Justice Arts Coalition Blog

The Globe in London meets the Woodbourne Correctional Facility in New York

  A message from Sarah Durbin: I’m working for a new documentary that will bring a series of International Shakespeare videos from The Globe in London to a class of attentive prisoners in NY State and highlight the important work of Rehabilitation Through The Arts (RTA) – a non-profit with a great track record of low recidivism …

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Cellist Zuill Bailey joins Acclaimed Prison Orchestra

By Felipa Solis, Solis Media Group Cellist Zuill Bailey is one of the most multi-faceted, popular and innovative classical musicians today.  He will be the special guest on December 8 for two special concerts with the Hiland Mountain Correctional Center Women’s Orchestra in Alaska. Here he will continue to work to inspire the women who have …

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About the Guest Blogger: Jacqui Norton is a PhD candidate at De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom. Writing from the UK, I am currently studying for a PhD which is researching socially excluded young people and adults who participate in song-writing workshops. Although the research is not limited to the prison environment, I am very …

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Transforming the Prison Experience through Playback

About the Guest Blogger: Amanda Grazioli is a theatre artist and arts administrator who has collaborated on artistic endeavors with prisoners, unemployed adults, homeless and foster youth, and students of all ages. Holding a BA in Theater Arts from Boston College and master’s degrees in Arts Administration and Applied Drama and Theatre for the Young …

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Help Save the Shakespeare Prison Project!

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has banned The Shakespeare Prison Project (TSP) from all of its facilities, despite the program’s proven track record of success.  Please urge Gary Hamblin, Secretary of The Wisconsin Department of Corrections, to allow this worthwhile educational activity to resume. “As a long time prosecutor in Kenosha County, I think any …

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ART vs REHAB launches free Critical Tool Kits

ART vs REHAB is a platform for those working creatively within addiction, the criminal justice system, homelessness and mental health. It is a catalyst for criticality and change, based on the principles of open innovation and collaborative practice. Conceived by artist and researcher, Hannah Hull, the initiative aims to strengthen the relationship between art and …

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Film Screenings: Music from the Big House

A message from Music from the Big House… I would like to invite you to a special opportunity concerning MUSIC FROM THE BIG HOUSE, a powerful film that follows a Blues woman to a legendary prison on a quest for redemption through music. This acclaimed documentary has been riveting audiences in theaters across the country …

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Pongo Offers Poetry Resources to Youth

By Richard Gold, poet and Founder of Pongo Publishing Teen Writing Project in Washington state The Pongo Teen Writing Project is a 17-year-old nonprofit that uses poetry to help youth at juvenile detention and other sites to heal from childhood traumas, such as abuse and neglect. We have also worked with incarcerated adults. Pongo’s authors …

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