Making a positive impact on people’s lives

An arts degree at Middlesex University

When I decided to study Fine Arts at Middlesex University, I was looking for more than a traditional art degree.

I wanted to learn how, as an artist, I could make a positive impact on people’s lives.

Middlesex University offered me the opportunity to study for a joint degree: Fine Arts with Art Practice in the Community.

It was there that I started to combine the experience I was gaining as an artist with my ambition to develop art education within prison settings.

Researching art education in prison settings

I researched literature on how creativity in prison settings can contribute to rehabilitation, wellbeing, developing interests in other disciplines and improving chances of finding employment.

I also researched and learned through real-life experience how art can help kids at risk of becoming involved in crime.

I led art workshops in disadvantaged communities of London that revealed the creativity and potential of the young participants.

I was bringing the person I am in the art workshops and the skills I was developing as an artist at Middlesex University.

Art allows young people to develop confidence and resilience. Talent exists everywhere, but opportunities do not.

This is why, after graduating in 2007, I decided to continue working as an artist and educator at Newham New Deal Partnership (NDP) and Southwark Arts Forum.

At Newham NDP, participants showed great talent in creating sculptures from found objects, while at Southwark Arts Forum there was a strong interest in film and photography.

Today, Middlesex University continues to influence my work.

From Middlesex to Feltham

My new project, funded by Arts Council England, builds on the values and experiences that first inspired me as a student of Middlesex University. The project will focus on young people at Feltham Young Offenders Institution (YOI).

Through painting and photography workshops, participants will be encouraged to explore their personal creativity. The workshops will provide a space where they can develop confidence, resilience and self-belief.

By creating and reflecting on their own work, participants will have the opportunity to recognise their strengths and talents, often discovering qualities unnoticed by themselves or others.

The project aims not only to support participants while they are in custody, but also to connect them with communities and opportunities they can access after release.

By creating pathways into further education and employment, the workshops seek to ensure that the positive changes begun in custody can continue beyond the prison gates.

My hope is that the workshops will contribute to a broader process of rehabilitation. Stories such as that of Jacob Dunne (author of “Right from Wrong” and a former prisoner who served a sentence for manslaughter following a one-punch incident that resulted in a man’s death) demonstrate that people can learn from past mistakes, rebuild their lives and make meaningful contributions to society.

Hope for the future

Through creativity, and opportunities, more young people can be empowered to rethink their future.

For me, this is what art for social change is about: creating spaces where people can be seen for their talents rather than their past, and where creativity becomes a tool for growth and positive change.

If I could offer advice to current Middlesex University students, I would tell them that university is more than earning a degree. It is an opportunity to discover how your creativity and passion can contribute to society and make a positive difference in people’s lives.

About the author

Born in Messina, Italy, Maria originally studied Law before moving to London to pursue a career in the arts.

She graduated with a BA in Fine Art with Art Practice in the Community from Middlesex University in 2007 and later completed an MA at Kingston University in 2016.

Throughout her career, she has maintained studio practices across East London, Kingston and Wembley. She is currently based at Kindred Studios in Shepherd's Bush.

Her artistic practice explores themes of social justice, human rights and social inclusion, reflecting a long-standing interest in the relationship between creativity and positive social change.

Alongside her work as an artist, she has developed extensive experience as an educator, leading creative workshops in disadvantaged communities across London.

Her projects have focused on supporting young people and using art as a tool for engagement, confidence-building and crime prevention.

Her current work continues to explore how art can contribute to education, wellbeing and social impact, particularly in community and criminal justice settings.

Find out more about Art and Design courses at Middlesex University.