The Lakes International Comic Art Festival (LICAF) is delighted by news of recognition for one of its latest outreach projects, bringing comics creation through comic workshops to prisons. Its first Comic Cons Anthology, a collection of work by inmates of HMP Haverigg, West Cumbria, has received a Bronze Award in the annual Koestler Awards for art in prisons.
The Koestler Awards for arts in criminal justice started in 1962. Each year over 3500 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 first Comic Cons Anthology is a compilation of stories written and illustrated by prisoners in HMP Haverigg in West Cumbria between February and April 2025. With no real lead-in time to speak of, the Novus education team and the first cohort of prisoners threw themselves into this pilot comics project with remarkable energy and, most importantly, talent and skill.
This project – a pilot for wider rollout of the scheme working with the Prisons Estate and other partners – was led by LICAF in partnership with the Novus education team at Haverigg and with strong support from the prison itself. A professional artist from Lancaster, Mollie Ray, made several visits to advise and inspire the group and Charlie Adlard, of Walking Dead fame, provided a series of video mini-masterclasses.
“There are many great examples of arts projects in prisons, but we believe that comics offers something particularly special, something relevant, appealing and sustainable too,” notes project coordinator Sim Leech. “Comics can be a group activity or a solo one, and any style goes, making it accessible and equitable so everyone can create something they can be proud of.
“We’ve learnt a lot about teaching and learning in this environment,” Sim continues. “The learners have given us feedback to help improve and adapt the course, so that we can hopefully run it again long-term in HMP Haverigg and in other prisons across the Estate too.
“Our thanks to the incredible Novus education team and, most of all, to the prisoners who participated with such dedication, commitment and creativity,” adds LICAF festival Director Julie Tait.
• Find out more about LICAF outreach projects on the LICAF development agency web site, Comics Can Change the World: https://comicscanchangetheworld.com
• More about the Koestler Awards on the Koestler Arts website
