The Creative Prison

“Creative cities where people feel engaged and involved are economically and socially more successful. Why should prisons be any different? Creative Prision is a positive attempt to look at things in a diferent way.”

The Creative Prison places the design of prison buildings in the hands of the staff and inmates themselves. Developed by architect Will Alsop, artists Shona Illingworth and Jon Ford, and led by the radical arts organisation Rideout (Creative Arts for Rehabilitation), the collaboration examines how the design of prions informs their effectiveness and challenges attitudes to current prisoner rehabilitation. The project involved a unique collaboration with prison staff and with inmates serving life sentences at HMP Gartree, Leicestershire.