officers and their rules. Never use force: always use charm. Prisoners
are far easier to deal with but then they need you so they would be.”
Carlo Gébler
Irish writer
23. 05/07/13 23UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
Prison Arts Foundation
Tell Me a Tale Corleon
The Fitzwilliam Museum
University of Cambridge
Superact C.I.C
HMP
Highpoint
Clean Break
Theatre
Nemo
Citizens
Theatre
Motherwell
College
Wetherby
HMYOI
UK RESEARCH RESULTS ON THE
RESPONSES FROM ORGANISATIONS
WORKING INSIDE PRISONS
11 responses
NORTHERN IRELAND SCOTLAND
ENGLAND
25. 05/07/13 25UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
PRISON
CATEGORIES
WORKED IN
Male = 8
Female = 8
Juvenile = 10
Long-term = 9
Other = 1
1- 3 years
= 0
5–10 years
= 4
3-5 years
= 1
10 years +
= 4
FOR HOW
LONG?
Drama/theatre = 5
IN WHICH
ART-FORMS
Music = 5
Dance = 0
Visual arts = 4
Multimedia = 2
Literature = 2
Other = 3
26. 05/07/13 26UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
DO YOU
EMPLOY ARTISTS?
Yes = 8
Yes = 2
No = 2
Don’t know = 3
No = 2
IS TRAINING NECESSARY?
Yes = 4
IS THE TRAINING SUFFICIENT?
No = 5
Yes = 7
No = 0
Don’t know = 1
DO YOU
PROVIDE TRAINING?
27. 05/07/13 27UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
Yes = 7
ENTRY LEVEL OF TRAINING
LEVEL 4 = 2LEVEL 3 = 2 LEVEL 5 = 1
LEVEL 6 = 0
ACCREDITATION?
OTHER = 0
No = 0Don’t know = 1
28. 05/07/13 UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530 28
“Prisons are reservoirs of grief: the griefs are the prisoners' and there is never a
big enough receptacle (reservoir) to hold their grief: it over flows and its soaks
everything it touches including artists working with prisoners: sometimes there
is so much grief one feels one might drown in it: however, one's job in a prison,
above and beyond the artistic practice one is involved with promulgating , is to
be a human being, to engage with the grief and to do everything in one's power
to stop the prisoner (all prisoners) being drowned by it.”
Carlo Gébler
Irish writer
29. 05/07/13 29UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
MODULE FRAMEWORK
MODULE 1
Preparing to deliver artistic, creative and
therapeutic activities in a prison context
MODULE 2
Critical thinking related to delivering artistic,
creative and therapeutic activities to prisoners
MODULE 3
Delivering artistic, creative and
therapeutic activities to prisoners
30. 05/07/13 30UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
MODULE FRAMEWORK
MODULE 1
1.1 The role & history of prisons within their justice system
1.2 The history of artistic, creative & therapeutic activities in
prison: nationally & internationally
1.3 The ethics & impact of creating art with prisoners
Preparing to deliver artistic, creative and
therapeutic activities in a prison context
31. 05/07/13 31UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
MODULE FRAMEWORK
MODULE 1 Preparing to
deliver art in
prison
1.4 The rationale & justification for delivering artistic,
creative & therapeutic activities to prisoners
1.5 The specific conditions/problems of working in prisons & organising
artistic, creative & therapeutic interventions with prisoners
1.6 The skills needed to deliver artistic, creative & therapeutic
activities with prisoners, including creating & presenting art-form
products
32. 05/07/13 32UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
MODULE FRAMEWORK
MODULE 2
2.1 The learner’s critical position & rationale for working with prisoners
2.2 Identifying where & how the learner’s aims are best placed
2.3 The level of critical thinking to be expected in a prison
environment: from the learner, the prison service, the
participants, and the obstacles to critical thinking to be faced
Critical thinking related to delivering artistic,
creative and therapeutic activities to prisoners
33. 05/07/13 33UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
MODULE FRAMEWORK
MODULE 2
Critical
thinking
relating to
delivering art
to prisoners
2.4 What adopting a critical, reflective daily practice
means to deliverers/ teachers/ trainers/ artists,
specifically within the context of a prison
2.5 How critical reflective thinking is instilled in the participants
in artistic, therapeutic & creative activities in a prison context,
including beyond the immediate interventions
34. 05/07/13 34UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
MODULE FRAMEWORK
MODULE 3
Delivering artistic, creative and therapeutic
activities to prisoners
3.1 identifying the requirements for delivering artistic, creative & therapeutic
activities to prisoners inside & outside the prison environment
3.2 Organising & delivering artistic, creative and
therapeutic interventions with prisoners
35. 05/07/13 35UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530
MODULE FRAMEWORK
MODULE 3 Delivering
art to
prisoners
3.3 Creating & presenting art-form products with prisoners
3.4 Developing artistic, creative & therapeutic skills with prisoners
3.5 Reflecting on the impact of artistic, creative &
therapeutic interventions with prisoners
36. 05/07/13 UK/12/LLP-LdV/TOI-530 36
“When it worked, it was great. It was hard to dip in and out of the
guys' lives. The work we did required some self-introspection and it
was difficult to have enough time to get the guys to that level of
openness. And once or twice when they did, it was horrible to have to
pack up and send them back to their cells, having just opened up some
painful stuff in conversation. More time and a more caring approach
from the whole prison system would have made the big difference. It's
not just teaching, it's much more than that. “
Nuala McKeever
Irish actor & comedienne