Arts in Corrections
Posted by Pam Arnsberger
January 28, 2016 Meeting
Announcements and Reminders
Rotarian of the Week was Doug Deaver for pulling off the speech contest. It will be next week (Feb 4th) and the meeting will begin 15 minutes early so the speech contest can start promptly at 12:15.
Doug also announced that we are under contract for the American Musical Festival on Memorial Day weekend. We’ll pass around sign-up sheets.
The club be taking RYLA application shortly for RYLA summer camp. If you know Juniors in High School (in our area) who might be eligible let Doug or Sandra know.
February 20th is beach clean-up. Sign-up sheets will be passed around next week.
Invitations are out for the annual fundraiser.
Art in Correction Program
Pam Goodman introduced Jack Bower who represents William James Association, a non-profit agency founded in 1973 by Page Smith.
Bower explained that the prison system creates social problems that William James Association addresses. The Association has affected tens of thousands of inmates in California and around the country through their Arts In Correction Program.
Art in Correction Program
Pam Goodman introduced Jack Bower who represents William James Association, a non-profit agency founded in 1973 by Page Smith.
Bower explained that the prison system creates social problems that William James Association addresses. The Association has affected tens of thousands of inmates in California and around the country through their Arts In Correction Program.
Mr. Bower gave us the history of the program. In 1978 Eloise Smith, head of California Arts Council started an arts program at Vacaville Medical Facility. Mr. Bower got involved at Soledad when requested by Mrs. Smith. Eventually 33 prisons were served with arts programs. Research showed that people in the program experienced a 75% reduction in disciplinary rates. Visual arts, music and writing were all taught. Many prisons had bands. There were murals for Safe and Sane graduation for Salinas High School.
Guitars were also built in woodshops but the program experienced budget cuts in 2003 and was eliminated in 2010. However, William James Association worked with organizations to resurrect the program. They formed a coalition with CA lawyers for the Arts and the Actors’ Gang to work together and managed to get this program going again. The band Clash and the actor Tim Robbins have also been part of this effort. Guitars are now distributed all around the state to teach music. They now have a million dollar appropriation from the State Department of Corrections and have arts programs in 20 prisons.
Another program is at the women’s prison, funded totally by donations, which involves dance. Paths of Discovery is a book to buy on this program including inmates artwork and poetry. Mr. Bower ended by reading some moving letters and poems that the prisoners had written.