How to run a festival in a prison | David Kendall and Jailhouse Moose episode artwork

EPISODE · May 26, 2025 · 33 MIN

How to run a festival in a prison | David Kendall and Jailhouse Moose

from The Secret Life of Prisons podcast

Ten years ago, David Kendall decided to put on an entire festival of arts and literature inside HMP Lewes. This was the birth of Penned Up, a unique annual event which is now in its tenth year, and which has found a home in HMP Erlestoke in Wiltshire.Today we learn about how on Earth you go about organising a festival in a prison, and some of the guests who have taken part over the years, including Nick Cave, Tony Adams, Billy Bragg, Garry Younge, Courttia Newland, Max Porter, Dr Rache Clarke, John Niven, and even National Prison Radio's Lady Unchained.Alongside David is Jailhouse Moose, a blogger who first met David while serving a sentence in HMP Liverpool. He went on to be on the organising committee after he'd been transferred to HMP Erlestoke. He now writes about prison.Find out more about Penned Up here.You can read Jailhouse Moose here.Presenters:Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio AssociationPaula Harriott – Chief Executive, UnlockProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Faye DunnThe Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. To contact the show, please email [email protected] Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ten years ago, David Kendall decided to put on an entire festival of arts and literature inside HMP Lewes. This was the birth of Penned Up, a unique annual event which is now in its tenth year, and which has found a home in HMP Erlestoke in Wiltshire.Today we learn about how on Earth you go about organising a festival in a prison, and some of the guests who have taken part over the years, including Nick Cave, Tony Adams, Billy Bragg, Garry Younge, Courttia Newland, Max Porter, Dr Rache Clarke, John Niven, and even National Prison Radio's Lady Unchained.Alongside David is Jailhouse Moose, a blogger who first met David while serving a sentence in HMP Liverpool. He went on to be on the organising committee after he'd been transferred to HMP Erlestoke. He now writes about prison.Find out more about Penned Up here.You can read Jailhouse Moose here.Presenters:Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio AssociationPaula Harriott – Chief Executive, UnlockProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Faye DunnThe Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release.To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. To contact the show, please email [email protected] Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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How to run a festival in a prison | David Kendall and Jailhouse Moose

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This episode was published on May 26, 2025.

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Ten years ago, David Kendall decided to put on an entire festival of arts and literature inside HMP Lewes. This was the birth of Penned Up, a unique annual event which is now in its tenth year, and which has found a home in HMP Erlestoke in...

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