Young Adults with Imprisoned Parents Curate Southbank Centre Exhibition
This fall, the Southbank Centre in London will present 'Rock, Paper, Scissors', an exhibition organized by the Parental Imprisonment Collective (PIC), comprised of UK individuals aged 18 to 35 who have faced parental incarceration. The annual Koestler Arts exhibition showcases more than 200 pieces chosen from over 7,500 submissions for the 2026 Koestler Awards, which honor artistic expression from prisons and secure facilities. Under a 2023 HMPPS policy, artists' identities remain undisclosed, a decision that has drawn criticism. The exhibition explores themes such as childhood, family, and confinement. Between 2021 and 2022, around 193,000 children in England and Wales had an incarcerated parent. It will be open from 16 October to 29 November at the Undercroft space, with no admission fee.
Key facts
- Exhibition titled 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' curated by five members of the Parental Imprisonment Collective (PIC), aged 18-35.
- Over 200 works selected from more than 7,500 entries to the 2026 Koestler Awards.
- Artists remain anonymous under an HMPPS policy introduced in 2023.
- Themes include childhood, family, home, confinement, imagination, and landscape.
- Around 193,000 children in England and Wales had a parent in prison between 2021 and 2022 (Ministry of Justice).
- Some works for sale, donations to Victim Support.
- Previous curators include Ai Weiwei, Antony Gormley, Grayson Perry, Jeremy Deller, Sarah Lucas, and Benjamin Zephaniah.
- Runs from 16 October to 29 November at the Southbank Centre's Undercroft, free entry.
Entities
Artists
- Ai Weiwei
- Antony Gormley
- Grayson Perry
- Jeremy Deller
- Sarah Lucas
- Benjamin Zephaniah
Institutions
- Southbank Centre
- Koestler Arts
- Parental Imprisonment Collective
- HMPPS
- Ministry of Justice
- Victim Support
- London Literature Festival
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- England
- Wales