From Saturday 23 May to Sunday 1 November 2026

‘Stretched to the Limit’ by Steel Door Studios

Included in the Museum entry price

‘Stretched to the Limit’ is Steel Door Studio's first solo show of a body of work. This series of evocative pieces shines a floodlight on a prison system in crisis. Spiralling overcrowding, ever-decreasing budgets, “a modern-day pandemic of substance abuse” and a rise in self-harm and suicide. The impact of which leaves lasting physical and psychological scars on those incarcerated within its walls. Steel Door Studios has produced a deeply moving and personal reflection on a broken prison system; each piece invites us to confront difficult truths and asks: who holds the power to define the prison system? Collectively, the pieces propose that we all have a responsibility to shape a system that benefits the whole of society by placing rehabilitation, well-being and desistance from crime at its core. 

It is an absolute privilege to have Steel Door Studios display his work at the National Justice Museum, a site historically drenched in injustice and degradation, using its spaces to champion and present the painful lived experiences of such a profoundly talented artist.

For information

This display depicts issues relating to mental health, addiction, overcrowding, self-harm and suicide, which may be distressing or triggering to some viewers. We encourage visitors to engage at their own pace.