Koestler Arts

{{Short description|UK charity for prisoners, detainees and ex-offenders}} {{Use British English|date=January 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox organization | name = | named_after = Arthur Koestler | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = | logo = File:Koestler Arts logo.png | map = | predecessor = | merged_into = | successor = | formation = {{start date and age|1962}} | founder = | founding_location = | type = | vat_id =  | registration_id = 1105759 | status = | purpose = | headquarters = Koestler Arts Centre | location = HMP Wormwood Scrubs | coordinates =  | region_served = | services = | products = | methods = | fields = | membership = | num_members_year = | language = | owner =  | secretary_general =  | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | board_of_directors = | key_people = Sally Taylor, chief executive | website = {{URL|https://www.koestlerarts.org.uk}} | remarks = | former_name = }} '''Koestler Arts''' (formerly The '''Koestler Trust''')<ref name=arts>{{cite web |title=Homepage |url=https://www.koestlerarts.org.uk/ |website=Koestler Arts |access-date=1 May 2019}}</ref> is a charity that helps ex-offenders, secure patients and detainees in the UK to express themselves creatively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/find-charities/|title=Charity Commission}}</ref> It promotes the arts in prisons, secure hospitals, immigration centres and in the community, encouraging creativity and the acquisition of new skills as a means to rehabilitation. The Koestler Awards were founded in 1962 and the organisation became a charitable trust in 1969 following a bequest from the British-Hungarian author, Arthur Koestler.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=History of the Koestler Trust|url=http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/pages/history.html|work=Koestler Trust|access-date=9 March 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201105012/https://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/about-us/the-history/ |archivedate=2019-02-01 }}</ref>

==Koestler's prison experience==

Koestler had been detained in three jails in separate countries. In Spain, he was sentenced to death in 1936 for espionage under Francisco Franco's regime.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|title=Arthur Koestler 1905-1983|url=http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/pages/arthurkoestler.html|work=Koestler Trust|access-date=9 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429195631/http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/pages/arthurkoestler.html|archive-date=29 April 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> He witnessed many executions, and was held in solitary confinement.<ref name="auto2">{{cite news|last=Menand|first=Louis|title=Road Warrior: Arthur Koestler and his century|url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2009/12/21/091221crat_atlarge_menand?currentPage=1|access-date=9 March 2013|newspaper=The New Yorker|date=21 December 2009}}</ref> He was arrested in France a few years later and held in the Le Vernet Internment Camp for subversion.<ref name="auto1"/> He was released and fled to England, where he was held at Pentonville as a suspected illegal immigrant.<ref name="auto1"/>

==Creation of the Koestler Trust== thumb|''Catching Dreams-254'' Koestler's experiences in prison led him to write ''Darkness at Noon'' and newspaper articles campaigning for the abolition of capital punishment in the 1950s.<ref name="auto"/> He also tried to change the experience of incarceration, stating that in prison, "the main problem is apathy, depression and gradual dehumanisation. The spark dies."<ref name="auto3">{{cite news|last=Chesshyre|first=Robert|title=The Fine Art of Starting Over|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2006/sep/17/art|access-date=9 March 2013|newspaper=The Observer|date=16 September 2006}}</ref> Koestler spoke of being intellectually understimulated<ref name="auto3"/> and terrorized in prison,<ref name="auto2"/> and wanted to provide "an imaginative and exciting way to stimulate as far as possible and in as many cases as possible the mind and spirit of the prisoner."<ref name="auto"/>

In 1962, Koestler arranged the Arthur Koestler Award through the Home Office of the United Kingdom, to award monetary prizes for artistic achievement to prisoners, detainees, and psychiatric patients. Following a donation from Koestler, it became a charitable trust in 1969. Koestler gave a further bequest of £10,000 on his death.<ref name="auto3"/> The trust became Koestler Arts in 2019.<ref name="arts" />

==Koestler Arts today== thumb|left|''FREE'', 2012 exhibition of entries to the Koestler Awards, curated by Sarah Lucas Today the Koestler Awards cover more than 50 artforms, across music, writing, crafts, design, performance and fine art. Each category is judged by panels of experts from the art world. All entrants receive a certificate and written feedback on their work, and each category is judged by panels of experts from the art world, with prizes ranging from £25 to £100 (as of the 2018 awards).<ref name="pdf2019">{{cite web |title=2018 Koestler Awards Results (PDF document) |url=https://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2018-Koestler-Awards-Results-21.09.18.pdf |website=Koestler Trust |access-date=1 February 2019}}</ref> In descending order, prize tiers are usually platinum, gold, silver and bronze, with a special youth award, first-time participant, commended and highly commended awards also available.

An annual exhibition programme is curated separately and held at London's Southbank Centre. Recent curators of the UK exhibition include Grayson Perry,<ref name="spec2019">{{cite web |last1=Bankes |first1=Ariane |title=The 'transvestite potter from Essex' |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/2007/07/the-transvestite-potter-from-essex/ |website=The Spectator |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref> Sarah Lucas, Anthony Gormley, Speech Debelle and Jeremy Deller as well as victims of crime, magistrates, women prisoners and ex-prisoners. In 2017, British sculptor Anthony Gormley said,<ref>{{cite web |title=Anthony Gormley curates 'Inside' for Koestler Trust |url=https://theartssociety.org/arts-news-features/antony-gormley-curates-inside-koestler-trust |website=The Arts Society|date=30 October 2017 |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref> {{Cquote | text = I want to celebrate this great resource: the imaginations of the 85,000 prisoners currently in UK prisons and those in secure establishments. Art is a place in which you can do what you like; it need not be for or about anyone else but the artist. In the words of one prisoner, "in our minds we can always be free". }} The charity also holds locally focused exhibitions - recent shows include ''Snail Porridge'' at Castlefield Gallery in Manchester (2014) curated by Bob and Roberta Smith, ''Release'' at Glasgow's Tramway (arts centre), curated by Kibble Secure Centre<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/pages/awards.html|title=Koestler Trust Awards|work=koestlertrust.org.uk|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201110014/https://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/koestler-awards/ |archivedate=2019-02-01 }}</ref> and the first exhibition in the south east of England held at Turner Contemporary gallery and curated by ex-offenders themselves.<ref name="tc2019">{{cite web |title=Koestler Trust Exhibition to be curated by ex-offenders |url=https://www.turnercontemporary.org/news/koestler-trust-exhibition-to-be-curated-by-ex-offenders |website=Turner Contemporary |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref> The charity has also held exhibitions as part of the annual Edinburgh Festival which involved work from people in Scottish prisons and secure units.<ref name="gua2019">{{cite news |last1=James |first1=Erwin |title=How a little praise in prison can go a long way |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/aug/24/arts-prison-koestler-awards-praise |website=The Guardian |date=24 August 2010 |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref>

Koestler Arts also runs mentoring programmes for people who wish to continue in the arts after release from prison or other secure settings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/pages/exhibitions.html |title=Koestler Trust Exhibitions | Southbank | Scotland | Wales | North West | Midlands |access-date=2014-11-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107135901/http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/pages/exhibitions.html |archivedate=2014-11-07 }}></ref><ref name="aa2019">{{cite web |last1=Cheliotis |first1=Leonidas |title=The Arts of Desistance: Evaluation of the Koestler Trust Arts Mentoring Programme for Former Prisoners |url=http://www.artsevidence.org.uk/evaluations/arts-desistance-evaluation-koestler-trust-arts-men/ |website=Arts Alliance |access-date=1 February 2019}}</ref> Artwork by the prisoners and others is available for sale direct to the public through the trust's exhibitions, with proceeds split between the Artists (50%), Victim Support (25%) and the charity (25%). Individual donors and businesses may also sponsor an award within the Koestler judging categories.<ref>{{cite web|title=Art Sales|url=http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/pages/buyart.html|work=Koestler Trust|access-date=9 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429205702/http://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/pages/buyart.html|archive-date=29 April 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Koestler Arts is funded by grants from the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), as part of HM Prison and Probation Service, Arts Council England and donations from many private individuals, organisations and businesses.<ref>{{cite web |title=How we're funded |url=https://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/about-us/how-we-are-funded/ |website=Koestler Trust |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref>

==Koestler Arts annual national exhibition== Each year the charity holds an annual award exhibition at the Southbank Centre, London, for which a themed category is suggested for prisoners to submit art works during the preceding months. In recent years the themed category has also had an independent judge and award.<ref name="theme2019">{{cite web |title=MULTI-ARTFORM Themed Category |url=https://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/artforms/arts-projects/ |website=Koestler Trust |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref> Submitted works are given a "K number" for purposes of exhibition and sale, the location the artwork was submitted from is publicly displayed with any title or age category, but names are removed (although first names can be added on request). Not all submissions are available for sale depending on the preference of the artist.

For the 2018 exhibition around 220 art works were exhibited at the Southbank Centre show, which included art, sculpture, creative crafts, printmaking, written and spoken word, music and film.<ref name="pdf2019" /> Exhibition titles, curators and themes for recent years are listed below: *2011: ''Art by Offenders'', judged by Magistrates' Association, with guidance from Grayson Perry, Emma Bridgewater and Will Self<ref name="tele2019">{{cite web |last1=Christiansen |first1=Rupert |title=Art by Offenders exhibition: Inmates happy to be framed |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/8773446/Art-by-Offenders-exhibition-Inmates-happy-to-be-framed.html |website=The Daily Telegraph |date=19 September 2011 |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Koestler exhibition 2011 |url=https://www.shearmanbowen.co.uk/koestler-exhibition-2011/ |website=Shearman Bowen |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref> The theme was "help!" and the theme category was judged by journalist Jeremy Paxman *2012: ''Free'', curated by artist Sarah Lucas.<ref name="G2012">{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Mark |title=Sarah Lucas unlocks prisoners' art |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2012/sep/18/sarah-lucas-unlocks-prisoners-art |website=The Guardian |date=18 September 2012 |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref> The theme was "50", to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of Koestler Trust *2013: ''The Strength and Vulnerability bunker'', curated by rapper Speech Debelle.<ref name="bbc2019">{{cite news |last1=Van Brugen |first1=Sophie |title=Art from 'Inside' goes on display |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-24429998|date=9 October 2013 |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref> The theme was "forgiveness" and the theme category was judged by theatre director Jude Kelly *2014: ''Catching Dreams'', curated by previous Koestler award entrants. The theme was "dreams" and the category awarded by Olympic athlete Katherine Grainger *2015: ''Re:Form'', curated by Southbank Centre and the Koestler Trust, including Jeremy Deller, Carol Ann Duffy, Speech Debelle and Hot Chip.<ref name="re2019">{{cite web |title=KOESTLER TRUST'S NATIONAL EXHIBITION RE:FORM OPENS AT SOUTHBANK CENTRE |url=https://www.koestlertrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/PRESS_RELEASE_Koestler_Exhibition_Southbank_2015–REFORM.pdf |website=Koestler Trust (press release) |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref> The theme was "journey" and the theme category was voted by social media followers *2016: ''We Are All Human'', curated by poet Benjamin Zephaniah.<ref name="ap2019">{{cite web |last1=Bankes |first1=Ariane |title=Why we need to free art by prisoners from behind bars |url=https://www.apollo-magazine.com/why-we-need-to-free-art-by-prisoners-from-behind-bars/ |website=Apollo Magazine |date=8 January 2018 |access-date=31 January 2019}}</ref> The theme was "comfort" and the theme category was voted by social media followers *2017: ''Inside'', curated by sculptor Anthony Gormley.<ref name="ap2019" /> The theme was "inside" and the theme category was also judged by Gormley *2018: ''I'm Still Here'', curated by families who have a relative in prison<ref>{{cite web |title=Exhibition Launch - I'm Still Here |url=https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/131591-exhibition-launch-i%E2%80%99m-still-here-2018 |website=Southbank Centre |access-date=31 January 2019 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806203255/https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/131591-exhibition-launch-i%E2%80%99m-still-here-2018 |url-status=dead }}.</ref> The theme was "connections" and the theme category was judged by actor Reggie Yates *2019: ''Another Me'', curated by Soweto Kinch.<ref>{{cite web |title=Another Me: Public Exhibition Launch |url=https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/138657-another-me-public-exhibition-launch-2019 |website=Southbank Centre |access-date=18 September 2019 |archive-date=17 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817120714/https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/138657-another-me-public-exhibition-launch-2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.theguardian.com/society/gallery/2011/sep/21/prison-art-exhibition-london-in-pictures 2011 exhibition in pictures] *[https://youtube.com/watch?v=159xiQ5ZWsU Benjamin Zephaniah presents 2016 exhibition (official video)] *[https://insidetime.org/looking-past-the-mistakes-koestler-trust-exhibition-host-explains-how-role-changed-his-life/ Interview with an ex-offender and Koestler exhibition host]

Category:Arthur Koestler Category:Arts foundations based in the United Kingdom Category:Arts organisations based in the United Kingdom Category:Health charities in the United Kingdom Category:Mental health organisations in the United Kingdom Category:Penal system in the United Kingdom Category:Prison charities based in the United Kingdom Category:Prison healthcare Category:Prison-related organizations