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Taking inspiration from a tiny soap sculpture crafted by a prisoner, the exhibition brings together works from the National Justice Museum’s Collection, selected entries from the 2020 Koestler Awards and six contemporary commissions which explore themes of power and creativity. 

Power: Freedom to Create is produced by the National Justice Museum in partnership with Koestler Arts, the UK’s best-known prison arts charity.  It is the first time Koestler Arts have exhibited artwork alongside a historic museum collection. The exhibition opens at the National Justice Museum, Nottingham on 21 May 2021. 

Power: Freedom to Create brings together historic and contemporary artwork made in criminal justice settings, alongside newly commissioned work by six artists and writers.  The idea for the exhibition began with a small yet powerful artwork from the Museum’s collection – a characterful portrait sculpted from a bar of soap by someone in prison.  Dating from the 1970s, this tiny artwork inspired discussions about power, creativity and empathy, shaping the foundations of the exhibition.

Koestler Arts encourages people in the criminal justice system to change their lives by participating in the arts, and sharing their artworks with the public, so audiences can witness this diverse range of voices, stories, and talent.  The artworks in the exhibition are from across the UK and were entered into the 2020 Koestler Awards. They were produced by people in prisons, secure hospitals, young offender institutions, immigration removal centres and on probation, many of whom experienced 23-hour-a-day ‘lock-ups’ for months on end due to the pandemic.

The Museum adapted its regular Make It Yours workshops following COVID-19 guidelines to create Workshop in an Envelope. Materials and instructions to create soap sculptures were sent out through local charities Nottingham City Homes and the Renewal Trust, as well as to prisoners in HM Prisons in Leicester, Birmingham, Nottingham and Lowdham Grange.  Some of the work by prisoners will be included in the exhibition and visitors are invited to bring in their own soap sculptures to the exhibition or share on social media @justicemuseum #NJMPower

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