Lyrical Miracles
All our recordings were created by our prison choirs working collaboratively to rehearse and perform covers and original songs.
Several of these recordings have been submitted to the Koestler Awards for arts in criminal justice and have received recognition.
Taking part in the Koestler Awards gives choir members a sense of pride and achievement. These opportunities encourage engagement in the arts within prisons and help build public recognition of the creative potential of those in prison. Our work has been consistently recognised for its quality, and we have received 🏆 76 Koestler Awards to date, with 24 awarded in 2025 alone.
Choir name: Lyrical Miracles,
HMP Swaleside
Founded in 2022, we run weekly group singing sessions on three specialist wings identified by the prison as having complex mental health needs, particularly addiction-related psychological issues. Our experienced Music Director, Gavin, delivers shorter, hour-long sessions which prioritise wellbeing over musicality.
Choir name: Feathertones,
HMP Featherstone
Founded in 2017, the Feathertones quickly became an established legacy at the prison. In 2019 there was high participation, regular internal performances and family days and a great year at the Koestler Awards. After a hiatus during the pandemic, the choir resumed singing in July 2025.
Feathertones
Choir name: Maidstone Jammers,
HMP Maidstone
Our choir at HMP Maidstone has been going since 2015 and has gone from strength to strength. In January 2026, in addition to the choirs we began running weekly guitar workshops, giving more people the opportunity to develop a skill and engage in something creative and fun.
Maidstone Jammers
Choir name: Swinfonics,
YOI Swinfen Hall
In the three years we have worked at Swinfen Hall, we have adapted our approach in response to what young people tell us they want and need. We began with a traditional choir for the LGBTQ+ population and then expanded onto the wings, setting up smaller wing-based groups which have evolved into sessions centred on songwriting, rap and beat making, reflecting the musical styles participants most strongly identify with.
Swinfonics
Choir name: Inside Out,
HMP Birmingham
Founded in 2016, Inside Out is one of our oldest choirs.
Inside Out
Choir name: Fossetones,
HMP Fosse Way
Fossetones
Choir name: Unchained Harmony,
HMP Hewell
Unchained Harmony
Choir name: Beyond Bars,
HMP Stafford
Beyond Bars
Choir name: Breaking Bars,
HMP Gartree
Breaking Bars
HMP Durham
Choir name: Harmony on the Hill,
HMP Rye Hill
Harmony on the Hill