Our Creatives on the Outside (COTO) programme works with those who have left prison or who may be at risk of prison. We encourage their artistic talents and sell some of the artwork via our website. Proceeds are shared between the artists, Victim Support and Prodigal Arts.

In this project we are working with the Nelson Trust (with women affected by substance use and multiple disadvantages) and SixtyOne (who provide mentoring and rehabilitation support for people who have left prison). We provide weekly art workshops, arrange visits to art galleries and include the work in our regular exhibitions.

Who we are

Prodigal Arts is a registered charity that helps people in prison and post-release 'unlock' their creative potential. 
Based in Bristol, and working across the region, we seek to nurture and develop artists' creative abilities through meaningful art related activity and workshops.

We work with the artists to help build a sense of self-worth, achievement and confidence, and thereby to help reduce the likelihood of re-offending. 

Through art and encouraging positive behavioural changes we aim to help transform individuals, giving them the opportunity to make positive contributions to society. 

The Prodigal Art Shop sells artwork online that has been created in the art mentoring sessions and their own time as part of their ongoing rehabilitation.

Our Approach

We believe that with the right encouragement anyone can become creative and make art that helps them express themselves and through it understand themselves and communicate part of their story to others. 

Our approach once people have left prison is to stay in touch with them and for those who we have brought onto our Creatives on the Outside programme we set them regular themed projects and give them individual support and encouragement as they work. We help with materials and equipment. We then also exhibit their work and sell it on our website. 

We are currently working with the Nelson Trust and shortly to start with the Safe Haven a hub run by SixtyOne who mentor those who have been in prison. Later in the year we also expect to increase our community workshops with another hub with SixtyOne. We are also discussing work with CFO Hub in Bristol run by Intervention Alliance. As well as art workshops, exhibitions and selling resulting artwork we also have started working with RWA Bristol’s community outreach programme and taken groups from our workshops to see art in a gallery setting. An exciting venture for the end of the year is that we are moving offices to collocate with the Restore Trust who provide training and skills predominantly to those who have recently left prison. We are going to establish some joint training and our own training that will help provide skills that improve employability.

What we will do

Our Creatives on the Outside programme is generously supported by a number of funders including Westhill Endowment, Hillcote Trust, Quartet Community Foundation and we have also raised match funding through the Big Give Arts for Impact campaign. 

Over the next 12 months our 3 lead artists will provide over 50 art workshops that engage, encourage and develop skills in over 200 individuals. Many of whom will for the first time sell their artwork and see it exhibited and bought by people who value not just the art but the people who have created it.

In the last 10 years none of our artists have reoffended and to our knowledge only one has broken licence conditions and returned to prison.