pARTners Magazin No 4

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1. Coordinator’s introduction (AC)

2. PAN achievements 2.1 Extract from Final Report 2.2 Extract from External Evaluator report on PAN

3. Danish Conference: 3.1 Illustrated overview of Conference 3.2 Extract from External Evaluator report on conference 3.3 Opening speech by W. Rentzman 3.4 Open letter to Governor of State of Østjylland 3.5 Feed‐back from Charlie Ryder 3.6 Illustrated overview of Horsens Exhibition

4. Eastern European articles: 4.1 Sara Zagora Prison vocational school (BG) + photos 4.2 Gateway project in Latvia (LV) 4.3 Art in Polish 4.4 Research by Vilnius Ped. Uni. (LT)

5. Other: 5.1 Personal story of (UK) 5.2 Personal view of role of drama in prisons (MT) 5.3 Dutch art 5.4 art (AC)

6. Project updates: 6.1 The Will to Dream Conference 6.2 Movable Barres

The Project The Prison Art Network is sponsored by the EU, The Commission, through the Socrates Program Grundtvig and the Commission has given the project the following project number 230423‐CP‐1‐UK‐GRUNDTVIG‐G4 The publication reflects the views of the authors, and The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which can be made of the information contained therein.

Coordinating centre Associate partners City College Manchester: Dr Alan Clarke (coordinator) 9 Galli Group, Vienna, Austria: Tatjana Meyer Merron Mitchell (OLD Director) 9 Sonder Orme Prison, Denmark: Nils Bak Melanie Kemp (administrator) 9 Salo Baltic International OU, Tallin, Estonia: Diane Butterworth (finance officer) Katie Loo Linda Pickersgill (researcher) 9 Festival­of­Friends, Berlin, Germany: Katja Riemann Steering Group members 9 2nd Gymnasium & Lyceum Classes of Avlona, Greece: Petros Damianos SEEC Bulgaria: Valentina Petrova 9 Daugvapils Probationary Service, Latvia: Aina FLF, Denmark: Kirsten Groennebeck, Per Thrane Vilcane Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, Ireland: 9 Groenland Adult Learning Centre, Norway: Eleanor Jones, Maggie Byrne Marit Gran University of Malta: Anthony Vella 9 Anne Peaker Centre for Arts in Criminal Vught Prison, Netherlands: Legs Boelen Justice: Karin van Maanen PAF, Belfast, Northern Ireland: 9 London Shakespeare Workout, UK: Mike Moloney, Geoff Moore Bruce Wall

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PAN Award

Photo: Ioannis Papadimitriou, EL

PAN Coordinator Alan Clarke awarded Per Thrane for his engagement and personal efforts making the Prison Art Network a great success. Not only did he with his team organize a fantastic conference in Denmark, but he is also the driving force behind the success of the website and is co‐editing the journal.

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EDITORIAL by Dr Alan Clarke Coordinator of the PAN European Network

Alan Clarke with ‘pARTners’ co‐editor Per Thrane enjoying the Skanderborg Conference

Although the period of funding through the European Commission has now finished, the three years since PAN European was created has been a truly productive and stimulating time. The initial expectations for a European arts network discussed at the 2005 EPEA Conference in Sofia have been more than surpassed, as is reflected in the report of our external evaluator, Judith Galla from the highly respected organisation “die Berater” (see extract later in this edition) . PAN’s success has been due to a number of factors:

• The consistent support of 3 major organisations: the European Commission which funded the project, The Manchester College (formerly City College Manchester) which provided the organisational backing, and the European Prison Education Association (EPEA) whose constant support ensured both the involvement of prison educators from across Europe and the long‐term continuation of the network • The involvement and commitment of representatives from prison educational and arts institutions, in particular the hard‐work and enthusiasm of the steering group members • The desire of individuals and organisations from so many European countries to share their experiences and products with others • The belief in all our partners and contacts that the arts have a crucial role to play in offender learning and the rehabilitation of .

A list of the many official activities which PAN has organised is impressive, but only tells part of the success story. The Network has become the main focal point for arts activities in prisons, covering a comprehensive range of art‐forms and media in over 25 countries in Europe and beyond. Major achievements include the creation of a Network website, which has currently had over 200,000 hits; the on‐line journal ‘pARTners’ of which this is the fourth edition; three major international prison arts conferences in Ireland, Bulgaria and Denmark; the Travelling European Prison Art Exhibition, with over 60 art‐works created by prisoners and ex‐inmates; and its European data‐ base of prison arts activities with over 40 entries.

A further aspect of PAN’s work has been the frequent collaborations with other relevant projects and organisations. All three conferences have included such links: with the EPEA in Dublin 2007, with ‘The Will to Dream’ project in Sofia 2008, and with Movable Barres in Skanderborg 2009. ~ 4 ~

Early on PAN was invited to participate in the UNESCO peace project, ‘A Ray of Hope’ and presentations of the Network’s activities are planned for national and international conferences in Brussels, Edinburgh, Budapest, London, and Santiago, Chile. In addition partners have organised numerous smaller activities at local, regional and national level.

Probably the most satisfactory outcome for the Network is the agreement with the EPEA to officially incorporate PAN into its organisation, including funding support for the continuation of its website. This decision has great benefits for both organisations, particularly for PAN:

• It guarantees its long‐term continuity • It brings its activities to the attention of a wider audience • It links the arts with other areas of prison education • It enables membership of the Network to be extended to educators and artists in other countries • It enables it to offer a broad spectrum of activities involving a wider range of art‐forms • It enables it to organise smaller activities focusing more on specialist issues.

This 4th edition of pARTners reflects the final year of EC‐funded activities, in particular the 3rd International Conference in Skanderburg, combined with the Movable Barres project, promoting music and dance in prisons. As with the previous Conferences it was an undoubted success, and our warmest thanks go to the Danish hosts for their excellent organisation. Alongside key‐note speeches on relevant issues and a variety of excellent workshops, the highlight of the event was the exhibition of art‐work by prisoners from across Europe at Horsens Old Prison, where over 60 works were exhibited. The strong impact made on the delegates by this exhibition was full reward for the hard work of the PAN exhibition team and the Danish organisers. The presentation of the second PAN Award to Per Thrane was in part a recognition of the important role played by the host country and also his outstanding efforts in creating and maintaining the website.

Personally, it is a real privilege to coordinate PAN. I have gained the highest admiration for those who work in prisons, using art and media to improve the situation for inmates and to increase the possibilities for them to cope better and creatively with a life after prison. It is a credit to everyone involved that PAN has not only achieved so many of its aims but will continue into the foreseeable future.

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Extract from Final Report on the PAN European Network to the European Commission by Dr Alan Clark, Network Coordinator

Network Starting with 17 partners from 11 countries, PAN aimed to establish a European network for those concerned with prison arts, and quickly attracted interest from other prison teachers and artists. In 3 years contacts have grown to more than 100 from over 20 countries.

Website The website quickly became the focal point where those involved in prison arts could share their work, publishing reports, articles, photos and videos on prison art from Europe and beyond. In 3 years the site has received over 200,000 hits.

Journal The desire to establish a continuum of prison arts experience led to the production of a regular journal, pARTners, highlighting key PAN activities and promoting examples of good practice., Initially intended as a print publication, it was soon decided to publish it as a downloadable website attachment, making availability easier as well as saving money. The 4 editions have included over 50 items from 15 countries.

Conferences Each PAN International Annual Conference, focusing on a specific theme and highlighting a different art‐form, has been organised with another partner – the EPEA in Ireland, Will to Dream in Bulgaria, Movable Barres in Denmark – both to attract a wider audience and offer a diversity of inputs. These included key‐note speeches, seminars, presentations, workshops, performances, exhibitions and prison visits. In total some 300 delegates from over 25 countries have participated. The last two conferences have been augmented by Grundtvig training courses.

Publications Coverage of key annual themes has been mainly via conference presentations and specific research publications. Leaflets and articles on prison arts policies and vocational opportunities for prisoners have been circulated, alongside numerous examples of best practice.

Database Via its website PAN has extended Anne Peaker Centre database, identifying prison arts activities in the UK, to the rest of Europe. So far information on 40 institutions from 15 countries has been identified.

Travelling exhibition Launched at the 2nd PAN Conference in Sofa, the collection of prisoner art was successfully shown at Horsens Old Prison during the Denmark Conference, forming the basis of a permanent travelling exhibition. Already many requests for it have been received.

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Extracts from the Final Report of the External Evaluator on the PAN European Network, September 2009

Extract from EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF THE PAN European: European network for organisations involved in adult prison art education 230423‐CP‐1‐UK‐GRUNDTVIG‐G4 Judith Galla, ‘Die Berater’

Network achievements and impact

PAN has provided ample and effective opportunities for networking of organizations and individuals involved in prison arts education and thereby already accomplished an important task to make an impact on the field of prison arts education. ... Three main achievements of PAN emerged from the analysis of the data available for the evaluation:

(1) PAN built a community of practice for prison arts practitioners

First and foremost, PAN has been highly successful in building a community of practice of prison arts practitioners. While the network itself provided a forum for its members to connect with others and facilitated an exchange of experiences, the thereof evolving community has a much stronger impact on its members, as "people make a commitment to be there for each other; they participate not only for their own needs, but to serve the needs of others." (Wheatley/Frieze, 2006). Some of the comments made by survey respondents and interview partners highlight how they are involved in this emerging community and how it impacts their own practice:

“When you’re teaching or working in a prison, especially the people who are working as teachers, when you’re working directly, it’s hard to get overviews and it’s also sometimes hard to see what we do, unless when you come away to something like this, you see what other people are doing and you see, well actually we’re doing that as well. Or even if we’re not, we get an idea of how to do it. […] You feel more kind of energized by it.”

“When you’re in prison education for a very long time, it can be very demoralizing and humdrum and we know lots of tutors who are just stuck in that world […]. But when you get involved in a project like this, somehow you see that there’s other people in exactly the same position, and it makes work a lot more enjoyable and it gives you more impetus to create new ideas and do what you’re supposed to do really.”

“It’s not an easy work, so I think having these kinds of meetings and people exchanging what they do is vital, it’s so supportive. It’s like it gives you the strength to carry on. It’s cliché, but it’s true.”

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“[One of the main advantages of the network is] Encouragement. That you are doing well, that your work is worthwhile, that it’s valid, that it makes a difference.”

"[The main achievement of PAN was] Bringing together the movers and shakers of Prison Arts across Europe in a way that will motivate all prison educators and re‐affirm the reasons that we do this work and its value for our client group."

"Making the network, that was my expectation and that succeeded. That was the most important thing to me and that happened. […] For me it’s always very inspiring to talk to people from different countries who have their own way how to do it, their own style, that inspired me. […] And I hope I inspired people also."

(2) PAN enabled access to a pool of talent and facilitated trans‐organisational and trans‐national collaboration

Some of the network partners also reported that they had the opportunity to collaborate on different projects and that their organization has benefited from being a part of the PAN network, which will also increase the impact of the network in the future:

"It’s inspiring because it takes you out from your local and transports you into a broader context. So it lifts your horizons and the possibilities for further collaborations with other organisations in other countries have been very good. We have one or two projects that we think we will work on."

[Our] organization has seen that there is an international scene, that they can get a lot of inspiration from other countries. They start to realize that they are not as fantastic as they think they are, because they got an input from other countries that they are amazed about. I think that the participation of this project here will certainly contribute somehow to the development of our organization.

“[Participating in PAN] has certainly raised our profile Europe‐wide and it has given us opportunities to be able to increase our learning and our understanding. It has given us opportunity to broaden our network and our reach and our influence."

(3) PAN raised awareness on the issue of prison arts education

Furthermore, the network partners also highlighted how PAN has raised awareness and amplified the initiatives of individual members to make concepts and benefits of prison arts education more widely understood.

"The main thing is that it raised awareness about the fact that art can take place in prisons. That there is literally no risk in it, that it’s worthwhile. And most of all, it is educational – educational in the wide sense of the word. That it does things to people. And 99.9% what it does is ~ 8 ~

change them to the better, give them a new horizon. And I think the project has done that. And it will continue to do that through the EPEA eventually."

"[…] PAN helped me to make the Dutch art teacher vision stronger. That had a great effect on the lobby with the policymakers."

"[One of the main achievements of PAN was] to promote prison arts in countries where it has not yet been recognised as valuable."

"The project threw a bright spotlight on art in prisons and raised awareness that there is talent waiting to be discovered by the inmates themselves, among others. It also diffused the idea that art plays an important part in inmate rehabilitation."

"[PAN achievements:] raised awareness of arts in Prisons. good networks of like minded staff across the miles. awareness of the breadth of the Creative Arts. Inclusion of the arts as core offender curriculum and employability opportunities."

Conclusions and recommendations

» The network has clearly had a positive impact on the organizations and individuals involved and thereby shaped the field of practice of prison arts education. Further on, the encouragement and learning offered through PAN has empowered prison arts practitioners and consequently also had positive effects on their work with offenders.

» Although the impact of PAN on actors outside of the actual network and in the wider policy field can hardly be assessed at the moment, the achievements that were brought about by the network are considerable and fully justify to further cooperate and network, thus continuing to shape the implementation and practice of prison arts education across Europe.

» To continue having an impact, PAN should make a strategic decision on what will be the focus of its further work and how the available resources of the network members can be most efficiently pooled to actively influence the field of prison arts education: Due to the limited resources it will be necessary to either focus on practice (i.e. continue to focus on practitioners and the community of practice) or on advocacy. This decision should be transparent for all network members and a subsequent networking strategy developed.

Looking forward

The PAN network is now in a state of transition. Although a submitted bid for another round of funding through the European Commission's Life Long Learning Programme was not successful, the network's sustainability is secured by its repositioning within the European Prison Educations Association (EPEA). Agreements for PAN becoming a part of the EPEA on a trial basis for one year have already been signed. Furthermore, the Manchester College's Offender Learning Directorate is also committed to continue its support for PAN.

Most notably, there is a strong commitment to continue cooperating among the network members ... The PAN website will remain online, plans for further networking activities such as ~ 9 ~

another PAN meeting in Belfast are already underway, and current PAN partners are also planning to continue offering the "travelling exhibition".

Overall, the PAN network was able to position itself as a vital and relevant centre of attraction for teachers and artists who are active in prison arts. The network has first and foremost been characterized by

» a very dedicated coordinator who also acted as the first "network weaver";

» a highly committed core group of network members who have been able to build strong network ties between each other during the network's EC funding period; and

» a very supportive environment for its members.

There are several accomplishments resulting from the PAN network. The ones of noteworthy importance include:

» PAN opened access for prison arts teachers – who are prone to work in isolation and with little chances to exchange experiences – to a network of peers and initiated a community of practice;

» PAN successfully facilitated trans‐organisational and trans‐national collaboration and an exchange of experiences that reached far beyond conventional professional networking, but also involved artistic collaborations and the establishment of personal friendships;

» PAN raised awareness for the issue of prison arts education.

Given the proven added value of participating in the PAN network, it is to be highlighted that further funds should be sought for to continue what has been built up so far. Besides offering an enriching learning environment for its members, PAN has gained a momentum in its first three years of existence that should now be built upon to further develop and strengthen the network. With a footing in the EPEA, backing by the Manchester College and the strong relationships that have been built in the first phase of PAN, the network has the necessary means in place to make an impact in the wider field of prison arts education.

"[…] I think what the PAN network has served to do is build relationships. And when you’ve found relationships you find a way to meet.”

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Extracts from the Final Report of the External Evaluator on the PAN European Network, September 2009

Extract from EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF THE PAN European: European network for organisations involved in adult prison art education. 230423‐CP‐1‐UK‐GRUNDTVIG‐G4 Judith Galla, Die Berater

Evaluation of the 3rd network conference

The third PAN Network Conference took place in a conference hotel in Skanderborg, Denmark, from 2‐5 June 2009. The conference audience (some 50 participants) was mainly made up of practitioners working in prison education, probation service, and prison arts, such as teachers, artists, staff of institutions involved in prison arts, and actors of various national and EU projects involved in the field.

The conference organisers applied a very participatory approach for preparing the conference, including an online pre‐conference questionnaire to allow participants to influence the setup of the conference. Additionally, a call was issued for the submission of films to be displayed during the conference as well as for suggestions of workshops to be carried out.

The conference programme followed a state‐of‐the‐art procedure with a mix of plenary presentations and practice‐oriented break‐out workshops and included also a field trip to a high‐ security prison. Furthermore, to showcase the creative work that is going on all over Europe, the organisers also provided for some innovative elements such as a visit of the newly curated travelling prison arts exhibition displayed at the now‐closed Horsens prison, and a film festival highlighting the use of various art forms in prisons. Sufficient opportunities for informal networking were provided during the breaks and in the evenings, including a music concert and a boat trip at the close‐by lake.

An evaluation form was provided to all conference participants on the last evening and overall 30 forms were returned which provides for a very good overall impression of the participants’ satisfaction with the conference. ...

The results of the conference evaluation were overall good to excellent regarding:

» quality of the transnational element; » structure, content & delivery of the event; » the workshops; » the exhibition; and » resources and practical arrangements and revealed evidence of a noticeable positive impact on the participants. Notably, 77% of the respondents gave the conference an overall rating of "excellent"...

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Regarding the quality of the transnational element in the conference, it can be highlighted that an overwhelming majority agreed that the conference contributed to developing a positive approach towards prison arts education within a European context. ...

The open comments of the participants involved predominantly positive feedback, but also referred to some opportunities to improve further conferences, particularly through

» providing workshop‐related material (e.g. a list of relevant literature); and » allowing more time for discussions (e.g. in sub‐groups).

For a network conference which aims at enabling people to actively network and exchange experiences it is essential to provide for sufficient informal activities besides the more content‐ oriented parts of the programme. The selection of these social activities and visits was very much appreciated by the participants and gave a good impetus for networking and discussions.

One of the highlights of the conference programme was the opening of the PAN travelling exhibition which was prepared by PAN network members from the Netherlands, Ireland and Denmark and displayed works of visual arts from prison inmates of several European countries. The reception of the exhibition among the conference participants was also highly positive ... To enhance the experience of future visitors, a conference participant suggested to provide the visitors with some information on where the pictures come from and offer visitors an opportunity to leave feedback for the artists. ...

The conference participants were also taken to a Danish high‐security prison which brought about vivid discussions about the lack of art activities in that prison. As a consequence some participants expressed their concern about being led through the prison without having had an opportunity to talk and eventually work with the prisoners and staff. For future conferences it was therefore suggested to consider how members of the network themselves can contribute to excursions in prisons and seize the opportunity for both working with prisoners and highlighting the advantages of prison arts by an interchange with relevant staff and prison management.

The strategy of PAN was to exploit the network conferences as the main vehicle for building and sustaining the network. As the conference evaluation showed, the Denmark conference has clearly contributed to this end. Participants clearly stated that "networking" was the greatest benefit of attending the conference, followed by "sharing experiences on adult learning" and "getting involved in a professional thematic exchange" ... More than two thirds of all respondents could establish more than six new contacts that they consider relevant for their future work and whom they will continue to network with ...

Conclusions and recommendations

» The PAN network conference in Denmark was an overall success. The quality of the conference was outstandingly high regarding all relevant aspects such as planning and organisation as well as delivery of the content‐related parts and networking‐oriented social activities.

» The friendly and supportive atmosphere created during the event was a prerequisite to bring about a successful learning experience for its participants. Through providing opportunities for a professional exchange among peers and equally allowing plenty of space for creative activities, the conference has contributed to getting fresh impetus and reflecting on one's own work. Several

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personal accounts during the conference and remarks on the conference questionnaires highlight this:

“These conferences and seminars help me to get ideas what to do in my groups. Even although I am not an artist. […] The way the conferences are organized is much better than sitting around and talking – to look with your own eyes and repeat it at home. For example at this conference I got a good idea about dancing – I did not think about this before.”

"One of the great things about a conference like this is that it is about sharing. This is what people want to do. They want to know, what is somebody else doing [because teachers can feel very isolated in prisons]."

"You feel better when you go home."

"[The] exchange between countries gives those with less tradition of arts in prison a vision of where it can go to."

"[…] Time well spent & valuable. Kirsten started with 'hope you find the useful with the agreeable' I did! The Conference made working fun! Enjoyable learning experience! Big thank you all concerned."

"[It gave me] more confidence for work at home."

» Through a well‐balanced programme, the conference has also succeeded in further building and sustaining the PAN network. The organisers have taken participant feedback of earlier PAN conferences well into account and by this set a very high standard for any future event of this type. The results of the conference evaluation fully justify seeking further funds and continuing to organize annual or at least biannial events to stabilize and further extend the network. Furthermore, organizing PAN events aside EPEA conferences or in conjunction with other EC‐ funded project conferences will continue to prove as an effective strategy.

» If advocacy and lobbying is to be a focus of the network in the future, the conferences could go one step further by trying to stronger involve non‐educational prison staff, prison managers and – if possible at all – political decision makers. Consequently, the questions to be discussed by the organizers would be "How can we involve those who do not yet support prison arts?" "What do we have to offer to make it an interesting event for them?" and "How can we utilize the (creative) power of our European‐wide network to give a living evidence of what prison arts can achieve to those who are not yet convinced?".

» If support to practitioners and fostering the evolving community of practice (cf. chapter "Network achievements and impact") is to be the focus further on, the next conferences could go one step further by also including more participatory elements for knowledge sharing among its participants, such as world café or speed networking ...

R

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PRISON ART NETWORK CONFERENCE

DENMARK JUNE 2009

3rd PAN conference “Qualifications & Vocational Opportunities in Prison Art Education” Skanderborghus, Denmark 2009

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Informal welcome by Kirsten Grønnebæk, FLF Chairperson

Intertain ”Newport revisited”

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Opening Conference speech by W. Reentzmann Director General of the Danish Prison Service

”I am very pleased to welcome all of you to Denmark and to this 3rd Prison Art Conference here in Skanderborg. As you all know The Prison Arts Network was a part of The Cultural Year in 2008 and I know that thanks to PAN funding, more prisoners in different parts of Denmark have got better opportunities and more time to develop and express themselves through creative art work.

One example is the project at the State Prison of Sdr. Omme where inmates participated in art workshops. Different artist visited the prison during the project and in this way inspired inmates and employees to create more art activities. The outcome of this exercise was some beautiful wood sculptures. A film on the activities will be shown later today. Another example is the decorating of the new church in the State Prison Møgelkær with beautiful glass art made by prisoners in collaboration with local artist.

The theme of this conference: “Qualifications and vocational opportunities in Prison Art Education” is very important for all prison systems, and I am sure that this Conference will mean a further step forward, as the conference will present 3 years of achievements in this field. The main reason is giving all of you working in prison arts education across Europe an opportunity to share your experience and ideas with colleagues in order to improve the quality of your efforts and in addition to this discuss how art education can qualify our inmates to a life without .

Arts education is a part of prison education where inmates’ creative sides are in focus and where inmates based on their own innovation can set a personal mark on the prison. It is part of a more holistic approach whereby we can help the inmates to find hidden resources and enable them to cope with life in a more constructive way. ~ 19 ~

I would like to add that not only painting and sculpturing but also the performing arts such as prisoners’ choirs are worthwhile focussing on in this context. The prisoners’ choir in the State Prison at Vridsløselille has become quite famous and has been a great public and personal success which has added substantially to the self esteem and personal development of the participants.

The artistic approach to rehabilitation is based on the theory that prisoners through an appreciative approach by the staff may be able to return to society as whole individuals equipped to meet all challenges not only in employment prospects but also mentally and socially. What is the use, if a prisoner returns to society with employment qualifications but do not have the strength to refuse provocations and temptations, which could lead the individual back to prison.

We need close co‐operation among teachers, psychologists, social workers and prison officers in order to place art education as an important means informing the individual into a whole person. In this context it is essential to give politicians and the public the impression that giving prisoners good opportunities to express themselves in various kinds of art has nothing to do with leniency or being soft on crime. It is a sensible and professional way of creating stronger, self confident inmates and thereby diminishing the risk of .

The message of art is the message of humanity. Art and artistic expressions can provide hope and can be a star by which to navigate one’s own more or less turbulent journey through life. Consequently in Denmark we want to focus even more on serious approaches in relation to motivation so that prisoners are inspired to use their time in prison in a meaningful way.

The Council of Europe Recommendation on Education in Prison, which I take you are familiar with, states in recommendation nr 12:

“Creative and cultural activities should be given a significant role because these activities have particular potential to enable prisoners to develop and express themselves”.

This is what we are here to achieve!

This conference, sponsored by the European Commission, highlights arts initiatives in Europe and generally shows the huge creative power found in our inmates. I am happy to inform you that as a proof of our believe in prisoners art as an important factor in daily prison life our Annual Report to the Government for the year 2008, which is being finalised these days, will be illustrated solely with paintings, drawings and sculptures by Danish prisoners.

Finally I take this opportunity to praise the participants in this Conference. The impressive

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contributions from prisoners, right now exposed in the old Prison in Horsens, is due to your work and creativity. You can be proud of that. I hope this conference will be an inspiration for all of us, which can contribute to giving prisons across Europe a more humanistic approach and to providing us with better tools to achieve our final goal: to make our societies a better and safer place to live for all citizens, including those who have spent time in prison.

I wish you all the best.

D

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Open letter to Governor of State Prison of Østjylland, Denmark by Dr. Alan Clarke

Dear sir,

Firstly I would like to thank you on behalf of the delegates to the 3rd PAN European Prison Arts Network in Skanderborg for allowing us to visit your prison on Thursday 4th June. We were all impressed by its modern architecture, clean appearance and natural environment, very different from many prisons we have visited elsewhere in Europe.

However, we were rather disturbed at the lack of any personal dimension apparent during our stay. For our Network, which includes representatives from over 20 European countries, prison is not only about security, although clearly an important element, but also about the possibility of prisoners having the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves. Education, in particular art education, offers the possibility for offenders to break out of the vicious circle which led them to crime in the first place and which, if not broken, will lead them to re‐offend and return to jail. We believe that the prison experience should include a strong humanising element, so that prisoners begin to regard themselves as able to play a more positive role when they return to the outside world, including in an environment which encourages this.

Unfortunately we saw no signs of this in "Østjylland". Although the foyer area included art work, it apparently had been bought in from outside. In our experience featuring art‐work by prisoners, as happens in many prisons, has a positive impact on both the ‘artists' and the recipients, including the prison staff. I gather that you attended our PAN exhibition at the Old Horsens Prison and will have seen for yourself the positive outcomes that can be achieved through prison art.

During our visit to "Østjylland" we were also told that there were no art classes on offer: this is a shame as we have found that involving inmates in painting, drama, music, writing and other creative activities not only improves their well‐being but makes them more receptive to pursuing other educational and vocational opportunities ‐ essential if they are to adapt to the pressures of the world outside.

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We appreciate the need for tight security whilst offenders are serving their sentences. We are however concerned that opportunities for them to find alternatives to their former way of life need to be provided, and the arts are a proven, effective and relatively inexpensive way of supporting this. We hope that you will take these comments on board in the spirit in which they are offered: the hope that the experiences of offenders in "Østjylland" prison will lead to a more positive contribution to society on their return to the outside world.

Yours sincerely

Dr. Alan Clarke

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Charlie’s letter

At the recent PAN European Conference in Skanderborg, Denmark, Charlie Ryder – a former prisoner currently working with the Anne Peaker Centre for Arts in Criminal Justice, UK – presented a performance of his devised piece “Prison”. This is the true story about the 8 months he served as a , told using a variety of theatrical devices: puppets, masks, physical theatre, silences, poetry, visual art and dance supported by powerful music.

Following the Conference he wrote the following letter to the PAN coordinator, Alan Clarke:

“Hi Alan ... Just to update you on some of the doors that PAN opened for me. A couple of weeks ago I gave a talk on the art of forgiveness in Belgium at an event organised by Agnes (Rammant – Peeters) in Art without Bars. This was very warmly received and a great experience which I will be returning to work with some of the participants I met as well as contributing ideas to Art without Bars which were of use to their development.

I have sent a poem done by a prisoner in Manchester to the artist in Denmark who does big paintings; he loves the poem and is now doing a picture as a collaboration.

I have also got Marlene (Åkerlund Midtgaard) to write a piece on the presentation she did on the art of prisoners children as that is a future theme for the magazine.

Now the latest and most moving part of this was on Wed I went to Mountjoy Prison and St Pats (Ireland) to perform my play “Prison”? Before I performed to the younger prisoners the teachers were concerned that they wouldn’t sit with it and they may walk out. There wasn’t a sound through the silence and this is the feedback I got from them as they wrote it.

™

Paul Douglas “I saw charlies play today and I thought it was good he was acting out his experience in prison and how he felt when he first went inside. I thought the play was funny and it was good to watch and I think it will be good for other people to wach him. I thought the bit when he was silent was kind of awkward because I didn’t know what to do he looked like he was in a different place”

Michael Connors “I thought the play was a bit weird but it was funny and it was intresting. I liked Charlie I think he done it well. Get the man a blue peter badge and a can of coke”

Peter Donaghue “I think he has grate currage to do something like that because I wouldn’t he had a bad experience inside the English prison he did not no whats going on around him when he got out he kep his head down and he is showing everyone the experience he had the show I think is gas fair balls”

Then I performed the next day at the medical unit and this was 2 prisoners’ feedback: jay m‐joy 2009 ~ 24 ~

“just to say it was an eye opener. Never seen anything like it before and probably wont again good to see someone whos been inside out there putting prisoners and prisons in a good light for a change and doing something positive good to have met you ye are a really nice fella hope to keep in touch all the best” steo wall m‐joy 2009 “alright Charlie boy yeah just to say it was something else to watch you in action. It was very good to see all the different ways and forms of acting. And I have to admit when you were explaining it to me the first day. I thought to my self “umm that sounds a bit strange but after watching it I have to say it was really good keep up all the good work you do with prisoners it is good that we have people like you to give us a voice. Nice to have met you, till the next time take it easy Charlie”

Eleanor Jones (art teacher, Mountjoy Prison) “it has only been a few short weeks since we first met in denmark . Now you are in Dublin visiting mountjoy prison. We knew straight away you had to make this visit your sense of purpose and gentle way was so obvious it just had to be shared . The boys in mountjoy and st patricks have had the benefit of your first hand experiences in this great one man show you put on. They really responded and identified with everything you said. They told us they admire you and think your “deadly” We should get more of this. Best of luck with your voyage. You really are making a difference “ lots of best love/luck

* Slightly edited for clarity (AC)

¤

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ARTS EDUCATION IN POLISH PRISON by Hubert Skrzyński Polish prison teacher

In Poland there are over 150 prisons, 21 of which have got schools within prison walls. Some of the schools are bigger, some are smaller but they all have certain common features – they are all public schools for adults (though at different levels of education) and they all have to follow a certain pattern of providing education, a common curriculum. The prison education curriculum is more or less the same as the curriculum of the “outside” schools. One of the drawbacks of the pattern is a complete lack of any arts education. There are some elements of arts education in such subjects as Polish or History, for instance, but this is very fragmentary and only taught as theory. No practical activities at all!!!

The only way of providing inmates with some arts activities (whether it is visual arts, any kind of writing or DVD/CD recording) is through extra additional activities. Some of the possibilities are organising workshops, arts competitions, poetry sessions, acting classes etc. This does happen in most prisons and is implemented by so called cultural education departments that exist in almost all prisons. The aims and objectives of these departments are to provide inmates with optional “entertainment”, different from what they may have in their cells (i.e. TV or playing with games consoles) or from what they may do in their free time (i.e. going to school, taking part in sporting activities, etc.). Of course the range of such activities and their amount may differ from prison to prison but the assumptions are always the same everywhere.

The school where I work got involved in a European Grundtvig Learning Partnership project in 2006. The title of the project was “VIP – Visiting in prison” (www.visitinginprison.com). One of a number of activities within it was to publish books meant for the children of the inmates who come to visit their fathers in prison. The books were illustrated with drawings and paintings made by the inmates, specially for the purpose of creating these books.* An additional Polish contribution was a CD with poems and short fairy tales, recorded by inmates for their children. In ~ 26 ~

addition we also organized an art competition. The art‐works which the inmates prepared for it are still decorating the walls of our school.

It is a big shame there is no centralised programme for arts education within the prison system in my country. There are so many people gifted in the arts behind prison walls who could truly benefit from such opportunities. The usual excuse for the lack of such activities is always a lack of money. Fortunately, there exist other possibilities that we have to look for and use as much and as often as possible.

The illustrations are from an exhibition of prison art in prison

* One of the illustrated stories, “Patricia in the Land of a Little Creeper”, is included elsewhere on the PAN website

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ARTISTIC SOCIAL EDUCATION AS RESOCIALISATION FOR PRISONERS

Extract from a research study by Vilma Petriešytė, Vilmantė Aleksienė, Renata Katinaitė Vilnius Pedagogical University, Lithuania

„I like arts, but you can only dream of them here as nothing goes on in this institution“

... for a long time, the topic of the resocialisation of prisoners (in Lithuania) was viewed as if belonging to those subjects hidden behind closed walls. The treatment of prisoners was very limited and one‐sided, and attitudes towards that kind of treatment were shared by both those in power and laymen. It is only in the last decade that a new understanding about the necessity of resocialisation of prisoners alongside controlling and confining them, has appeared. ... One of the alternative methods of the resocialisation of imprisoned people is artistic social education. ... Artistic activity provides a possibility of directing the creative potential of the prisoners towards the beautiful and the good, thus encouraging positive inner change; it may also facilitate a better conceptualization of the self and provide stimulus to change one‘s life by seeking to become a useful member of the society. Since ancient times, art has been considered as one of the major ways of human self‐expression. In the processes of creativity, the individual‘s inner world, emotional states, feelings, and types of relationships with the surrounding environment and other people are best revealed. ... In such a way, the creative potential of prisoners is being realized, and that results in reducing tension among prisoners, at the same time ‐ some relationships problems are being solved, like exclusion, bullying and suicidal intentions. ...

„(The arts) help to get rid of emotional pressure“

Art therapy provides a possibility to bridge the contradictory gap between how we would like to feel and behave and how we actually behave when we want to please other people. Thus, art therapy enables the person to display him/herself to the world in his/her true being, and in one‘s mind and imagination the person is able to reconstruct what he/she had done or lost in the past. The aim of art therapy is to increase the person‘s physical and spiritual activity, to store energy and consolidate strength to fight difficulties, to solve inner and outer conflicts, to achieve emotional harmony, and to regain self‐confidence. When the person is encouraged to express him/herself spontaneously and freely through artistic activity, then his/her own produced artistic image can help to reveal any previously suppressed feelings or inner conflicts, as well as facilitate the processes of conceiving and solving problems which arise. „I feel the connection between the behavior, values and the understanding of art, while participating in the process of creation“

In Lithuania the ‘Will to Dream‘ project was regarded as a way of encouraging the development of theatre and visual (or media) arts in the educational programmes in penitentiary institutions. However, ... he present‐day artistic education in Lithuania is a deplorably neglected area of our public life. And the reasons for that are not so much because of the poor financial possibilities of the state as of a too narrow and simplistic undertstanding of the value and importance of artistic education. More advanced countries in this field became convinced long ago that this kind of education serves as an increasingly effective means of communication in present‐day circumstances, where the mass media are becoming considerably more aggressive leading to ~ 28 ~

increased alienation in the society. The aims of artistic education are not exclusively limited to the issues of subtleties of craft, and ways of expanding knowledge or developing creativity. What is essential in this education provides a possibility for people to communicate and match the development of social skills as ways of self‐expression.

„I like artistic activities a lot, they help me to change into a better person“

ARTS ACTIVITIES IDENTIFIED IN LITHUANIAN PRISONS

Lukiškės Prison Fine arts workshop. Mostly attended by the people that have a talent for drawing, carving. The works of art of the prisoners decorate the walls of the institution, exhibitions are organised.

Panevėžys Correction House Amateur (singing, dancing, acting) group

Correction House Number 2 A group of music and drama (those who can play the instrument are talented and those who cannot). Fine arts workshop The works of art of the prisoners decorate the walls of the institution, exhibitions are organised.

Extracts from „The peculiarities and possibilities of artistic social education as resocilaisation for prisoners“ – a research study undertaken by Vilnius Pedagogical University as part of ‚The Will to Dream‘ project. The quotes are from Lithuanian prisoners interviewed for the study.

EDITORIAL NOTE: Some got the language of the original English text has been slightly amended for clarity – every effort has been made not to alter the original meaning

Lukiškės Prison

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Personal Story of Growth Written by Terence, an inmate in an English Prison

I came to jail at 14. I never really tried hard at school. When I came to jail I knew I had let a lot of people down. Because of my age I was coming up to my GCSEs. I made the decision to put all of my efforts into my school work. For me it was like trying to make a mends in a way. I knew what I did was terrible and I wanted to show that I can do good and there was more to me than my crime.

I was the only inmate doing GCSEs so I was not able to discuss with peers my subjects and ways of revision. I got help from teachers but I initially found organizing my time hard. I had never tried so hard to achieve anything. The revision and workload seemed relentless.

What I found helped me and gave me a sense of release was through this time was art. I took it as a GCSE and just treated it as any other subject. When I started to draw and paint, I found it tremendously therapeutic. All other subjects I found stressful but in art I was given a chance to use my imagination and explore ideas. I used art as escapism, from my situation which was increasingly difficult to deal with.

When I finally received the results of my GCSEs I was overjoyed with the outcome. Especially receiving an A in art which really meant the most to me. My hard work paid off, not only that but I knew what I was capable of and found something that would help my time in prison and possibly help build my future.

I moved jail after this and was determined to carry on my education with a focus on art. I started my A levels, this time I knew what to expect. The work was a lot harder but I was also given more freedom. I took several subjects but within art, this freedom allowed me to expand on ideas and develop my skills and creativity. I had grown in confidence in and out of the education environment. Art had helped build my character as someone studious, disciplined and positive. I became an adult support worker and helped others within the class. This new found attitude helped me gain several qualifications that confirmed for me a potential I never thought I had.

Over these years I have had help and encouragement from a wide range of people. The support I received has been invaluable, from probation officers to staff, teachers and other inmates. ~ 30 ~

Teachers have given new perspectives and challenges that have broadened my mind. My family have always supported and been there for me, with my art I feel I have something to show them I am not wasting my time and trying to develop myself and future.

The next step for me after A levels was the Open University. To begin with I found this intimidating. My study was more or less completely independent. My studies focused on Art History, , this was a change from my previous studies. I found working on my knowledge of art and the movements and developments within it put me in a position where I could interact with others with confidence about my subject and also put across informed opinions. Healthy debate about art I feel has helped me greatly. My studies helped my own artwork giving me further ideas about my role as an artist. I have been entering my work for the Koestler awards and have recently become successful in having two of my paintings exhibited. Through the Koestler Trust, I now have strong intentions for the future. I am now currently looking at Colleges and Universities. I am hoping to continue with art and take it as far as I can. I see it as something I will always be involved with.

Art has helped me to relate to others and understand feelings with a greater sensitivity. I feel this is largely beneficial to someone in my position. Through my years in prison there has been a complete turnaround in my attitude and outlook on life. I now want to empathize with others and reach out. I want to develop and create positivity. I want to compensate for my destructive behavior through something constructive and I feel art is as realistic a way to do that as anything.

~ 31 ~

“Drama as redemption” Some thoughts on the role of drama and theatre in prisons by Tony Vella, University of Malta

Tony Vella with Aneta Moyanova from Bulgaria during the PAN Conference in Skanderborg

It is said that art has the power to redeem lives. I believe that theatre has the potential to do just that. If there is a place where the redemption of lives is sorely needed it is prison. This article is about doing drama and theatre in prison. The conflict between the concept of theatre and that of prison is stark; theatre, the epicenter of self expression, unfettered speech and movement, of being whoever one chooses to be, staged in an environment that is totally repressive, soul and mind destroying, identity eraser and infantilising.

This strange setting makes the task and role of those who promote and work in ‘prison theatre’ more challenging and rewarding. They need to be endowed with more patience than the average person and large doses of perseverance. Changing one’s outlook and behaviour does not suddenly happen. It is a process that takes time and may be fraught with occasional setbacks and obstacles. Prisoners may vary in the degree of motivation to change their lives around. They may be at different stages of readiness to benefit from the opportunities that drama and theatre offer. Hence the need to conceptualise theatre in prison as a programme rather than an event, one that takes place every so many years. The benefits to the prisoners involved in theatre, the officers and the institution are incremental. The changes become apparent some time after the initiation of the ‘theatre programme’ but no one can predict their timing.

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Tony tries on an appropriate costume during ‘The Will to Dream’ meeting in Sweden

Artistic expression, wherever it exists deserves the freedom that makes it unique and worthwhile. If prisons, as politicians, senior civil servants and prison service bosses often state, are not simply the punitive institutions they once were but places of rehabilitation, drama and theatre should not only not be obstructed but promoted, facilitated and protected. It should be promoted for the educational, emotional and empowering qualities that are inherent in it. It should be facilitated because ultimately it is a win‐win situation even if the officers have to open and close a few more doors than usual. Those who are responsible for doing theatre in prison have enough on their plate without having to endure obstruction and discouragement. They have little or no control over the context in which they work since prisons are very tightly regulated. The available infrastructure is usually quite rudimentary and it takes creative minds to overcome these shortcomings. They do not enjoy the appropriately rigged stage, lights, sound system, dressing rooms and so on that one finds in a decent theatre. Those whose role it is to produce and put up a performance know that the ‘prison audience’ may be different from the keen theatre goers they face in the theatre outside. On the inside the performance has to be entertaining in one way or another and not simply artistic and skilful. It should be protected from those elements in government, prison service and the public whose concept of prison is a nineteenth century one.

For those who, rightfully, ask if theatre ‘works’ and whether it makes a difference to the prisoners and the prison the theatre professionals engaged in prison (whether employed or volunteers) need to provide persuasive answers. One approach involves evaluating what goes on. One can evaluate the progress made in the quality of the actors in order to make it more enhanced if necessary thus showing that the prisoners are developing skills that cannot be accessed in other ways. The way things are done can be evaluated (process) in order to see whether the attitudes, collaboration, teamwork and discipline needed in such a venture are coming together effectively. The long term life changing effect on prisoners is the most difficult to evaluate. As in all other aspects of education and personal experiences it is difficult to foresee when the positive effect will surface and become evident in a prisoner’s or former prisoner’s life. The same may be said for all that teachers do with children at school. To produce a body of evidence one needs to conduct a long term research project which involves following prisoners both inside and after release for a number of years. ~ 33 ~

Theatre anywhere, but particularly desirable in prison, promotes interpersonal and group communication and debate after exposure, thereby enhancing learning and behaviour change. An eye opening account of the power of theatre to bring this about is given by a teacher of English who decided to teach the ‘language’ and literature to female inmates through a performance of ‘The Merchant of Venice’ (Trounstine 2001). The transformation within these women during the process and after the performances is described in enough detail to make it difficult for one to dismiss the potential of theatre to change people. The experience exposed them to a new world view that contrasted sharply with the one they had when they came to prison. It was for them an education ‘written large’.

Stories like the one above are vital to the effort aimed at mobilising support and pressure groups. The target(s) need to be both vertical and horizontal. Arguments and evidence, in so far as this available, need to be strong enough to persuade ministries responsible for prisons and those for education together with national prison directorates and individual governors/directors to come over to the side of those who are convinced of (through experience) and committed to the good that theatre brings about. When they do they will move from reluctance and scepticism to pride and satisfaction that they contributed generously to the life changing policies and practice of their prison system.

Tony Vella in deep discussion with drama expert, Mike Moloney, and Mary Ioannou from Cyprus

The horizontal target is, of course, the public. Public perception is completely dominated by the media. The media influences the thoughts, feelings and emotions of the general public from the academic to the illiterate members of society. In the two hundred and fifty year history of the modern prison public opinion about prison and prisoners has hardly changed. It is still perceived as a punitive institution rather than a rehabilitative one. The theatre lobby and the rehabilitation lobby as a whole, will have to square up to those who subscribe to the idea that ‘once damned always damned’ or ‘if broken it ain’t gonna be fixed’. Some media people are to be found among this group. Since public perception is so crucial to the implementation and success

~ 34 ~

of rehabilitative/educational endeavours such as theatre every effort must be made to win it over. In democracies those who hold positions of power and leadership tend to be very sensitive to public opinion which is mostly formed by the media. Hence the two pronged attack. Win over the policy makers and those who are charged with implementing policies and change public opinion so that the former will not be intimidated by the latter and refrain from changing the ‘status quo’. A well thought out sustained campaign should target the news staff of the media such as: journalists, editors and producers of information broadcast and print media. It is not enough to show off the newly discovered skills and talents of prisoners. The public will only be persuaded to support prison theatre and other constructive policies by anecdotal evidence of the positive effect on prisoners and how the threat they may have posed to society is no longer there.

Attending a circus workshop at a young offenders’ centre during ‘The Will to Dream’ meeting in Sweden

~ 35 ~

“Art behind Barbed Wire” How German refugees coped with internment by Alan Clarke

In 1939, Hitler’s troupes invaded Czechoslovakia, forcing thousands of Germans, Austrians and other nationalities, who had sought refuge there, as well as many Czechs, to flee the country. They were forced to flee across Europe and beyond: to Scandinavia, to the Soviet Union (mainly Communists), a great many to the USA and many thousands across the English Channel. In Britain they were given temporary permits and registered as “enemy aliens”, even though the vast majority were Jews and anti‐fascists who had been persecuted in their homeland.

Many thousands of refugees fled to England, following Hitler’s invasion of Czechoslovakia

At the beginning of 1940, when Hitler’s invasion of France signalled the real beginning of the conflict which was to last for a further 5 years, these “enemy aliens” were arrested and interned. At first they were housed in temporary camps around England – including holiday‐camps, race‐ courses and even circus headquarters. Some of those interned, who had already suffered in Nazi concentration camps, reacted badly to this treatment, a few even committing suicide. Others found themselves sharing huts, and even beds, with Nazi prisoners‐of‐war – their English guards often having little understanding of exactly who their prisoners were. Soon, however, the majority were re‐located into boarding‐houses and hotels on the Isle of Man, although others were shipped overseas to Australia and Canada, ostensibly as prisoners‐of‐war, where they experienced particularly difficult conditions.

~ 36 ~

Cartoon reflecting the reaction to the internment of anti‐Fascist refugees from Hitler Germany

You might think that, given what most of them had already been through – persecution, exile, loss of family and friends, re‐deployment from reasonable jobs into menial tasks, discrimination – that their reaction to these events would be mainly negative and bitter. On the contrary, most of their memoirs and letters indicate that the vast majority of detainees sympathised to some extent with the reasons for their and after their release one or two years later worked untiringly for the British war effort against Nazi Germany.

“We have been Hitler’s enemies For years before the war. We knew his plans of bombing and Invading Britain’s shore, We warned you of his treachery When you believed in peace, And now we are His Majesty’s Most loyal internees.”

Reports from these internees show a remarkably similar reaction to their . Once a camp committee had been set up to organise the living conditions and welfare of the prisoners, the following would be established: a school and university, a newspaper, a theatre/ entertainment hut.

~ 37 ~

Magazine produced by German internees in Australia

Education was clearly a priority but so was culture. In all internment centres in the British Isles and overseas the arts flourished:

™ Journals not only contained the little news that was available but also was an outlet for poems, short stories, cartoons and sketches; ™ Visual art was created out of whatever materials were available; ™ Concerts were improvised on a range of instruments. ™ A male dance company was formed in one camp … ™ .. and everywhere theatre was presented: cabaret, speeches & extracts from Shakespeare, Goethe and other writers, even whole plays were successfully produced.

Sketch of a refugee theatre performance in Hay Camp, Australia

~ 38 ~

“In short scenes we’ll present to you With modesty yet humour too The great things of our great new age.

Perhaps so great, though, all is not, As in this camp where we survive, Yet still we should for greatness strive, To help to ease our heavy lot.

We play much more than just a game, For though the action intertwined A piece of truth you each should find To help you nearer to your aim.”

Introduction written by a refugee for a review in Hay Camp, Australia

Although clearly the actual situation in internment was very different from those of most inmates in European prisons today, and the internees generally came from a more privileged background, there are I believe many lessons to be learnt by us from the experiences of these German refugees:

• The importance for education as stimulus & rehabilitation • The need for socialisation • The crucial role that the arts can play in a confined environment • The importance of links with the outside world.

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