Europe UK (Commonwealth Union) – Prisoners at Magilligan have achieved an impressive feat, securing a remarkable 28 creative writing awards in the annual Koestler Arts competition. Koestler Arts, a UK prison arts charity, is dedicated to fostering positive transformations within the criminal justice system through artistic engagement.
Among the accolades earned by the Magilligan inmates were one Gold, two Silver, three Bronze, two Outstanding Debut Awards, five Highly Commended, and an impressive 15 Commended awards. In addition, a prisoner was honored with a prestigious platinum award in the UK-wide screenplay category.
Furthermore, two poems originating from the creative writing group were chosen to be featured in Koestler’s biennial poetry anthology, which is distributed to prison libraries throughout the United Kingdom.
Gary Milling, the Governor at Magilligan Prison, expressed his elation, indicating that it marks the highest number of Koestler creative writing awards ever received by our institution in a single year. I am particularly pleased that ‘Time In,’ the Magilligan prison magazine created by the prisoners, earned a Gold Award. It reflects a collaborative effort, and all of these awards are truly well-deserved.
Governor Milling emphasized the significance of these achievements, noting, that the endeavor is fundamentally about nurturing self-esteem and inspiring individuals in their care to lead more positive lives by motivating them to engage in and excel within the realm of the arts.
John Graham, who is head of education at the Magilligan campus of the North West Regional College, says “We are delighted that students in Magilligan have been awarded an unprecedented number of Koestler Awards in Creative Writing.
“The power of education transforms lives, and I firmly believe by encouraging prisoners in Magilligan to participate in creative writing, continuing their educational journey, this can happen.”
Magilligan Prison is a facility designed for male inmates serving sentences of six years or less, provided they meet the appropriate security classification criteria. It is categorized as a medium to low-security prison.
