The Facts
Southbank Centre in London will host 'Koestler Arts: Rock, Paper, Scissors', a free exhibition running October 16 through November 29, 2026. The show features around 200 artworks selected from over 7,500 entries to the 2026 Koestler Awards, the UK's only national arts competition for people in criminal justice settings. The exhibition is curated by the Parental Imprisonment Collective (PIC), supported by Young Ambassadors from the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT), who drew on their own experiences to explore themes of childhood, family, decisions, and chance.
The Signal
The exhibition takes its title from the game of rock, paper, scissors, reflecting the randomness and contingency of life and the wide range of materials used by entrants, from paper and paint to sculpture and found objects. By centering the voices of those with lived experience of parental imprisonment, the show challenges visitors to reconsider assumptions about people in prison. It continues a tradition of Koestler Arts guest curators, which have included Antony Gormley, Ai Weiwei, and Grayson Perry, underscoring the growing institutional recognition of art made in secure settings as a vital cultural contribution.
- Museums: Southbank Centre
- Locations: London
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