First Impressions – Portraits from Prisons

Curated by Koestler Arts, at the invitation of the Prisons Mission of Churches Together in Westminster

21 March – 10 June 2018

In 2018, Koestler Arts and The Prisons Mission presented an exhibition touring central London churches. The tour began at St James’s Piccadilly, and continued to Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church and St Martins-in-the-Fields.

The Prisons Mission is an initiative of Churches Together in Westminster (CTiW) which provides support and assistance identified and needed by the multi-faith Chaplaincy Teams in prisons. It also aims to ensure that prisons while out of sight are not out of mind.

The exhibition showcased a selection of portraiture and sculpture entered into the 2017 Koestler Awards from across the UK. The artworks highlighted the skills and talents of people in prisons and other secure settings and represented the strength of work that is entered into the awards scheme every year.