Craft, Creativity and Enterprise in Prison Education

What can happen when prison education brings together creativity, enterprise and professional craft?

For Novus Gower learners at HMP Parc, a collaboration between QEST, HMP Parc and Novus Gower has provided an opportunity to develop creative skills, explore entrepreneurship and see where their talents could take them in the future.

Following the success of their 2025 collaboration, learners took part in the Craft Entrepreneurship for Adult Learners programme, delivered through a series of printmaking and textile design workshops with designer-maker Justyna Medon.

The project culminated in selected learner work being showcased at Craft Festival Wales 2026, which took place last weekend, giving learners the opportunity to have their creativity represented as part of a professional craft event.

Exploring creativity through printmaking

The programme gave learners the opportunity to explore different techniques used in textile design and printmaking, including mark-making, stencil work, relief processes and screen printing.

Rather than simply being taught one technique, learners were encouraged to experiment and discover approaches that suited their own ideas and creative expression.

Justyna Medon, who delivered the workshops, said:

During my time delivering printmaking workshops at Parc HMP, I encountered a genuinely keen interest from learners, many of whom were eager to explore different techniques used in textile design before discovering the approach that best suited their own way of expression.

This process of experimentation was an important part of the learning experience. Learners could adapt techniques to work with the resources available in the art studio, developing confidence as they discovered what worked for them.

They particularly enjoyed working with stencils and block printing, while mixing textile pigments allowed them to develop their own colour palettes and create distinctive printed textiles.

Justyna added:

The workshops fostered a purposeful, creative atmosphere where individuals could explore, refine, and take pride in producing their printed textiles.

From making to commercial design

The project went beyond learning individual craft techniques.

Learners developed designs for fashion and interiors before responding to a live design brief, challenging them to consider how their creative ideas could become commercially viable products.

Ideas included printed clothing, stationery and homeware.

This introduced learners to important aspects of product development and creative entrepreneurship, helping them understand how an initial idea can be developed into something that could have a place in the wider marketplace.

The programme also introduced learners to the wider creative industries and encouraged them to consider how creative skills could potentially support future employment or self-employment.

Developing skills for the future

Alongside practical craft skills, learners developed a range of transferable skills that can support them in education, employment and everyday life.

These included:

• Problem-solving
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Project management
• Critical thinking
• Focus and concentration
• Creativity and experimentation
• Entrepreneurship

The workshops provided a calm and purposeful learning environment where learners could take time to develop ideas, overcome challenges and see the results of their work.

For learners, seeing a creative project progress from an initial idea through experimentation and design to a finished product provided a practical insight into the creative process.

Celebrating learner creativity at Craft Festival Wales

A key outcome of the project was the opportunity for selected learner work to be exhibited at Craft Festival Wales 2026.

Having work showcased at a professional craft event provides a valuable opportunity for learners to see their creativity recognised beyond the prison education environment.

It also demonstrates how prison education can connect learners with professional industries and experiences that they may not otherwise have had access to.

The festival provided a fitting conclusion to a programme focused on helping learners explore what they can create and where their skills could potentially take them.

Supporting prison teachers and creative education

The benefits of the collaboration also extended to teachers at HMP Parc.

The programme supported their professional development, introducing new skills and approaches that can be used to support learner research, experimentation and creative practice beyond the taught sessions.

This helps strengthen the creative education offer from Novus Gower at HMP Parc and supports the continued development of innovative approaches to learning.

The value of creative education in prison

Creative education can provide learners with opportunities to develop practical skills while exploring new interests and ways of working.

At HMP Parc, the collaboration between QEST, HMP Parc and Novus Gower has brought together craft, education and enterprise to create a learning experience that goes beyond the classroom.

Learners have developed practical printmaking and textile skills, explored product development and entrepreneurship, and had the opportunity to see their work showcased at a professional craft event.

Most importantly, the project has given learners the space to experiment, develop their ideas and consider new possibilities for their future.

The collaboration demonstrates the role that high-quality creative education in prison can play in developing skills, confidence and aspirations, while helping learners explore potential routes into employment and self-employment.

To find our more abour creative enrichment with Novus and Novus Gower, visit our creative enrichment or news sections.