Theatre in Prisons

We work from the belief that the arts have the power to transform people's lives. We develop and implement participatory arts projects and undertake training for artists and for professionals working in the Criminal Justice System.

Four performers in black shirts gesturing with their hands out

Drama at the University of Manchester is proud to have a long-standing relationship with TiPP (Theatre in Prisons and Probation), an internationally-leading arts organisation working in the criminal justice system.

Founded at the University in 1992 by a member of academic staff, TiPP works from the belief that the arts have the power to transform people's lives. The organisation develops and implements participatory arts projects and undertakes training for artists and for professionals working in the criminal justice system.

TiPP offers a third year practical course, 'Applied Theatre: Prisons', available to students on Drama single and joint honours programmes.

'Applied Theatre: Prisons' is an intensive, professional-standard practical course that provides training in drama and theatre in the criminal justice system. Students engage in practical and theoretical exploration of this context of work, and are supported to design, deliver and evaluate their own theatre project in a criminal justice setting. TiPP has close links with other subject areas in the University, teaching on postgraduate Social Work courses and developing arts-based research approaches with Criminology.

Research projects have included: exploring the impact of the Prevent Agenda on secondary school staff and pupils, documenting the lives of undocumented migrant workers living in Manchester, and assessing the strengths and resiliencies of marginalized young people caught up in the justice system.

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