Arts in Corrections media links

Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole profiled

Auckland artists Lissy and Rudi Robinson-Cole have just completed their colourful, crocheted wharenui harikoa.  “We’re kaupapa driven – it’s not just about crochet, it’s about this huge kaupapa of transformation and intergenerational healing ... " Read this insightful article in The Spin Off's Arts Work series, sponsored by Creative New Zealand

University in prison

14 June 2022
Two papers will be taught in person at Otago Corrections Facility next semester after a successful start to a ground-breaking pilot programme run with the University of Otago. Criminology and gender studies senior lecturer Dr Fairleigh Gilmour believes people should have equal access to education and it was the role of the university to facilitate that. She knows that education has an important role to play in reducing reoffending, and that reoffending rates were closely tied to levels of educational achievement. Read the article in the Otago Daily Times

Major gaps with arts programmes in prison, despite value - report

11 September 2021
“A national Arts in Corrections framework or set of guidelines would super-charge the department’s ability to deliver the many benefits of arts and cultural programmes for people in prisons and help address New Zealand’s poor prison statistics,” says Richard Benge, Executive Director of Arts Access Aotearoa, in an article by Stuff’s Andre Chumko about The benefits of Arts in Corrections: literature review, prepared by Arts Access Aotearoa.
Read the article, Major gaps with arts programmes in prisons, despite value – report

Creative writing at Mt Eden Corrections Facility

1 February 2021
“It all started up with an idea … ” Young Auckland writers Zak Devey and Eric Soakai of Youth Arts NZ talk to Lynn Freeman on RNZ’s Standing Room Only about the value in teaching creative writing to rangatahi in Mt Eden Corrections Facility and their plans for 2021. Listen