International Art Competition Back to Life

PRAGUE 1 March (VS ČR) - Thirty convicts from 11 Czech prisons took part in the international art competition Back to Life. In a competition of nearly 500 works from Europe and the United States, a convict from Rýnovice Prison came in second place, while eight other pieces made it into the top 100.

This is the fifth time that the international art competition for prisoners has been announced by the NGO Art and Prison e.V. The competition included 489 works of art from many European countries and the United States. 31 works from the Czech Republic were delivered to Berlin from prisons in Břeclav, Heřmanice, Jiřice, Kynšperk nad Ohří, Liberec, Odolov, Ostrava, Pardubice, Rapotice, Rýnovice and Světlá nad Sázavou.

The competition evaluated and awarded artworks by women, men and juveniles placed in prison facilities. The winners were decided by a jury of art experts. The works within the competition became part of a unique collection of prison art that will be presented across Europe in a travelling exhibition. The aim of this competition is to encourage prisoners to create artworks and to give the public the opportunity to appreciate these works, to inform the public about the reality of prison life, to transmit positive impulses for personal development, to promote personal interaction with other people and thus contribute to safety, rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

In the photo gallery, you can see the Czech works placed in the top 100. The overall results of the competition are available on the website of the organizer: https://artandprisonberlin.jimdo.com/