Mispillion Art League will host a Prison Art Exhibition in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Correction from Tuesday, May 6 through Saturday, May 17. Exhibition hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday.
The show features artwork by students in the Prison Arts Program at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. The program organizes art education for incarcerated people and supplies them with materials to explore creative healing.
Through the exhibition, the groups aim to showcase the importance of art as a therapeutic outlet for inmates. Engaging in creative activities can be key to rehabilitation, as art encourages introspection, provides purpose and helps maintain positive hobbies. The opportunity to exhibit their artwork publicly can aid inmates’ reentry into society by offering a sense of belonging. The entire community is invited to visit the Mispillion Art League gallery to enjoy this collection.
“The Prison Arts Program is a powerful tool for rehabilitation and self-expression,” said Department of Correction Commissioner Terra Taylor. “It also provides a meaningful opportunity for incarcerated individuals to learn a practical skill that supports reentry and opens pathways for career success upon their return to the community.”
The JTVCC Prison Arts Program, led by Program Coordinator Alexis Blocksom, consists of a beginner class and an advanced class, and currently serves a dozen incarcerated artists. Day-to-day instruction is guided by skilled and experienced inmate artists. The student artists mainly work in acrylic paintings on canvas, plus some drawing and watercolor.
Work is currently underway at DOC to expand the Prison Arts Program to other correctional facilities and to strengthen it through partnerships with local and national art-centered rehabilitation programs.
The prison artwork on display at the exhibition can be purchased through the program after the show. Sales generate commissions that are paid to the inmate artists, with the remaining proceeds reinvested in the Prison Arts Program to purchase materials and supplies.
The Mispillion Art League is located at 5 N. Walnut St., Milford. Learn more at mispillionarts.org.
This organization is supported in part by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The division promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com.
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