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Tasmanian Prison Art
Risdon Prison is leading the charge in Tasmania to use Art as a rehabilitative measure and means to reduce recidivism. Under the guidance of Natasha Woods, a 2015 Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellow, the art program at Risdon hosts an annual exhibition, called "Artists With Conviction", featuring Captive Art™ from Tasmanian prisoners, in partnership with local art galleries, museums, and exhibitions spaces. The theme for this year's exhibit is "Ever Changing Weather."
Natasha Woods, Arts Program Officer at Risdon Prison, Tasmania
As part of her research into using Art to reduce recidivism, Natasha went global in 2016, visiting prison art programs in the United States, New Zealand, and the UK. Her research findings and best practices suggestions are available here as a PDF download (opens in a separate window, 3.87 MB file). You can also listen to her interview with ABC Radio Hobart, conducted just prior to her trip (click here).
Selected Tasmanian Captive Art™ recently on display, in collaboration with Prison Fellowship
The prison art program in Tasmania also includes collaborative work with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Most recently, the Orchestra teamed up with the Prison Band to put on a concert for 195 prisoners and over 90 staff & criminal justice personnel at the Ron Barwick Medium Security Prison.
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Their current project with the TSO is a series of musically-accompanied stories (written by the prisoners at Risdon), titled "The Convict Monologues".