The Impact of Theatre in Prison on the Professionalization of Inmates : The European Project "All Hands on Stage"

The aim of this paper is to underline what are the opportunities and the challenges for professionalising prison theatre activities for inmates in Europe. The project "All Hands on Stage Theatre as a Tool for the Professionalisation of Inmates" (AHOS), a professional theatre training program for inmates funded by the European Community and led by the Italian company "Teatro dei Venti". Its aim is to establish and implement best practices for professional training and employment in the theatrical sector within the prison context. The project creates pathways to train inmates as actors, technicians, costume designers, stagehands, and more, thereby supporting their reintegration into civil society. From the analysis of field observations and interviews with companies and operators, the AHOS project revealed a series of crucial insights concerning the role of theatre in the professionalisation of inmates. The findings from the project show that, under the right conditions, theatre can

evolve from a simple pastime into a meaningful pathway for professional development and rehabilitation. [Testo dell'editore]