We’re very excited to announce @ana-chamberlen.bsky.social and @henriquecarvalho.bsky.social whose book Questioning Punishment is such an important addition to the debate, will be joining us for a post show discussion on 11 April. Tickets here www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/sta...

As we came to the end of the first week of more intensive work, we asked team members to sculpt images in response to the phrase ‘criminal justice system’. These were there responses. #PunishmentActs #Theatre #Workshops #devising #cocreation

@Ofsted isn’t an ‘inspectorate’ in the sense of a disinterested, professional agency tasked with improving public education. It’s a Trojan horse for setting schools up to fail & facilitating forced academisation. It should be dismantled & a properly transparent inspectorate installed.

There is an obsession with punishment in our culture that extends beyond prison. The Welfare Reform Act 2012 introduced a new type of punishment that disproportionately impacts the poor - the sanction. Punishment Acts 9-17 April For tickets www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/sta...

@robynhitchcock.bsky.social One for your Christmas present list here - a trolleybus for the garden www.facebook.com/share/r/1DYC...

How can we better communicate the value of participatory arts? In this ArtWorks Alliance podcast, Rob Watson and Kate Stanley explore how framing shapes public understanding and policy support #CommunityArts #Framing

“But it is a very unimaginative nature that only cares for people on their pedestals. A pedestal may be a very unreal thing. A pillory is a terrific reality…behind sorrow there is always a soul. And to mock at a soul in pain is a dreadful thing.” Oscar Wilde De Profundis Punishment Acts 9-17 April

“And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like scorpions on the earth.” Revelation 9:3 In the Bible, locusts are symbolic of divine wrath, but what does that have to do with the development of our prison system? www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/sta...

The nights are long in prison for those who are out of time. How long is long enough? Rideout’s new show April 9-17 Stoke-on-Trent Book now www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/sta... #theatre #prison #livedexperience #justice #participatoryarts

A fabulous workshop yesterday at University of Warwick with Uruguayan theatre director Sabrina Speranza. Reimagining Augusto Boal’s Newspaper Theatre in a time of social media.

Fabulous news for Stoke-on-Trent’s Social Agency. Funding will go towards creating a welcoming, autistic-friendly meeting space with new furniture & lighting as well as regular arts sessions, and training for volunteers. Big thanks to @tnlcomfund.bsky.social for making this possible.

I have finally sorted out a Facebook page for the company I run. If you’re interested in arts in prison, give it a follow! www.facebook.com/share/19pnjc...

A big thanks to all the presenters including those from @sociowarwick.bsky.social for yesterday’s inaugural conference of The Fear Network. So great to listen to folk from different disciplines exploring the same theme. Thinking about how this all can relate to punishment.

Today was Rideout’s 2nd session working with folk at Expert Citizens. Participants each created a character with whom we will start exploring our core theme of punishment. Funded by @artscouncilengland.bsky.social & the Arts and Humanities Research Council #stokeontrent #cocreation #PunishmentActs

Drones delivering to prisons is not new at all. I remember working in a prison a good 6 years ago when a workshop we were running was interrupted by the sound of an incoming delivery. Just one more thing the MOJ has dragged its feet on…

@michaeldaly64.bsky.social Not sure if you’ve posted this one before - apologies if you have. Sweet - the most expensive band in the night!

I have finally sorted out a Facebook page for the company I run. If you’re interested in arts in prison, give it a follow! www.facebook.com/share/19pnjc...

The Government predicates all its pronouncements on the prisons crisis with ‘we inherited …’ . It inherited the IPP scandal however from a previous Labour Government. It has the opportunity to right a profound wrong. To its eternal shame it is merely doubling down on a kafkaesque injustice

If you love The Fall, and need cheering up, do yourself a favour and listen to this. Spectacularly shambolic and hilarious. Name That Tune: Fall Songs. Wishing you all a Happy New Year when it comes. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o...

Faced with Trump and Farage, Britain’s natural ally is Europe | William Keegan

Ended the year with @saulhewish.bsky.social and Rideout thinking about punishment with two days of R&D for our 2025 show Punishment Acts. Striking to think creatively together about our emotional, political, and personal relationships to punishment. Part of the AHRC Staging Justice project.

A fabulous first day of R&D on Rideout’s new show, Punishment Acts. Big thanks to all involved and esp @sarahbartley.bsky.social whose AHRC funded project this is all part of. #stagingjustice

For a truly brilliant 30 minute summation of the relationship between trauma and violence listen to the excellent Gwen Adshead in the third of her four Reith Lectures. Recorded at HMP Grendon. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

The only way to solve the #Prison or #CJS crisis is a #legislative review. We have too many #laws, that capture too many, too young, for too little, and punish them too much (over and above what may be necessary). Without such, everything else is a snipe hunt! #Criminology

A prisons charity has called for the ‘radical transformation’ of the role of prison officers in the face of systemic staffing issues and increased numbers of prisoners serving long sentences @prtuk.bsky.social www.thejusticegap.com/prisons-char...

Exploring Mooli Lahad’s Six Piece Storymaking process as an assessment strategy for dramatherapists #dramaandhealing

An excellent thread on common myths about prison in the USA. Would love to see the equivalent for the UK.

If you’re a fan of Douglas Adams, and more specifically, The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy then please follow @hg2g-scrapbook.bsky.social Run by a friend, he has made the move across from X where he has 1.9k followers but here, like all of us, he is starting again.

Questioning the complexities and possibilities of constructing a prison arts archive stagingjustice.org/2024/11/19/5...

Tonight, 7pm youtu.be/7N4jTMOJCJQ?...

A rare opportunity for male actors interested in drama and theatre in the criminal justice system. www.geese.co.uk/news/we-are-... #theatreinprison #prisonarts #appliedtheatre #actingjob #lifechanginh

A great day today at Restoke with @sarahbartley.bsky.social and Terri Ann exploring all things Transformative Justice. A lot to consider and deconstruct. Loved working with notions of harm, justice, and accountability. Really useful slide here from the Resist and Renew podcast

Today I had another one of those, ‘Fuck I’m old’ moments when talking to my UG. I told them about going to see Laurie Anderson. In trying to explain who she is I said she was married to Lou Reed. ‘Who?’ Finally I said, he used to be in The Velvet Underground. ‘Oh them - we know them!’ #allisnotlost

Thanks to @saulhewish.bsky.social for sharing this. While says this is true of prisons, I think a lot of this also applies to universities and their engagement departments

Great thread here. As relevant to prisons in some ways as it is to theatres.

Big thanks to @ana-chamberlen.bsky.social & Ruth Bernatek for a jam packed day on art from people in prison. Speakers from several v different countries but all engaging with people via art. Lovely to hear and see art from Steeldoor studios and spoken word from Jason N Smith.

Oooff - what an extraordinary full day of conversations about prison arts at the #captivearts symposium today. The voices of lived experience were strong in the room and added real weight to the debate. Massive thanks to @ana-chamberlen.bsky.social Roo, Faye and Sally for pulling it all together.

Make Good by Pentubus and New Perspectives is a brilliant example of theatre bearing witness. Superbly performed, great songs, funny, moving, and honest storytelling about one of the most appalling UK scandals in recent times. youtu.be/KskkLl_b2og www.horizonscandalfund.org

We are almost ready for our international prisoner arts symposium at Warwick Arts Centre on Thursday! Can’t wait to welcome all our speakers & participants. We’ll be sharing details via #captivearts and on www.captivearts.co.uk

Artist development programme with @headlongtheatre.bsky.social for early career directors from outside of London. Includes £5000 bursary and 12 months of development support. Deadline for applications 10am 27th November. www.headlong.co.uk/origins

This is fabulous. Go to www.listentosteve.com/doingbird and play the mixtapes that @listentosteve.bsky.social made with prisoners responding to archive bird recordings. It’s a brilliant example of co-created art that arises out of a unique encounter with the past #prisonarts

This morning I thought I’d join the game and make a starter pack for Arts in Criminal Justice. Turns out old friends already got there!

New book alert. Looks really interesting and potentially very useful for artists and researchers alike. www.routledge.com/Arts-in-Crim...

I am extremely grateful to The Chatsworth Players who are raising money for Rideout as part of their current production of Our Country’s Good. Tickets still available for Wirksworth Town Hall for 21 & 23 November. Book here www.tickettailor.com/events/chats... #amatuertheatre #community #prisonarts

Last night I saw Laurie Anderson’s new show Ark V in Manchester. Beautifully bonkers in only the way Anderson can do. Worth seeing if you know her work. Tonight a v different cultural experience - Our Country’s Good by the Chatsworth Players who are kindly donating all proceeds to Rideout. #art

“The English language is a rich one but even it runs short of adjectives to describe the disgusting state of affairs that is described by people being recalled to prison for an indefinite period for minor breaches of their licences” www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

An important thread from Richard. IF the Labour Government is really interested in change, this has to be addressed. There’s already been a reduction in the length of time someone has to serve in the community but the real change would be to resentence ALL IPP prisoners and make this a priority.

One of the modules I teach at Warwick is an introduction to Psychodrama and Dramatherapy. Today we looked at processes of Projection and Role. With their permission here are some examples of students’ reflections/perceptions of their own roles.