Since 1978, people who are or have been incarcerated in 海角换妻 have had a creative outlet that helped them step away, even briefly, from their prison experience 鈥� the program.
Last year their annual Arts Show was canceled due to COVID-19, but this year on track at Eastern 海角换妻 State University.
The exhibit displays artwork created over the last two years by artists currently or formerly incarcerated in 海角换妻. Paintings, drawings, sculptures and other mixed media are represented in the show.
Prison Arts is the longest-running program of Community Partners in Action (CPA), a criminal justice nonprofit based in Hartford. They work inside 海角换妻 prisons as well as on the outside, as people return to their community, encouraging them to create art that is unique and not a reflection of their prison experience.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about,鈥� said , the CPA鈥檚 Prison Arts program manager. 鈥淭here are all of these genres of traditional prison art, and we are asking people to get past that and not be a mirror of the prison. It takes them a while to figure out what that鈥檚 going to be, and then all of the sudden they are making something that is purely their own. In the end, people start making artwork that could have come from Mars.鈥�
Greene said the program has been a lifesaver for many incarcerated artists.
鈥淚 can tell you, again and again, people say, 鈥楢rt saved my life. It didn鈥檛 just give me a way to live in prison, it gave me a way to live.鈥� It gives people tangible evidence of the value of work ethic,鈥� Greene said. 鈥淵ou gotta work real hard. It鈥檚 your work. And understand that the amount you invest into your work is what you will get out of that work.鈥�
Greene added that the annual art exhibit can be emotional, not only for the artists, but also for their families.
鈥淕oing to visit your loved one in prison can be a demeaning experience,鈥� Greene said. 鈥淏ut you go to the gallery, this beautiful space. The art is dignified, they see their loved one鈥檚 name next to the art. They are standing next to their work, surrounded by other people appreciating their loved one鈥檚 artwork. It is incredibly profound.鈥�
Greene said once the exhibit is over, the artworks are given to the families of the incarcerated people.
The Prison Arts Annual Show runs through Saturday, April 22, at the .
