The newsletter for arts organisations working in criminal justice.
In this month's issue...
- National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance news
- Arts in criminal justice news and publications
- Events and training
- Resources and opportunities
Announcing Sarah Hartley as NCJAA Advisory Board Co-Chair
This month The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) is thrilled to introduce Sarah Hartley as the newly appointed Co-Chair. Sarah has worked in prison education for 16 years and has a background as an art teacher and an MA in Socially Engaged Art. Sarah has been actively involved with the NJCAA having joined the Alliance’s earlier Steering Group and becoming a member of the Advisory Board when it was formed in 2021. Simon Ruding steps down after serving as interim Co-Chair since 2020 but will remain on the advisory board as a member. Read more here.
Register now: Anne Peaker Lecture 2023
Thank you to Sophie Gladstone for kindly giving us permission to use her portrait of Carl
21 February | online | free
Anne Peaker was a pioneer of arts for, and by, people in the criminal justice system. The NCJAA’s annual lecture honours her work and legacy, which forms the basis of the work we do today. The 2023 Anne Peaker lecture will bring voices from the arts in criminal justice to an online audience.
This year’s keynote speaker is Carl Cattermole, the celebrated author, artist and public speaker. In 2011 Carl wrote Prison: A Survival Guide, following his early release from a two-and-a-half-year sentence. In 2019 his book was re-released by Penguin, with new contributions from female and LGBT prisoners, making it more radical than ever.
The event will showcase work from our network and feature keynote speakers, panels, audience Q&A, music and artwork form member organisations or individual artists working in the sector, and creative interludes. If you are interested in performing and showcasing your work as part of this online event, please contact artsalliance@clinks.org. Find out more and book online here.
Save the date: NCJAA Festival of Arts in Criminal Justice: Inspire
21 March | Rich Mix, London
The NCJAA is hosting a one-day festival of arts in criminal justice, featuring a showcase of the Inspiring Futures project and a gathering of network members at Rich Mix, London. On the 21 March the NCJAA network will gather for a day of performances, workshops, panel debate and networking. Attendees will be invited to spend their afternoon in participatory workshops themed around sustainability from an environmental perspective to one considering workforce wellbeing. The event will bring together our network of sector specialists and stakeholders to share and reflect on the impact and future sustainability of delivering arts in criminal justice settings. The showcase of work from the Inspiring Futures arts partners will be available to see at Rich Mix throughout the week of 20-26 March.
The Jan Jail Jam: a national celebration of the power of music in prison
From 23 - 30 January, prison music charities are getting together to put on music events in prisons up and down the country. Beating Time, Sing Inside, Changing Tunes, Music in the Ville, Finding Rhythms, Prison Choir Project, The Irene Taylor Trust, and more, will be showcasing the huge variety and quality of music being made in our prisons. Read more here.
Case study: The Stolen Generations: offering creative writing, visual art and dance to young people in secure centres
Published to the NCJAA Case Study Library: The Stolen Generations, is a reflection on the Stolen Generations Project which delivered workshops in dance, creative writing and visual art for young people (aged 11-15) at Aycliffe Secure Centre, all informed by Indigenous Australian culture and dance practice. The project aimed to engage young people who would not otherwise easily access the arts. It also feeds into a wider project, The Other Side of Me, led by two academics at Northumbria University: Dr Laura Fish, a writer and assistant professor in creative writing, and Liz Pavey, Assistant Professor in Dance and Performance. Read more here.
Navigating the criminal justice system
10 March 2023 | online | from £50
Are you new to working or volunteering in the criminal justice system? Do you have volunteers or staff members who want to increase their understanding of the criminal justice system? Join Clinks at this three-hour workshop for voluntary sector staff and volunteers in which we aim to increase awareness of and provide the opportunity to explore and discuss how the criminal justice system is organised, the complexities within it, and how it works. The workshop will explore the different elements of, and the varies structures within, the criminal justice system, including government departments, regional and local statutory agencies, and the role of the voluntary sector, the services they provide and its work in supporting people. Book your place here.
Launch of “Empowering Civil Society” toolkit: What is the Public Sector Equality Duty?
31 January | London | free
How can we use the duty to challenge racially discriminatory criminal justice policies? The Criminal Justice Alliance (CJA) are running a one day in-person conference in London to launch their “Empowering Civil Society” toolkit which outlines how to identify and challenge discriminatory criminal justice policies using the Equality Act. They will also show their new short film “Odds Stacked Against Us” which explores the cumulative impact of racially discriminatory criminal justice policies. An expert panel will discuss what the government needs to do to remedy this. This event will bring together civil society organisations, legal experts, academics and campaigners to explore these topics and more. There are limited spaces so find out more and register for your place here.
Staging Rehabilitation: Training with Clean Break and Geese Theatre Company
9 March | Birmingham | £95
This masterclass is for both theatre artists and criminal justice professionals interested in arts in the criminal justice system. The day will be an introduction to the work of two of the leading organisations in this field: Clean Break and Geese Theatre Company. Anna Herrmann, Joint Artistic Director/Joint CEO at Clean Break, and Andy Watson MBE, Artistic Director/CEO of Geese, are long-standing members of the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance and are regular visiting lecturers on a range of Applied Theatre under-graduate and post-graduate courses. Given Anna’s and Andy’s combined track record of 45 years with these companies, this training day will give participants a unique insight into the successful approaches of Clean Break and Geese in both prison and community settings. Through a practical learning setting involving drama and theatre exercises, group work and discussion, participants will; learn about the companies’ different working practices; understand the principles and theory underpinning their work and explore best practice in this field. Register to attend here.
Perspectives of arts organisations on the commissioning of prison-based arts projects through the Dynamic Purchasing System
This blog has been guest written by three leaders of small specialist arts organisations that work in prisons in England and Wales as a reflection on the current opportunities available for arts and criminal justice organisations to engage with the Dynamic Purchasing System. Read the blog here.
6 Days L8r by Finding Rhythms & HMP Dovegate
NCJAA network members Finding Rhythms have released their latest album, created at HMP Dovegate, during the first #JanJailJam part of #PrisonMusicWeek. The album is available to stream and download for free via bandcamp. Listen online here.
Vacancies
Head of Support and Development - Clinks
MEP Designer - Clean Break
Fundraising Manager - Pan Intercultural Arts
Take a creative break
In the spirit of #PrisonMusicWeek let loose your inner musical and experiment using this online tool by Typatone that turns every letter into a beautiful sound and transforms any text into ambient music.
Want to include something in the next newsletter?
The next NCJAA monthly newsletter will be sent on Thursday 23 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 complete this form or email artsalliance@clinks.org by Monday 13 February 2023.
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This newsletter is written monthly. Email artsalliance@clinks.org if you wish to submit any news.
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