The printed edition of Arts of freedom - A Collection of Practices and Ideas on Art in Prison is a manual that is clear, refreshing, interesting, and, above all, useful, especially for artists who are about to begin their artistic careers and work in penal and rehabilitation institutions, that are, at least in the European context, "4th generation of prison systems". The material of the collection represents a cross-section of practices and ideas, theoretical clarifications, and working methods, emphasizing the positive-rehabilitation approach and the importance of art in the prison system in general.

Through a brief historical overview of the development of prison systems and the experiences of working in them, the authors address the issue of punishment and the possibility of rehabilitation through the direct or indirect influence of art, but also talk about misunderstandings that arise in the collision of personal artistic approaches and the demands of such closed systems and their users. The collection also presents successfully implemented projects and practices throughout Europe and the world, as well as the achieved results of the implementation of various art forms, from participatory art practices to art therapy practices that, in a special way, include the prison population in the very act of creation, and thus in rehabilitation as such.

Going through this manual, we get clear guidelines, methods, explanations, and practical solutions on how to "manage" in an unknown environment, which the vast majority of the human population will never come into contact with.

This is a really interesting, educational, and practical handbook, which can serve as an example of "How to" and "Know How" practices for anyone in the artistic profession, and should serve and help the development and implementation of artistic ideas and concepts as well as positive communication within society in which we all participate, also public institutions, where we are all invited to contribute helping their improvement and development.

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Tomislav Buntak

At first glance, it seems that art and prisons are not a common combination. Art as a special human activity, whose meaning is constituted in a complex communication process, largely represents openness to new knowledge, freedom of thought, and expression. Prisons, on the other hand, represent the complete opposite, buildings where people stay, usually under lock and key, living according to an imposed schedule, a symbol of confinement and the right to self-expression.
The book Arts of Freedom proves not only that the connection between art and prison is very possible, but also that it has existed for many years, in different forms and with different goals. Conceived as a kind of collection of good practices and reflections on the place that art has and can have in prison institutions, this book shows the combination of these two apparently incompatible worlds in a simple, but scientifically and practically based way.
Regardless of the type of artistic expression inside the prison, the book clearly outlines the multiple meaning and influences both on the prisoners, as well as on the employees and visitors, while it is clearly seen that art can also play a very important rehabilitative role in penal institutions, i.e. that the power of art within prison walls can be essential for acquiring the skills needed to re-connect with society.
Although at first, it seems that it is a description of the role of art within the prison and the way of incorporating different artistic expressions in the daily work with prisoners, this book also has its scientific value. Namely, each chapter has elements of scientific work, which gives the combination of art and prison another dimension that can serve as an idea for future scientific and research works in the area of the influence of art within prison systems.
The structure of the book is very compact, which is helped by the logically arranged chapters that give the book a well-rounded whole. The chapters within the book are uniform in writing and citation of the literature and supporting the stated theses with concrete examples.
In conclusion, it is a valuable work that has its own artistic, rehabilitative, practical, and pedagogical value. Due to the way of writing and selected topics described in the book, this book can serve as material for some future similar projects, but also as educational material for all stakeholders in the convict rehabilitation process.

Dalibor Doležal