100 Years On: An Art Trail by Women in Prison

Throughout 2018 Koestler Arts displayed artwork by women in prison in key sites across the UK.

These ‘corridors of power’ displayed 88 artworks by 54 women who have entered artwork and poetry into the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Koestler Awards.

The project played a part in the Vote 100 celebrations which took place throughout 2018 to commemorate the centenary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act, which granted women the right to vote.

Many suffragettes were famously imprisoned 100 years ago and this trail looked to shine a light on the challenges faced by women in prison in 2018, put their challenges on the agenda of policy makers and catalyse improvement in the treatment and rehabilitation of women prisoners.

We are delighted with the legacy of the project, with all sales proceeds going towards helping us to recognise, award and celebrate the artistic achievement, excellence and commitment of a woman leaving prison next year through the Helen Cadbury Scholarship Award. This Award will provide the scholar with bespoke, one-to-one support of a trained arts professional for a year, as well as a monetary prize and an arts bursary.

Many establishments have bought their art trail artworks, and we are thrilled that artwork made by women in prison will be permanently displayed in venues including the Old Bailey, Durham Constabulary Headquarters, the North Wales Women’s Centre, Telegraph Media Head Office, Cambridge University’s Institute of Criminology and the Pankhurst Centre.

Learn more about the art trail below.

Download the 100 Years On leaflet Download the 100 Years On press release