STREETS ARE MESSY
- Apr 1
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 7
The Ebook contains clickable audio which will redirect you to the Streets are Messy album on Soundcloud. Please download the fabulous collection here:
Streets Are Messy is a collaborative arts project created for the Koestler Awards, bringing together a collection of raps tracks, poems, quotes, lyrics, sound bites and a 20-minute podcast exploring life on the streets. The collection was not submitted by the prison because they deemed the truth inappropriate. However, these are true stories told from the heart and Get Wise refuse to censor the truth even if it means losing potential work because our integrity and purpose means more to us than money.
The work was developed by 12 participants in a music group delivered by Get Wise, commissioned by HMP ***. Since completing the project, some of the men have moved on to other establishments or been released. The participants represent a range of UK cities including Nottingham, Manchester, Luton, London and Bolton, and while all were born outside of the UK, most arrived as young children and identify strongly as British. Honest self-expression was central to the process and it was the participants themselves who insisted on the freedom to tell the truth in their own words. A key part of the work was then supporting the men to shape that truth in a way that could be heard without causing offence allowing their voices to remain authentic while being accessible to a wider audience. This has resulted in material that is at times raw and challenging but deeply considered. Shaping the work into a form accessible to audiences less familiar with street and criminal life required care, persistence and mutual trust. Sessions combined creative writing, music technology, vocal work and live performance all produced under challenging conditions with limited equipment, a single shared space and no soundproofing, demanding patience and commitment from both participants and tutor. The group consistently expressed that the process offered a meaningful break from prison life, allowing them to reconnect with themselves, share their talents and articulate their hopes and realities. The result is a body of work that reflects the human spirit navigating struggle, identity and resilience.
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