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Atkinson Secure Children’s Home

Helping young people to understand and manage their emotions

Atkinson artwork at the Koestler exhibition


The Koestler Awards for arts in criminal justice started in 1962. Each year over 3,500 people in custody and in the community share their creative work by taking part. The Trust provides feedback and encouragement to entrants of all abilities in visual art, design, writing and music.  Every year, the young people from Atkinson submit work and typically two or three pieces are purchased by members of the public – the young people receive a percentage of the profits.  2020 was a first for the home – not only were some of the entered pictures sold, but MY’s ‘hand of fate’ was selected by the judges (including well known artists such as Grayson Perry) to appear in the exhibition. The photograph shows MY’s picture displayed on the South Bank, London, one of 60 images chosen. Congratulations to MY, as this is a fantastic achievement!


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