Women in Prison New Beginnings Art Awards September 2020 - exhibition runs until #Nov29th
- The Chronicle Theatre Company
- Oct 19, 2020
- 2 min read
#TheLightBox #WomensSupportCentreWoking present their #10th New Beginnings Art Awards
With the extra restrictions imposed on women in prison and outside due to the pandemic, many incredible works have been made for this 10th year of the awards. Please see the exhibits via the link below.
The Women's Support Centre aims to prevent women from coming into contact with the Criminal Justice System by promoting participation and achievement in the arts. This motivates, inspires, and helps women to develop the skills needed to lead a more positive life. This year's theme is 'Looking Through a Different Lens'.
Actress #ThandieNewton was the guest speaker at the online ceremony.
The New Beginnings Art Awards is an annual art competition for women. The competition is open to both women in the community, and those in any of the three women’s prisons in Surrey: HMP Send, HMP Bronzefield and HMP Downview. This year’s theme is ‘Looking Through a Different Lens’.
The Art Awards specifically focus on engaging with women who are at risk of being, or who are, involved with the Criminal Justice System. The Awards give women the opportunity to achieve and develop the skills needed to think about leading a life based on positive decision making.
The project is aimed at encouraging and motivating women to engage in honest and reflective communication, and expression of feelings via the pieces they create. It also inspires a commitment to complete the piece and awards a sense of achievement and accomplishment. Furthermore, it gives women the opportunity to showcase their talent and receive feedback from both the community and the judges.
In previous years, women have come together in the Art Workshops and have connected through a supportive and nurturing environment. Often this leads to being able to access other vitally needed services, once the process of understanding barriers to engagement has begun.
Due to Covid-19 the workshops have been run differently this year, but have still been active and inspirational. All workshops have been virtual and focused on finding ways to express the ongoing struggles and challenges faced by women from a completely different view point. A participant commented that ‘the change in the world has forced us to look at ourselves and others from a different perspective’ and what a positive journey this has been.
The group sessions became inspiring and a source of hope and connection. It evidenced the faith and drive that is still alive in the women that receive support from the WSC, despite Covid-19 and isolation.
One women said after a workshop:
“The art awards has given me a sense of achievement, despite everything that has happened in 2020, I have learnt that I am much more capable than I thought I was.”
The Art Awards has two categories: Visual Art and Creative Writing.
The Art Awards Scheme is supported by The Lightbox, Women in Prison and Woking Borough Council.
Some works in the exhibition are for sale, with proceeds split between the artist and the Women’s Support Centre.
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