The arts in Wellington prisons
25 February 2010 Programmes Manager Mary Stenton talks to Arts Access Aotearoa about arts activities in the three Wellington prisons (Rimutaka, Arohata and Wellington), which together house more than one thousand men and women. These range from low-security prisoners, some of them in self-care accommodation or special focus units, to long-term, high-medium security with restricted unlock hours.
This diverse set of prisoners has its challenges. However, we aim to provide some form of creative activity in most areas. Not all of this is provided through programmes funding: we also make as much use as we can of the community support available. In this way, we try to provide a wide range of experiences for prisoners, encouraging them to see that creative skills can be valuable for self-expression; can fill leisure time; and even, for some, an opportunity for paid employment on release.
There is strong evidence that art can be beneficial in altering people’s habits and behaviour. With this in mind, there are visual art classes on all three sites. Naturally, at a time of economic constraint, there are limits on what is reasonable to provide.
There is no studio space in prisons. Classes are held in classrooms, in dining areas and in other places, depending on the area of each prison where space is available. Tarpaulins cover furniture and floors, and some of the class time needs to be used for clearing up and packing everything away so that rooms can be returned to their normal use.
Class sizes
Prison Services funding supports two part-time art tutors. Combined, they teach 12 hours a week in various locations. Class sizes are typically between eight and ten prisoners.
In Rimutaka, Chris Barrand teaches three classes, based in three different units. From time to time, the locations are changed so that as many people as possible get the chance to join a class at least for a short time. The classes provide an introduction to art, and include drawing and painting using a variety of materials.
We are proud to say that in Corrections’ 2009 Christmas card competition, two of the four designs selected to be printed came from one of the Rimutaka classes. This success has increased the motivation of many of our learners.
Also at Rimutaka, art tutor Paul Bradley teaches a class in the Māori Focus Unit, where there is a holistic community based on Māori traditions. This unit promotes rehabilitation by encouraging prisoners to link with their cultural heritage, find their identity and purpose, and re-integrate into society in a non-offending lifestyle. As well as a weekly art class, the unit also houses a whare whakairo (carving workshop) where a part-time carving instructor is employed to support this important part of Māori culture.
Art as a tool for change
Paul also delivers a class in the recently re-opened Wellington Prison, where there is a much smaller population. There are also plans for a Community Service project at Wellington, suggested by the Wellington Prison Manager, where prisoners will be involved in repairing and creating wooden jigsaws for local kindergartens.
The Drug Treatment Unit (DTU) houses specialist treatment programmes to assist prisoners who wish to overcome drug and alcohol addiction. This long programme (nine months or more) requires participants to make substantial changes to their thinking and behaviour patterns. Art is one of the tools used by counsellors to allow expression of some of these changes for the individual.
From all of these classes, where students show talent and dedication, the tutors may suggest that a learner moves on to enroll in the distance-learning, NZQA-accredited course delivered by The Learning Connexion (TLC).
Corrections does not contribute to this programme except to facilitate the correspondence and contact with TLC. However, TLC has awarded scholarships to some of the artists in Arohata Women’s Prison so they can to study visual art.
Other arts are also supported. Creative writing groups are delivered as short courses in Rimutaka while writing and reading activities are part of the library service at Arohata. A number of the prisoners have developed their narrative skills and some have gone on to write further pieces after release. Again, the intention is to change behaviour by directing energy into alternatives to criminal behaviour.
Māori Focus Unit
Music is more difficult to accommodate within the security conditions needed on a prison site. There are, however, opportunities to learn waiata in the Māori Focus Unit at Rimutaka, supported by guitars. There is also an active kapa haka group based in the Māori Focus Unit, and another at Wellington Prison.
The Faith Based Unit, where some prisoners elect to live in a therapeutic Christian community, also has lively musical participation, with several instruments available in the chapel.
Some of the women learn waiata as part of Māori studies while the Wellington Community Choir visited Arohata Prison last year, as part of volunteer activities.
Volunteers are a valued part of the education opportunities offered in prison. There are a number of people who give their time in support of developing the artistic skills of prisoners, in activities as diverse as quilting, pottery, drawing and painting. Volunteers typically work with small groups or individuals, rather than whole classes. Their work increases the range of activities available and the number of prisoners able to participate. It also gives prisoners the chance to see there are alternatives to the lives they have known.
Links with the community can also provide valuable support when prisoners are released.
Of course, there is always more that could be done. Nevertheless, with effort, goodwill from all levels of staff, and the support of a wide range of community organisations, we are pleased with the achievements to date, and hope to achieve even more in the future.