Art as Testimony of Prison Experience

Join us for a unique exhibition showcasing artwork created during a prison sentence, offering rare, personal insight into the realities of imprisonment, rehabilitation, and life beyond crime.

Visitors can explore a collection of artworks the featured artist produced while serving time in prison. Alongside the artwork, extracts from interviews reveal the stories behind the images, exploring why creative expression mattered, how the work was produced in a prison environment, and what the pieces represent in relation to the artist's experiences of offending, incarceration and rebuilding his life.

The exhibition is part of a research project that uses artwork elicitation to better understand the role of creativity in prison and the lived experiences of people within the criminal justice system. It invites visitors to reflect on how society responds to crime and punishment, and the potential of the arts to support personal growth, reflection and change.

There will be a panel discussion on 3rd November (from 2-4pm) featuring the artist alongside experts in criminal justice, prison policy and prison reform. Together, they will discuss the challenges facing the prison system, the value of creative programmes in prisons, and what a more effective approach to rehabilitation might look like.

Whether you are interested in criminal justice, considering a future career in the sector, or simply curious about the human stories behind the headlines, this event offers a thought-provoking opportunity to engage with art, research and lived experience.

Emily Turner, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at The University of Manchester

All welcome

People with an interest in criminal justice.

Young people considering a future career in the sector.

Spaces can be reserved via EventBrite for the panel discussion.

Drop in to the exhibition at any time.

The exhibition will be open on 3rd, 4th and 5th November.

There will be a panel discussion on Tuesday 3rd November, 2-4pm.