Lady Unchained

Lady Unchained is a Poet and author of her debut book Behind Bars on punishment, prison and release.

Performer, Award Winning Broadcaster for National Prison Radio, Mentor, Artist Manager, 2x TedX Speaker, Facilitator, Curator, Chair for the NCJAA Anne Peaker Lecture 2020 and Advocate for Life After prison.

“My life ended and began with a prison sentence, those metal doors awoke the faith in me” – Lady Unchained

Lady Unchained’s mission is to prove that there is life after prison. She is the Founder and Creative Director of Unchained Poetry now Becoming Unchained CIC, an artistic mentoring platform for artists with lived experience of the Criminal Justice System.

She has hosted Unchained Night’s in partnership with Artsadmin at Toynbee Studios for five years, a night of inspirational storytelling through poetry and music. Lady Unchained runs poetry workshops in prisons and in the community in Women Centres to help people with lived experience of the criminal justice system find their creative voice.

She is Founder and Creative Director of Becoming Unchained CIC and Co-Chair for NCJAA Advisory Board. She was a nominee for New Voice Award 2020 by Audio Production Awards, Runner Up for CJA Awards 2020- Outstanding Documentary, and winner of The Insight awards 2021 for Insight through Journalism. She received a Bronze Award for her show Free Flow on National Prison Radio at the ARIAS Awards 2021, and was recently crowned with a Gold Award for Best Host Speech at the Audio Productions Awards 2021.

She continues to challenge the ex-offender label through creativity. Lady Unchained also curated the Soul Journey To Truth Exhibition at HOME gallery in Manchester in partnership with Koestler Art and Ripples of Hope Festival highlighting creativity within the criminal justice system in the North West.