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Pauline Holt, chair of Salford Magistrates Bench checks out the artwork
Pauline Holt, chair of Salford Magistrates Bench checks out the artwork
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Artistic inmates help to court communities


27/ 3/2008

ART imitates life for prisoners whose paintings now adorn the walls of the Salford court which sent them to jail.

Artistic inmates at Manchester Prison, formerly Strangeways, are displaying their works at the magistrates’ court in Bexley Square.

The paintings have been hung on the walls of the public waiting rooms after being created by prisoners as part of an educational programme by City College Manchester and funded by the Learning and Skills Council.

Prisoners were invited to express what the word ‘community’ meant to them and came up with a wide range of pictures, many depicting their own neighbourhood from past and present.

Pauline Holt, chair of the Salford Magistrates Bench, said: "I’m very pleased with the results. Each one portrays community in a positive light, with people getting on with their lives."

The idea is expected to be rolled out to other courts in Greater Manchester.

City College Manchester is involved in education at more than 40 prisons all over the country.

Vivienne Calverley, former City College Manchester’s art co-ordinator, said: "Community Justice Salford wanted prisoners to get involved with making the courts more welcoming.

"Each piece is very individual and demonstrates how diverse different people’s perception of their community is."

The education department at the former Strangeways prison works to provide high-quality education and training for prisoners, to improve their job prospects and ability to be a useful member of society on release.

Caroline Earle from Community Justice, a government body which works by bringing the justice system and the community together, said the prisoners were proud of their work.


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Most recent 1 of 1 user comments

   Whilst I applaud educating prisoners, and I do loudly!, I also question fine art as a subject to offer as anything other than a therapy in this situation, Why?, because as the ART MANAGERS well know, earning a living from fine art is almost impossible if; you are not a brilliantly talented artist, or more importantly, do not have the "right connections", which is why there are so many, and it has to be said, very well paid managers, who will never admit to this. In short, unlike these self serving pompous, talentless managers, the world does not need starving artists, though this particular group probably would not go without food for long!. However, many of the inmates could well make their mark through computer animation etc, they are very unlikely to with a paint brush!!. Interesting to "see" the prisoners creative images of the communities that they destroy. Why make the courts more welcoming?, hardly need to attract returning custom!.
lizard
28/03/2008 at 17:17
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