When it comes to prison reform there will be few people who have clearer insights into the issues than Angela. Having spent nearly 20 years working as an artist in prisons and YOIs both in England and Germany, she has huge experience of both sides of the Criminal Justice System. On the one hand she has helped hundreds of prisoners access skills and potential they had not been aware of. On the other she has experience of the benefits of working in a progressive German prison overseen by an autonomous governor in which the arts were allowed to play a prominent role in the rehabilitation of the prisoners.

In 2016, the then Prime Minister, David Cameron, finally acknowledged the ‘scandalous failure’ of our prison system and promised a ‘rehabilitation revolution.’ Justice Secretary Michael Gove and his team widely consulted experts and arts organisations and Dame Sally Coates was commissioned to create a Review of Prison Education. Angela was invited to contribute her extensive experience and expertise both to the Review and to the Ministry of Justice’s new policy making and education strategies.

Angela's approach expands the generally understood concept of ‘Art in Prison’ to encompass very targeted and creative ways to tackle re-offending. Education being key, she founded the Koestler Trust's innovative Learning to Learn through the Arts Scheme creating visual arts projects designed to open pathways into education. The positive results have been acknowledged by prison governors, staff, psychologists, teachers and prisoners alike.

Whether you are a Prison Governor, a Policy Maker, an Educational organisation or a Charity seeking to know more about the role of the Arts within the Criminal Justice System, Angela’s ideas and approaches are totally relevant and valuable.