Great art comes from anywhere and everywhere. But the intrinsic conundrum is that not every person who could be a great artist will have the means to dedicate their time and energy to it. Whether it be financial demands or unfortunate circumstances, not everyone is able to reach their artistic potential. That’s why the Koestler Arts charity highlights and celebrates art from an unexpected source; their annual exhibition displays artwork from people in prison. And it’s completely free to view!
This year’s Koestler Arts exhibition, Night Owls and Abstractionswill be on display at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall from October 31 until December 14. Each year, thousands of artworks are submitted to the Koestler Awards, the only annual UK-wide arts competition for people in the UK’s criminal justice system. And each year, these submissions comprise the basis of an annual showcase.
This year’s guest curator, Inua Ellamshas put together an exhibition that features “a selection of music, writing, fine art, craft and design by individuals in prisons, secure hospitals, young offender institutions and immigration removal centres, as well as people on community sentences and probation.”
Outside of the exhibition, Koestler Arts has been working with prisoners, young offenders, and more, since 1962. Their goal is to motivate the participants to harness the transformative power of the arts to lead creative and positive lives. They also allow participants “a creative voice in a system that can often be silencing.”
Choosing the artworks
This year’s exhibition, the 18th in partnership with the Southbank Centre as seen over 7,500 entries winnowed down to a free exhibition of 200 pieces. While choosing the pieces, Inua Ellams was struck by the repeated depictions of owls and the wide array of forms that the art took. He also made a conscious effort to highlight the written word (understandable since he is a poet) as well as selecting a variety of textile works to emphasise “the importance of softness in hard places”.
Says Ellams of the show:
“I hope those that come, come expecting to have their minds blown a little bit, not just by the range of artwork on show, but also the structure, the narrative journey we’re building, from how you enter to how you leave”.
Some of the artworks in the exhibition will be available to purchase through the Koestler Arts website. Visitors can write feedback on the pieces, and these responses are sent directly to the artists themselves. And there will be free exhibitions at set times on Wednesdays, Fridays, and weekends. Some of these will be led by tour guides with personal experience of the criminal justice system.
Find out more about the exhibition and the Koestler Arts charity here.
Night Owls and Abstractions will run at the Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall, from October 31 – December 14.
📍 Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. The nearest station is Waterloo.
