Kirkcaldy campus hosts first national exhibition of prisoners’ artwork

It showcases over 70 creative pieces, including artwork, sculpture, and craft, all based around the theme of ‘connections’.

Guests at the launch this week were impressed with the array of talent and impressive pieces of artwork on display, all of which were created by prison-based learners from Fife College Learning Centres within the 13 SPS-managed prisons across Scotland.

Open to the public until November30, there is also an opportunity to view the ‘Connections Exhibition’ via an online interactive platform.

It will also be made available to prison-based learners, all in the spirit of connection.

Audrey Mitchell, director, learning and skills services, said: “Prison-based learners undertake a vast range of creative projects in Fife College’s learning centres based within public prisons in Scotland.

“However, there are limited opportunities to showcase this fantastic work to wider audiences with guest access understandably extremely restricted within the prison environment.

“The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for us to highlight these positive learning outcomes to a wider audience.”

Theresa Medhurst, chief executive, Scottish Prison Service, welcomed the event.

She said: “This is the culmination of months of planning, implementation, and above all, partnership working between Fife College and the Scottish Prison Service, and also between the college and prison learners.

“Having the opportunity to showcase this at college campus has been such a positive experience for everyone involved.

“The range, style and quality of artwork on display across the exhibition is testimony to the diverse abilities of those people studying art in prison environments, and the encouraging and constructive engagement they have with their local prison-based learning centres.”

Connections s open at the St Brycedale campus until the end of the month. To access the online version of the exhibition, visit https://learn.fife.ac.uk/fc-sps-connections-digital-art-exhibition/http://owcase this at college campus has been such a positive experience for everyone involved. “The range, style and quality

Providing educational opportunities in the country’s prisons since the late 1990s in several facilities, Fife College became the first national provider of the learning and skills contract for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) in 2017.

Since the start of the partnership, the college has supported thousands of learners in the 13 SPS-managed prisons in Scotland.