Prison learners and young people to exhibit work at major Welsh craft festival

Nation.Cymru staff

Young people and prison learners will have their work showcased alongside professional makers at a major Welsh craft festival next month.

Craft Festival Wales, which takes place at Cardigan Castle from September 11 to 13, will feature work produced through two projects intended to help people develop practical skills, confidence and potential routes into employment.

One has involved learners at HMP Parc, while the other has given young people in Cardigan the opportunity to learn textile printing and other creative skills.

The HMP Parc programme follows a collaboration launched in 2025 between the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), the prison and designer-maker Justyna Medon.

Learners have worked with Ms Medon on textile design, printing and printmaking, experimenting with techniques including stencils, relief processes and screen printing.

They then responded to a commercial design brief, producing items including printed clothing, stationery and homeware. Selected pieces will now be exhibited at Craft Festival Wales, where participants’ families will be able to see their work displayed at a professional event.

The Craft Entrepreneurship for Adult Learners programme has also introduced participants to the wider creative industries and explored opportunities for employment and self-employment.

Organisers say it has helped develop transferable skills including communication, teamwork, project management and problem-solving.

A second six-week project has been run with young people from Futureworks in partnership with Walden Arts and Jobs Growth Wales Plus.

Participants learned a range of printmaking techniques before creating their own printed T-shirts, bags and hoodies and collaborating on two large screen-printed banners.

Rosy and Spike from Walden Arts said: “Many of them did not consider themselves artists when starting the sessions but by the end were really engaged, producing considered work that they were very proud of.”

They said some participants who were initially shy in the unfamiliar environment became increasingly confident as the project progressed.

“Many seemed proud of what they accomplished and were looking forward to wearing the clothes they had made,” they added.

Their work will also be exhibited at Cardigan Castle during the festival.

New skills

Futureworks participant Kayden said: “I didn’t think I would like it as much as I did.”

Cindy said: “The best part for me was creating the t-shirts and getting to keep them in the end.”

And Tia described it as “really interesting to learn new skills”, adding: “I would recommend!”

Kara Pendrous, training adviser at Futureworks, said the participants had developed creative skills and confidence during the programme.

“Having their work exhibited at Cardigan Castle is a fantastic achievement and gives them a real sense of pride, accomplishment, and recognition for their hard work,” she said.

Craft Festival Wales is run by non-profit organisation Craft Festival, whose events in Ceredigion and Devon bring together more than 300 makers and attract around 16,000 visitors each year.

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