Artwork created by young offenders in Middlesex will be displayed at one of Britain's most prestigious galleries.

Young men detained at Feltham Young Offenders Institution have been working on paintings, prints, sculptures, drawings and collages which will go on show from next month at the National Gallery.

The 55 works were produced during the first year of the London gallery's outreach programme Inside Art, which was undertaken by groups of 18 to 21-year-old men at Feltham.

One Inside Art participant said of the project: "It has shown me I could be an artist with time and dedication." Another added: "It helped me to be more calm and showed me other ways of expressing myself."

The National Gallery is the first organisation to develop a visual arts programme at Feltham's Art Academy, which provides creative courses aiming to encourage rehabilitation.

Large-scale prints of a selection of paintings were used by the Inside Art scheme to open up discussion and inspire the men's own work.

The project has been funded by grant-making charity The LankellyChase Foundation for three years, from 2009 to 2011.

The National Gallery will run four projects a year at Feltham during this period.

The free exhibition will run from February 8 to April 25.