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Critical Thinking: Art in Prisons

3rd November to the 8th December

Artist, researcher and coach, Hannah Hull, has announced that she will be delivering a course entitled 'Critical Thinking: Art in Prisons' over six consecutive Monday evening sessions from the 3rd of November to the 8th of December 2014 at Goldsmiths, University of London.

The focus of this course is to help artists and arts practitioners working in prisons (or who may wish to work in prisons), to identify their critical position and where they would be best placed to realise their aims. It will inform participants about the level and type of support they can expect from the prison service; provide guidance on how to navigate the prison system; and advise on ways to instil critical thought in prisoners, both during and beyond the time-frame of an intervention.

Critical thinking is especially important in the politically loaded environment of a prison. Artists and arts practitioners work in prisons for many different reasons: some will see the Criminal Justice System as fertile ground to explore extreme subject matters; others will be politically driven, and want to influence or change current systems; and some will simply want to teach the artform they are passionate about in a challenging context.

Whatever the reason, ideas are often difficult to realise within the complex territory of a prison. Whether one believes in radical solutions to crime or old-fashioned retribution, it is important to understand your critical position and rationale for working in this area well in advance of approaching a prison for work.

This course combines practice and theory, and participants will leave with a critically informed and viable prison arts proposal and a series of critical tools to positively affect their broader art practice.

Cost: £180.00 for 6 sessions.

For more information click here.