Newton Lodge Art Recovery and Creativity group receive commended award at Koestler Awards 2026

Congratulations to the Art Recovery and Creativity group at Newton Lodge who recently received a commended award from judges at the Koestler Awards 2026. The group submitted a piece of art they have been working on into the awards, inspired by this year’s themed category…‘Roots’.

The Koestler Awards for arts in criminal justice started in 1962 and was set up to award ‘creative work in the fields of literature, the arts or sciences by those physically confined’. Each year people in custody and in the community share their creative work by taking part. The Koestler Awards provide feedback and encouragement to entrants of all abilities in visual art, design, writing and music.

The ARC group, facilitated by Creative Minds Creative Practitioner Kirsty Sidebottom and the Occupational Therapy team, meets once a week in the art room at Newton Lodge. It is a cross pathway group for service users from all wards. The group spend time with others engaging in meaningful creative activity to support recovery.

Kirsty said; “The Koestler awards competition receives over 3500 entries per year from all over the UK. To have won a commended award is a huge achievement and participants should be really proud of themselves. Whilst working on this project, it has been wonderful to see participants collaborating, sharing ideas and using the skills which we have learned together in the ARC group.”

The artwork was designed and created by a collaboration of 7 service users over 7 weeks. It is a mixed media collage which depicts a large tree with visible roots. The roots display words chosen by participants. The words describe things which they felt had a positive impact on their own personal growth. Participants used a number of techniques on this project which they have learned in previous ARC sessions. The original piece can be found in the art room at Newton Lodge and large print of the artwork can be viewed in the long corridor at Fieldhead.

Occupational Therapist Oli added: “We’re delighted to have received such a significant achievement in recognition of all the hard work and effort dedicated to the project. It has been nice to create something collaborative with different materials in a group setting.”

Well done to everyone involved in the Art Recovery and Creativity group.