ART BY PRISONERS - THE WRITTEN EDITION
AN ONLINE EXHIBITION
MONDAY 3 AUGUST - FRIDAY 28 AUGUST
Presented by The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre and the Department for Correctional Services, as part of SALA
Art is a constructive activity through which to express and manage emotions, unearth new talents and strengths, help reconnect with lost identities and find new ones, creating a vision and hope for a more positive future. Since 2018, the Art by Prisoners exhibition in the Kerry Packer Civic Gallery has comprised of artwork created by people incarcerated in South Australia’s adult prisons.
Recently, the impacts of COVID-19 felt across the world have also created changes across the South Australian prison system. Prisoners have not been able to meet in the groups that have traditionally been the forum for the creation of visual artworks.
The 2020 Art by Prisoners exhibition presents a compilation of written work from prisoners across the state as part of an online exhibition. An expansion of the Life Sentences portion of previous Art by Prisoners exhibitions, the Written Edition provides an opportunity for you to read prisoner experiences in their own words.
Past Art by Prisoners exhibitions: 2019, 2018
Click the image below to read Art by Prisoners - The Written Edition.
Warning: Please note that some of the writing in this collection contains language that is graphic and could be offensive to some readers.
THE ARTS AND CREATIVE ARTS IN PRISONS
The arts and creative activities have the power to change lives and can act as a catalyst for identity transformation, employment pathways, financial independence, and community partnerships which contribute to reduced reoffending and community safety.
Creative industries have multiple benefits for prison management, prisoner well-being and positive engagement with the community. Numerous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic, expressive and educational benefits of engaging prisoners in creative activities. Experiences of success in creative activities such as art making can also stimulate interest in further self-development and educational opportunities. Creative activities can also open up opportunities for social inclusion. Since 2012 prisoners have had the opportunity to display their artwork publicly as part of the innovative Art by Prisoners exhibition.
Art by Prisoners is run as part of SALA Festival and features the largest collection of artworks from the prison system to be displayed annually in South Australia. The initiative gives prisoners from all institutions within South Australia the opportunity to create art and submit it to be awarded by professional artists and curators.
Art by Prisoners, 2018 Exhibition
PRESENTED BY THE BOB HAWKE PRIME MINISTERIAL CENTRE AND
THE DEPARTMENT FOR CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, AS PART OF SALA
While the views presented by speakers within The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre public program are their own and are not necessarily those of either the University of South Australia, or The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre, they are presented in the interest of open debate and discussion in the community and reflect our themes of: Strengthening our Democracy - Valuing our Diversity - Building our Future. The Hawke Centre reserves the right to change their program at any time without notice.
