A powerful new free exhibition is coming to London’s Southbank Centre this autumn. Rock, Paper, Scissors, the Koestler Arts Annual Exhibition 2026, brings together more than 200 works created by people in prisons and other secure settings across the UK.
1. More than 200 artworks will be on display
The exhibition has been selected from more than 7,500 entries to the 2026 Koestler Awards. Visitors can expect painting, drawing, sculpture, textiles, music, writing, craft and design.
2. This year’s curators bring a very personal perspective
For the first time, the exhibition has been curated by members of the Parental Imprisonment Collective, a group of young adults who experienced having a parent in prison during childhood. They selected the works without being given information about the individual artists or their circumstances.
3. The exhibition looks beyond prison sentences
Themes include childhood, family, home, confinement, imagination and landscape. The curators hope visitors will consider the people and stories behind imprisonment rather than defining individuals simply by their sentence.
4. Some major names have previously curated the exhibition
Previous Koestler Arts guest curators include Ai Weiwei, Antony Gormley, Grayson Perry, Benjamin Zephaniah, Sarah Lucas and Jeremy Deller, giving an idea of the exhibition’s place in London’s cultural calendar.
5. Entry is completely free
Rock, Paper, Scissors will be staged in the Undercroft at the Southbank Centre, with free admission. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm–8pm, with the exhibition running until 29 November 2026.
Where: Undercroft, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
When: October–29 November 2026
Price: Free
The press material gives two slightly different opening dates — 15 and 16 October — so it is worth checking before visiting. Find out more at Koestler Arts.