New Beginnings

The exhibition is made up of 30 works of art submitted to the Women's Support Centre Surrey Art Awards, which is open to all female prisoners in Surrey. Participation and achievement in the arts motivates many prisoners and helps them to discover abilities they never knew existed. Art requires engagement, an honest communication of feelings and a commitment to finish the job. It gives offenders the opportunity to achieve and develop the skills needed to lead a more positive life.

The project, entitled New Beginnings, aims to encourage self-reflection and thought about past experiences, as well as a representation of future aims and aspirations. Prisoners developed their artistic skills by attending art workshops and producing works for submission. The 30 works on display were then selected by a panel including Michael Regan, Curator at The Lightbox, Lynn Szygenda, Exhibitions Officer at Guildford House Gallery and Museum, and Chris Ingram, owner of The Ingram Collection of Modern British Art.

The Women's Support Centre (Surrey) is based in Woking and provides support to women in contact with the Criminal Justice System and also to those who are vulnerable within the local community and in need of help. The women's needs are normally centred around finding somewhere to live, tackling drug and alcohol dependencies, domestic abuse, emotional distress, finance, benefits and debt. Since May 2010, the Centre has been in contact with over 60 women, both in prison and in the community.

The exhibition will be showing in the Brew House at Guildford House Gallery. Open Tuesday 11 October - Saturday 22 October 2011, Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10am - 4.45pm.