Koestler Arts: Night Owls and Abstractions

The Koestler Awards is an annual programme encouraging people from the UK’s criminal justice system to change their lives through the arts.

Poet and playwright Inua Ellams has been working with Koestler this year as exhibition curators. For this extensive, free exhibition hosted in the Royal Festival Hall, the pair have selected artwork from over 7500 entries.

Ellams hopes to challenge preconceptions of what art is expected to be curated in secure settings. He was struck by the many depictions of owls and said 'these night birds are symbolic of what it means to be behind bars, looking out, thinking and searching for clarity that often only comes at night'.

Free guided exhibition tours

Look out for regular guided tours of the exhibition that bring to light the importance of the role that creative arts play within the criminal justice system, some of which are led by guides who have their own personal experiences of criminal justice settings.

Guided tours take place at: Wed: 4pm & 6pm, Fri: 6pm, Sat & Sun: 3pm & 4pm