Inmate Artists Help Raise Funds for Charity Aiding Kids' Art Organizations

PRLog (Press Release) - Oct 20, 2006 -
Kids and Art Will Benefit from Special Event Featuring Fine Wine, Food and Art

Vancouver, B.C. October 20, 2006 --- “Sip, Sample, Savour”, is the name of an upcoming event highlighting fine wine, food and art in the Fraser Valley. Restaurant 62 will be the setting on November 25, 2006 as Executive Chef Jeff Massey creates a special five-course tasting menu with matching wines for the event.

A portion from every ticket sold will go to the “Artists 4 Kids” program which supports children’s art programs throughout the Lower Mainland. There will also be a silent auction with all proceeds to the “Artists 4 Kids” program as well. At this time the Vancouver Foundation is DOUBLING all donations to the program, so this is a wonderful opportunity to make a substantial donation to nurturing the creativity of children.

The art being displayed for this event is done by artists from an innovative art marketing cooperative called InsideArt. InsideArt Cooperative (www.insideart.ca) is a trail-blazing arts marketing cooperative, located in the Fraser Valley. It is based in the federal prison system and is owned by its artist members. It is managed by Community Futures South Fraser with funding support from various organizations including, Cooperative Development Initiative, ArtsNow, and Vancity Credit Union. Local marketing expert, 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,” she recently said in an interview.

InsideArt Cooperative’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.

Inside Art Cooperative encourages artists within the Fraser Valley community 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”).

The “Sip, Sample and Savour” event will allow the artists’ work to be seen by the larger community, as well as provide funding for children to pursue their artistic goals through www.artists4kids.com

Information and tickets are available online at www.insideart.ca or by calling Community Futures 604-864-5770 or at Restaurant 62.

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Media Contact:
Wendy McClelland
604-864-5770 Local 310
info@insideart.ca