Koestler Arts Awards 2026: 19 Winning Tracks from Finding Rhythms Participants

We’re incredibly proud to share that participants supported through Finding Rhythms projects have received 19 awards in the 2026 Koestler Arts Awards.

These awards belong to the participants.

They recognise their music, their words, their ideas and their creativity. We’re privileged to have played a part in helping bring that creativity to light.

This year’s recognition includes:

  1. HMP Woodhill – Show Me – Gold Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  2. HMP High Down – Yorkshire People – Platinum Award (Computer Generated Music) 
  3. HMP High Down – Defensive Wall – Highly Commended (Spoken Word)
  4. HMP Bristol – General Alarm – Platinum Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  5. HMP Bristol – Didn’t Care – Highly Commended Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  6. HMP Aylesbury – Make A Change – Commended Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  7. HMP Aylesbury – Bad Move – Silver Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  8. HMP Aylesbury – Inshallah – Commended Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime)
  9. HMP Aylesbury – Nightmares – Silver Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime)
  10. HMP Aylesbury – Rockstar – Bronze Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  11. Katherine Price Hughes House AP – Secrets – Bronze Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  12. HMP Feltham – Days In The Wok – Under 25’s Special Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  13. HMP Feltham – Days Come – Highly Commended Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  14. HMP Brixton – Senorita – Highly Commended Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  15. FR Studio – Matt Zappa – Highly Commended Award (Instrumental)*
  16. FR Studio – Ronnie Pickering – Silver Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime)*
  17. FR Studio – Follow Me – Silver Award (Singer Songwriter – Original)*
  18. FR Studio – Hard Heads – Bronze Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime) 
  19. FR Studio – 2026 Intro – Bronze Award (Hip Hop, Rap and Grime)*

* Some tracks are not yet available

The Koestler Awards celebrate creative achievement across the criminal justice system, giving people an opportunity to have their work seen, heard and recognised.

To every participant whose work received an award this year: congratulations.

We’re incredibly proud to have supported you in creating and sharing your music.

You can access the full playlist here if you fancy a listen!