During the ‘Troubles’ in the Northern Ireland, prisons operated as both touchstone and tinderbox for the political climate outside their walls. With the closing of many of these prisons, the PMA has returned to the empty sites and recorded the memories of 200 ex-users, including prisoners, governors, prison officers, doctors, visitors, teachers, maintenance workers and welfare officers, who all played a part in the story of these historic sites.

The PMA is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the University of Ulster, the Design History Society and the Transitional Justice Institute. The archive is currently in post production, utilising the latest digital post production software and hardware in order to create interactive multi-narratives that will be accessed through museums in Belfast, Dublin, London and Boston, USA.

The project evolved out of the 'Inside Stories' three screen installation that has been exhibited in Belfast, London and Johannesburg.

More information is available at www.prisonsmemoryarchive.com