Creativity Behind Bars - a New Approach

PRLog (Press Release) – In Canada, over 36,000 adults are incarcerated in federal and provincial institutions (117 per 100,000 population)**, and in the United States, over 2,100,000 inmates are in custody (488 per 100,000 population)*.

The reality is that most of these individuals will eventually receive parole, or upon serving their full sentence will be returned to the community with no supervision.

Instead of simply opening the prison door and saying “you’re on your own” to inmates who are released, an innovative Canadian cooperative has taken a very different approach.

InsideArt Cooperative (www.insideart.ca) is a trail-blazing arts marketing cooperative, located in British Columbia. It is based within the federal prison system and is owned by its artist members. It is managed by Community Futures South Fraser with major funding support from numerous organizations. Wendy McClelland is the Project Coordinator, working through Community Futures. “This cooperative is one of the most innovative projects I’ve ever been involved with. Helping inmates become self sustaining, contributing members of society while creating beautiful pieces of artwork is a unique opportunity to make positive social change.”

InsideArt's vision is of federal inmates who learn the values of responsibility and self-sufficiency, and live by means other than crime and prison; who help society’s tax burden by paying personal taxes, and weaning themselves from inmate pay. The goal is to encourage people, who upon their release, have less dependence on social agencies for money, food, and shelter; and who contribute meaningfully to their community as productive members of society. This program, with the goal of tax paying inmates, is the first of its kind in Canada.

As a cooperative, InsideArt represents the true essence of democratic decision making: one member equals one vote. Exposure and active engagement in shared decision making provides inmates the opportunity to learn skills in negotiation, communication, accepting compromise and working for the good of something “bigger” than one individual. This approach, while contradicting prison social systems, helps prepare inmates for the reality of life outside of an institution.

InsideArt markets high quality art, made mostly by federal inmates, while fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency, and encouraging the personal and professional growth of its members.

Artists within the local area are encouraged to volunteer their time to work with a group of talented artists who happen to be long term inmates. Glass work, wood carving and other talents that the inmates already possessed have been refined with the help of artists who are not incarcerated (known as “outmates”).

As the first “outmate”, local glass artist Sid Gould contributes his art expertise, business knowledge, and enthusiasm to this unique venture. Sid is the artist owner of Sandstorm Creative Glass Works Studio - the largest multi-purpose glass studio in Western Canada. In 2004, Sandstorm received the Abbotsford Business Excellence Award for Social Responsibility in recognition of Sid’s tireless contribution to the community.

Both the artists behind bars, and the “outmates” beyond them give back to the community by donating their art to non-profit organizations including Ronald McDonald House, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Big Brothers / Big Sisters and the Breast Cancer Foundation. The donated items include elaborate carved chests, furniture, and paintings, enabling these community charitable organizations to help raise much needed funding.

While this social enterprise is still in its infancy, it holds the promise of a positive beginning that may provide a model for other prison systems to follow.

* U.S. Department of Justice
** Correctional Service Canada