• The A Word
By Charlie Ryder.
The A Word is an arts magazine I edit for prisoners and ex-prisoners, produced by Anne Peaker Centre for Arts in Criminal Justice. The magazine was runner-up for a Prison Action Net award 2009 for Excellence in work to strengthen positive identity and belonging in prisoners and ex-prisoners. Each edition has a theme: the first was The Art of Forgiveness, and the next one will be on The Art of Learning.
I got a letter from a prisoner in response saying that the magazine is very good, that there’s a sense of progression in an emotional way. He said: ‘reading your magazine about ‘forgiveness’ tells me that forgiveness is a form of ‘empathy’ and I would even say that ‘hope’ is ‘empathy’ working’. Then he offered to do some drawings for the next edition.
The next edition was on hope. Guardian columnist Erwin James had written a piece on how John Healey’s book The Grass Arena had given him hope through his sentence. So I sent Erwin’s piece and John’s book to a prisoner and he drew 2 pictures capturing John’s journey from prisoner to chess champion and world class author.
The latest edition is the Art of Happiness, for which I received a poem (Little Bird), which I then sent to another prisoner poet to illustrate.
Little Bird
Oh little bird flying in the sky
I wish I was up there with you
Looking down from high
Oh little bird sitting in the tree
How lucky you are to be flying free…
The next edition is The Art of Learning, and I’m looking for short poems and artists who would like to collaborate to illustrate reviews or poems in our latest project, called Creative Conversations. It’s all about getting collaboration of a creative and interesting kind going, making use of the amazing talents people demonstrate for the arts and generating new ideas in our own voices!
The Arts on the Out service is open to prisoners and ex-prisoners who would like information about funding for artists in prison or arts organisations. It is mainly web- based, aimed at artists upon release. The magazine is available free to prisoners.
For prison librarians, art teachers, prison officers or anyone interested in reading an award winning magazine you can get the magazine and the bulletin which is for artists working in prisons.
As part of our special membership promotion, we have reduced our rates to £20 and £10 for ex-prisoners and students. You can become a member online at www.apcentre.org.uk or write to Ally Walsh 20 Newburn Street Waterloo London SE11 5PJ.
Competition
Arts on the Out is looking for a new logo. Thanks to Haven Books, we are running a competition to design a logo - something big, bold and eye catching. We are looking for a painting, drawing or graphic design which captures the theme Arts on the Out. The winner will receive a prize and will feature on the cover of the next A Word. They will be judged by an independent panel of art tutors.
Please send your entries to: Charlie Ryder, Anne Peaker Centre, 20 Newburn Street Waterloo London, SE11 5PJ. The closing deadline for submissions is 1st December 2009.
