Art, Prisons and Health Symposium

Since 2025, Ikon has been producing an artist residency at HMP Birmingham, a Category B prison with approximately 1000 male prisoners, many of whom are on remand or unsentenced. 

This Art, Prisons and Health Symposium is organised by Ikon in partnership with Agder Kunstakademi and the University of Birmingham’s Culture Forward initiative as part of Healing Arts Birmingham (HABrum). In showcasing initiatives from the UK and Norway – Art at HMP Birmingham, Agder Kunstakademi and Project Phoenix & Project Athena – it highlights contrasting philosophies of criminal justice and criminal care whilst reflecting on the role of creative practice within the prison and probation systems.

For more information, including the symposium schedule, visit https://www.ikon-gallery.org/event/art-prisons-health-symposium-2026 

It is supported by the Birmingham City Council Public Health, Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust, KORO – Public Art Norway, University of Birmingham.