Event Details
- Location: Guildford Cathedral
- Address: Stag Hill, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7UP
- Start date: 08th September 2026
- End date: 19th October 2026
- Times: 8.00am-6.00pm (Extended opening to 7.30pm on Thursdays)
- Entry fee: £0
Guildford Cathedral is inviting the community to discover Transformations, a thought-provoking exhibition of artwork created by men in HMP Coldingley, exploring the transformative power of art and its ability to inspire hope, reflection, wellbeing and personal change.
Running from 8 September to 19 October 2026, the exhibition brings together powerful works created within a prison environment and invites visitors to consider what creativity can reveal about ourselves and others.
On Monday 12 October 2026, from 6.00pm to 8.00pm, the Cathedral will host Transformative Power of Art, an evening of conversation and reflection bringing together faith leaders, prison practitioners and charity representatives.
Inspired by the artwork in Transformations, the panel will explore how artistic expression can foster dignity, rehabilitation and hope, and how creativity can contribute to positive change both within prison and beyond.
Moderated by The Very Reverend Bob Cooper, Dean of Guildford, the panel will include:
The Very Reverend Bob Cooper, Dean of Guildford, Moderator
Dez Brown, Trustee, Prison Fellowship
Alex Day, Chaplain, HMP Coldingley
Theresa Chambers-Blaney Former Deputy Education Manager and Art Tutor HMP Coldingley
The discussion will consider the role of creativity in personal reflection, identity and transformation, as well as the ways in which partnerships between the arts, charities, faith communities and the prison system can contribute to rehabilitation, restoration and social renewal.
The exhibition is free – all are welcome. Tickets for Transformative Power of Art (Panel Discussion) are £5 per adult (students and the unwaged are free).
Photo credit: Marie Davey
