Ministry of Arts Podcast

 In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Andy Aitchison (@AndyAitchison.uk) Andy Aitchison is a documentary photographer best known for his long-term exploration of the UK prison system. Since first photographing inside HMP Wandsworth in 2004, he has spent more than two decades documenting life behind bars, gaining rare access to prisons across the country. His work moves beyond stereotypes, portraying prisoners and staff with dignity while revealing the realities of confinement, rehabilitation and institutional life.  Aitchison's photographs often focus on work, education and everyday routines, highlighting the humanity of people living and working within the prison estate rather than sensationalising crime. Strict security protocols and ethical considerations, including prisoner consent and restrictions on identifiable images, shape his practice. His photography has supported charities, featured regularly in Inside Time, the UK's national newspaper for prisoners, and formed part of major exhibitions and publications examining Victorian prisons.  Andy Aitchison’s new book Incarcerated offers a compelling photographic exploration of life behind prison walls, combining striking imagery with human stories. The collection challenges assumptions about incarceration, revealing resilience, vulnerability and the complex realities experienced by people within the UK justice system. To order your copy of Incarcerated go to: https://bluecoatpress.co.uk/product/incarcerated-andy-aitchison/ To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Emma Dogliani (@music_in_the_ville) Music in the Ville is a charity that brings professional musicians of all genres into HMP Pentonville to perform and run weekly workshops and monthly open mic sessions on the wings. In a prison where most men spend 22 hours a day locked in cells, Music in the Ville brings light, humanity and connection through weekly live music. Our presence transforms the atmosphere on the wings, helping men feel seen, valued and capable of change.  We are very grateful to the following artists who have generously donated their art. We need to raise £60,000 each year to run our programme. We hope the money raised by this private auction will go some way to ensuring that Music in the Ville can carry on its vital work for some months to come. List of works, donated by artists and private individuals, to be auctioned in aid of Music in the Ville and link to the tickets can be found at: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/salonmusic/2241484 Sale to take place on Monday 6 July, at Salon Music, Hampstead Lane.Tickets £25  For more information on the work of ELMO go tohttps://www.eastlondonmetropolitanopera.com/ Cover image:‘Sax on C-wing inside HMP Pentonville’ by Andy AitchisonCourtasy of Andy Aitchison To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

In this REWIND episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Rob Munday (@mundayspace)Rob Munday is a World renowned Holographic artist, who has produced commissioned portraits of [among many others] HM Queen Elizabeth II, Angelina Jolie and Karl Largerfeld.His Portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II was later used on Jersey’s £100 banknote and postage stamp.His latest series ‘Naturaliaum’ is a set of large-scale individual lenticular flower portraits, produce in such a way that they are 3D to the naked eye. Munday is just in the final stages of creating a ‘mobile’ camera set-up, enabling him to take lenticular portraits outside of the studio with much more ease. For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www. ministryofarts.orgEmail: info@ministryofarts.orgSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Louis Wootton-Davies (@LouisWDavies) Louis Wootton-Davies is an artist whose work is shaped by memory, curiosity and the hidden histories of everyday places. A recurring influence throughout his practice is his father, who owned a scrap car yard and worked hard to provide greater opportunities for his children. Visits to the yard were rare, making those occasions all the more significant. For the young Louis, the site felt both mysterious and captivating: a landscape of twisted metal, discarded objects and untold stories. That sense of fascination has remained an underlying focus within his work. The scrap yard existed as a place that was familiar yet largely inaccessible, encouraging a lasting interest in what lies behind closed doors and beyond immediate understanding. Through his art, Louis explores themes of labour, value, transformation and memory, often drawing attention to overlooked materials and environments.His practice reflects a continuing engagement with the intrigue surrounding his father’s world, translating childhood impressions into thoughtful and evocative contemporary artworks. To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

 In this REWIND episode (released: Jan 2020) Gary Mansfield speaks Wilfrid Wood (@WilfridWoodSculptor) When you view any of Wilfrid’s works, a smile is always close by. A prolific drawer from life, Wilfrid invites a sitter to be drawn on a near daily basis. As soon as they cross the studio threshold, they are very definitely entering a new world. His days working on satirical TV show Spitting Image was to stand in good stead in the art of manipulating and distorting the subject before him. Wilfrid creates sculptures using Plasticine as his main material and passes on his knowledge in the many workshops he runs throughout the year.  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg

 In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to the O and A Collective (@OandACollective) O and A collective is a collaboration of UK-based artists Zoe Moss and Jonny Fyvie, two contemporary painters merging two very different styles. Bold graphic acrylic meets photorealistic oil painting. The work exploresa number of themes, within their use of characters from popular culture and juxtaposes with highly detailed realistic elements.  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Tamm Reynolds (@MidgitteBardot) Tamm Reynolds is a study in contrasts: grounded, observant, quietly sharp. By day they navigate the ordinary with practiced grace, cataloguing human habits and social theatre; By night they become Midgitte Bardot, their alter ego. Brazen, glittering, unapologetically theatrical. Midgitte turns wit into spectacle, exaggeration into truth, daring audiences to laugh and look closer. Where Tamm listens, Midgitte proclaims; where Tamm edits, Midgitte improvises. Together they form a single creative engine, translating lived detail into performance. One gathers the raw material of life; the other distils it into charisma, comedy, and joy. Exist to survive, subvert expectations, and celebrate reinvention. Tamm Reynolds’ latest solo show is ‘Shooting from Below’ at the Purcell Room (Southbank) from 9-11 April 2026 For more information on Shooting from Below go tohttps://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/midgitte-bardots-shooting-from-below/  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Kellie Miller (@KellieMillerArts) Kellie Miller Arts (KMA) is an artist-owned gallery located in the prestigious, historic heart of the Brighton cultural quarter, a fitting setting for a space sympathetic to the art of storytelling.  The gallery houses local, national and international artists, with works that speak of the artistic process, where the hand of the artist can be seen.  There are a limited number of tickets available at sussexpaoty.com Also in this episode is a small introduction to three of the Sussex paoty 2026 finalists:1. Sarah Hawxwell - @Salty66452. Ava Brimilcombe - @AveysArt3. Milo Hartnoll - @MiloHartnoll For ticket information for the Sussex Portrait of the year on 28 March go tohttps://www.instagram.com/sussexpaoty To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofartsFor full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Matt Murphy (@MattMurphyArt) Matt Murphy is a professional artist specialising in both watercolours and oils. He is best known for his unique abstract portraits created through a modern, non-traditional approach. With decades of experience, Matt has exhibited in London and across the UK, and his work has been featured in art magazines and podcasts. He has also completed commissions for clients around the world. There are a limited number of tickets available at sussexpaoty.com Also in this episode is a small introduction to three of the Sussex paoty 2026 finalists: 1. Sam Telford - @SamTelfordArt2. Kade Tame - @kad25.003. Ryan Holloway - @ RyanHollowayArtist For ticket information for the Sussex Portrait of the year on 28 March go tohttps://www.instagram.com/sussexpaoty To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.uk Email: ministryofartsorg@gmail.com Social Media: @ministryofartsorg