About Pictora

Pictora is an innovative 'not for profit' Social Enterprise (Company Limited by Guarantee), created by a partnership of staff working in the criminal justice system in 2009.

Pictora was launched with supported from NOMS, as a pilot project to demonstrate the impact that a Social Enterprise can have in the criminal justice system, in terms of both cost implications and reduction of re-offending.

The work of Pictora

Purchasing offender art and related merchandise on the Pictora website provides funding for:* Victim Support - to help the victims of crime

* Training in Prisons - to develop practical business enterprise skills to increase employability on release from prison. This in turn is shown to help reduce re-offending in the community.

* To support the development of a Social Firm arm to the Pictora Social Enterprise allowing meaningful employment of Offenders on licence from prison or upon release, with the aim to support their inclusion back into the community and the world of work.

* To provide practical Social Incubation support as required for offenders "Through the Gate" from prison to society in order to help reduce re-offending.

* In Prison offenders are with support from Pictora and the Pictora website, learning a range of business enterprise skill, developing practical entrepreneurship. This training helps to develop the employability of offenders which in turn is shown by recent research to reduce re-offending in the community.

Social Enterprise Funding - through art sales

The day to day running activities of Pictora are financed SOLELY through the sale of art and merchandise on the Pictora.org websites. Pictora is reliant on income generated as a social enterprise to develop its work.

Funding - support provided

Pictora wishes to thank NOMS for its support in its initial development stage and the Big Lottery for supporting the development of offender skills and employability through the provision of merchandise printing equipment, framing and digital tools.

Pictora would also like to thank European Social Fund and Erasmus + for support in developing new and innovative appoaches to learning and employability for offenders, ex-offenders and individuals at risk in our complex society.