Prison Outside: Projects in Helsinki and beyond


Current Projects:


PRISON SPACE is a blog where we present artistic projects around incarceration from all over the world. Our posts include, for example, original interviews with artists, research papers, and translations of film reviews. If you would like to submit an article for publication, please email info(at)prisonspace.org.

FREE TRANSLATION is a series of projects desinged together with Translation Is Dialogue. This is an ongoing open call for artworks from formerly and currently incarcerated people, and anyone affected by imprisonment.



The Free Transaltion online exhibition provides a platform for the dialogue to continue through uploading interpretations of the showcased artworks.

Free Translation Sessions - gatherings where we make art, interpretations, and view and discuss artworks received for the international Free Translation exhibition. The sharing of personal stories, experimenting with art techniques, and listening to subjective views will help guide your artistic process and shed light on different walks of life.

Your Story Is Important, made in collaboration with the National Museum of Finland and funded by Arts Promotion Center Finland This project is designed especially for staff and clients of correctional and rehabilitation institutions. The aim is to share and gather methodology on what one needs to be prepared to re-enter society.


Past Projects:



image: Tom Shortt

2018 Prison Outside #2 
A cross-disciplinary discussion on artistic projects in and around prison. It took place on November 21st-23rd in Helsinki and presented speakers from Finland, Russia, Ireland, USA, Canada and Belgium. Our program included presentations, round table discussions, film screenings, and workshops.




2017 Poikkeus Tila, Martial Law - a collabortiave art project produced by M-Cult, based around common (his)tory between clients of Kriminaalihuollon tukisäätiö working on restoration of WWI trenches in Maunula, Helsinki, and local folk. ︎




2017 Art workshops in Redis, an open space for people affected by imprisonment in the heart of Helsinki, managed by Kriminaalihuollon tukisäätiö, a Finnish non-govermental non-profit organisation supporting current and ex-prisoners, and their families.



2017 Prison Outside #1: a public discussion on artistic projects in and around prison. In this event international speakers will introduce collaborative practices that connect incarcerated people and the public outside the prison. We will discuss how we, as outsiders, view incarcerated people, and what can be done to challenge the negative relationships with current and ex-convicts, replacing them with empathy and solidarity. ︎



2016 Invisible in Seven Days - a continuation of Invisible Neighbours, exhibition and live art studio in Kallio Kunsthalle gallery. ︎



2015 Invisible Neighbours, with Annika Niskanen, Helsinki Prison and Esitystaiteen Keskus performance art center. ︎