The studio, which is situated at HMP Coldingley, near Woking, is equipped with Apple Macintosh computers and six prisoners have already undergone 16 weeks of training on Adobe software.

Christened "barbed", the new studio has been created by UK charity, the Howard League for Penal Reform. In addition to being given the chance to learn a trade, gain qualifications and build up a portfolio of work, prisoners are paid the minimum wage, pay taxes, have been helped to set up bank accounts so that they can save for their release, and they are also strongly encouraged to donate towards Victim Support.

Speaking at the launch of the new studio, Frances Crook, director of the Howard League, said: "Much of the work undertaken in prison is menial, low paid and part of an informal economy, which if you replicated on the outside would be a criminal act. We feel a responsibility for our employees and this should be the way that enterprises work across the prison estate."

Studio manager Eleanor Black echoed these sentiments, adding: "This is a proper business and a proper job and it's going to be hard work because we want to attract real clients with real deadlines.

"However, we have a portfolio of quality work, a fantastically strong team with a serious work ethic and a group of motivated and talented designers and creative thinkers," she said.

The studio charges a standard rate of 30 per hour for design and layout work and in addition it offers competitive rates for proofreading and picture research services. All profits generated by the enterprise will be ploughed into the charitable aims of the Howard League.

For further information about the studio, visit www.howardleague.org.

Barbed pricelist
- Business stationery: 120

- DL or A5 (A4 Folded) leaflet: 90-150

- A4 reports and brochures: from 250

- Magazines and longer reports: 350

- Posters and flyers: from 200