Our Work
Using creativity to help bring about personal change
Prodigal Arts provides art tuition and mentoring for people in prison and post-release. Prisoners access support from Prodigal Arts through an initial ten-week induction course delivered within the prison environment.
During this time artists are given the opportunity to explore a wide range of creative practices and processes, with the aim to invoke exciting new avenues of creative exploration and curiosity. The artists can then continue to shape their own individual creative pathways with guidance and unique mentoring from the Prodigal Arts team.
Upon release Prodigal artists can continue to work with Prodigal Arts, receiving further guidance and mentoring to support their creative journey. We offer all artists we work with the opportunity to showcase, promote and sell their artistic creations on our website as well as at exhibitions and events we organise.
The artists’ work is marketed at events, exhibitions and displayed in public locations, which also helps to increase their self-confidence in making a positive contribution to society. Income from sales helps demonstrate to the artists that people value their artwork, further building self-worth and encouraging their ongoing creative development.
The artwork is available to purchase in The Prodigal Arts Shop.
Case Study: Andrew
“Prodigal Arts gave me hope during difficult parts of my sentence and continues to keep my artistic potential alive.”
The cost to the taxpayer of reoffending is estimated to be £9.5 to £13 billion annually, and around 50% of all crime is committed by people who have already been through the criminal justice system.
The total UK Prison Population in 2018 was 84,405 in England and Wales, 78,844 males.
Around half of all crime is committed by people who have already been through the criminal justice system.
Projects such as Prodigal Arts that are able to make such a positive contribution to the lives of offenders, and significantly reduce the likelihood of reoffending. They are of huge value to society – in human and financial terms.
The principal aim of Prodigal Arts is to help people in prison and post-release 'unlock' their creative potential, 'setting free' a positive sense of individual achievement and self-worth which contributes to reducing the likelihood of re-offending.
Prodigal Arts benefits artists inside prison and upon release….
“It gives them something to strive for.” - Colin
Helping us to make a difference in the lives of prisoners & exprisoners
By supporting Prodigal Arts through making an art purchase, commissioning work or giving a donation you are making a conscious, ethical choice to help in the rehabilitation of offenders.