TYPE OF WORK
Creative use of music with individuals who are socially excluded due to imprisonment.

TARGET GROUPS
Men, women and young offenders in the British prison system

GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT
UK

COMPANY POLICY
The Irene Taylor Trust ‘Music in Prisons’ (ITT) works to encourage and establish the use of music as a powerful tool in the rehabilitation, education and therapeutic process of individuals held in UK prisons. Project leaders work with prisoner groups helping them devise, rehearse, record and perform new music. ITT also raises the profile of music and arts in prisons through the evaluation and dissemination of its working practices.

SCALE OF PROJECTS
Number of practitioners: 3–6
Number of participants: 15–60
Preparation time: 1 day – 2 weeks
Contact time: 5–40 days

PERMANENT STAFF
Sara Lee, Projects Co-ordinator
Kate Lewis, Fundraiser and PR
Nick Hayes, Project Director
Graham Rix, Project Leader

Julius Caesar Project (UK, 1999)
Produced a full-scale music theatre production with an original musical score. Over 50 male prisoners took part in all aspects of the production and the performances were seen by over 600 people. The project lasted seven weeks and proved that long-term arts projects can indeed offer lasting benefits to participants, and ultimately to society in the form of a lower rate of reoffending. Key findings showed that 94% of the men did not offend during the project and there was a 58% decrease in offence rates of participants in the six months following the project.

Timepieces (UK, 2002)
The aim was to work with musicians, a writer, a visual artist, film-maker, director and choreographer and 120 inmates at three London prisons to create and perform three unique cross-arts collaborations. Material produced in one prison was taken to the next prison. A truly collaborative text was then presented to each group of musicians for their interpretation and subsequent performance. Over 120 men and women took part in the project and 350 prisoners and invited guests saw the resulting performances.

Asian Massive (UK, 2002)
Produced a full-scale cultural music festival at Bullingdon Prison, the focal point being a performance of original music produced in a nine-day creative music workshop with a group of 12 prisoners. The group of male prisoners learned to play sitars, dhols, harmoniums, guitars, keyboards and drum kits and created and performed music that reflected the musical vibrancy of both Indian and western cultures.

Young Offenders
A series of one-week creative music projects in Young Offenders Institutions. (UK, April 2003 – April 2004)

Big Band Project
Male prisoners of Pentonville Prison working with a big band to devise and produce new music. (UK, late 2003)

New Music Theatre
Devising a new work with young women in prison. (UK, spring 2004)