Artist in Residence

Artist in Residence at HMP Send

Supported by Watts Gallery Artist Village Trust as part of their Art for All Community learning programme and by The Michael Varah Memorial Fund

Since 2015, Sophie Artemis has been working with groups of women, often serving long custodial sentences, over a series of weekly workshops for the Watts Gallery Studio Workshop Programme. The Michael Varah Memorial Fund, which has funded this programme since 2009, believes in the importance of the creative arts in rehabilitation and ‘survivability’ through prison; second chances; and building the artists’ belief that they can achieve, both here and ultimately on release. They say: “The ‘Our Time’ exhibition has become a flagship model of how women in prison can help influence positive change.” The social impact of this programme is immense: women make award-winning art, gain a sense of purpose, wellbeing and calm through attending these weekly sessions. They share their work with other prisoners on their wing, encouraging pride in their work and ideas. This programme transforms lives. https://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/learn/community/hmp-send-and-watts-gallery

Community Engagement

Each year the group exhibits work as part of the Heritage Open day at St. Mary’s Church Guildford every September. They are also exhibiting their group ‘Women of Our Time’ Dinner Service at The Limnerslease House at Watts Gallery in 2026

‘Our Time’, the pioneering prisoner-curated exhibition, has been held annually since 2017, inside HMP Send – where these artists meet their public – is the core of the group’s social enterprise, providing them with further transferable skills. Both the co-founders of ‘Our Time’, now released and working as artists, have used these skills to develop their own practice through the gates. For some of these artists, this is the first time in their lives that their work has been exhibited and their skills recognised.

The women’s work has been selected for exhibition for New Beginnings Arts Awards at the Lightbox, Woking & at Watts Gallery- Showcasing the diverse range of artistic talent displayed by women in contact with the Criminal Justice System across the county, the exhibition consists of work submitted to the Women’s Support Centre, Woking, which is open to all women in Surrey prisons or those in contact with the Criminal Justice System. Participation and achievement in the arts motivates, inspires and helps women to develop the skills needed to lead a more positive life.

The group are also represented and have been awarded prizes in the Koestler Trust Awards at the Southbank Centre in London

The women work to private commission so if you want to support this project and the women, you can buy postcards, notecards and calendars by visiting  The Michael Varah Memorial Fund