ABSTRACT
Eleanora Belfiore and Oliver Bennett discuss the social impact of the arts. Part of their influential account of the shifting landscape of what constitutes impact and value in the arts refers to a 2003 speech by then Minister of State for the Arts, Estelle Morris. It is the responsibility of the applied theatre practitioner to be mindful of the systems that they are working within. The power of alleviating boredom on the wing through engaging in an arts project is strong motivation to offer a positive review of an experience, no matter the quality, in order to maintain this offer of support and respite from the potential volatility of a prison environment. Instrumental rationality as an approach to impact assessment and understanding the value of the arts doesn't take into account that 'the gap between planning, implementation and administration is far too vulnerable to a myriad of social, political and cultural influences.
