The We Roar Showcase Event

On Monday 4th November, we hosted the We Roar showcase event at City Campus Manchester to share and celebrate the fantastic outcomes of the We Roar project, as well as share the power of creative enrichment as a rehabilitation tool. 

Novus colleagues, stakeholders and external partners were invited to celebrate and browse the outstanding artwork produced. As well as hear about the impact creative enrichment has on learners from Peter Cox, Faye Claridge, founder of the We Roar project, Sarah Hartley, National Lead for Creative Arts and Enrichment, and a former Novus learner who took part in the initial project 'We Bear' who is now a mentor on the We Roar programme. 

What is We Roar?

We Roar is a prison arts project devised by Faye Claridge, in partnership with Novus and the Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP) at the University of Michigan (USA). The project supported learners in 20 prisons across England and America to create artwork and poetry. Participants were sent three pieces of inspiration and were challenged to respond creatively, producing fantastic art pieces. 

The artwork produced by learners was then collated into an exhibition and toured across UK prisons that were involved in the project, visiting multiple sites that Novus operate in. 

Creative enrichment as a rehabilitation tool

During the event, Peter Cox, Faye Claridge and Sarah Hartley all spoke about the powerful impact creative enrichment has on a learner's rehabilitative journey. 

Creative enrichment projects like We Roar, give learners the opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives through a positive outlet, enabling them to reflect on themselves and their choices through art.

During the UK We Roar Tour, some prisons used the opportunity to host family days so that learners who had participated in the project, could show their families what they have created. Through events like this, learners are able to show their families that they are using their time productively and engaging positively in meaningful projects. This is crucial, for a learner's rehabilitative journey as it shows learners that they can contribute positively to society and by having their families witness this, it also shows them that they can be positive role models, strengthening family ties and inspiring them to stay out of prison. 

Creative enrichment projects also enable learners to explore education in new ways, and can be a way of enthusing and engaging learners in education who otherwise would not participate. Before entering prison, many learners have had difficult experiences with both interpersonal relationships and traditional classroom education whilst growing up. Art gives them the opportunity to explore education in a relaxed environment, whilst also working and sharing feedback with peers, strengthening their teamwork and communication skills. 

We Roar from a former learner's perspective

Guests at the event, also had the unique opportunity to hear from a former Novus learner who took part in Faye Claridge's initial project 'We Bear' during lockdown, which Novus was part of. The learner, who had never taken part in art before he went to prison, decided to take part in 'We Bear' showcasing his personal experiences of being in prison.

The former learner was then released shortly before the 'We Bear' exhibition opened at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum and had the unique opportunity to attend. 

During the event, the former learner spoke candidly about his experience in prison and that taking part in the 'We Bear' project had a positive impact on his mental health and wellbeing. Taking an initial idea and creating something to completion, became extremely enjoyable and gave the learner a sense of positivity and stability. The former learner is now a mentor on the We Roar project, who visited some of the prisons on the We Roar tour to speak to learners about the project and the positive impact it has had on him. 

We Roar travels to America 

Following the UK prison tour, We Roar travelled to the USA to be featured at the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair. Sarah Hartley had the fantastic opportunity to travel to America with the We Roar exhibition, where she shared her insights of the experience at the showcase on Monday.

The main purpose of Sarah's trip was to participate in the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, where the We Roar exhibition was being displayed and hosted by the University of Michigan's Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP). The exhibition was met with curiosity and enthusiasm by the public, which provided valuable insights into American perceptions of prison art, where it became clear that there were universal themes of hope and the human spirit that resonates across cultures.

Whilst there, Sarah also got to attend the Main on the Stage event, Workshops at the Women's Huron Valley and Saginaw Correctional Facilities, the PCAP art studio as well as attend meetings with key PCAP contributors. 

Sarah's experience was both enriching and inspiring. It was great to be able to see how the Ann Arbor Summer Fair expanded the reach of the We Roar exhibition to new audiences and was also great to experience other opportunities through the PCAP's programmes, and meeting individuals who have found hope through creativity and the arts, whilst in custody. 

The event on monday was a huge success, and it was great to be able to showcase the fantastic artwork produced and celebrate and recognise the importance of creative enrichment in prisons through projects like We Roar.