An exhibition with a difference was opened in the Rural City of Wangaratta, Victoria, last month by Regional Director Hume Region Department of Justice & Regulation, Rob Francis.
Inside Out is an exhibition outcome of an outreach program between Wangaratta Art Gallery and Beechworth Correctional Centre.
It comes after eight months of Wangaratta Art Gallery Exhibitions Officer Inga Hanover working with the Correctional Centre’s inmates by exploring and practicing art through different media and materials.
Wangaratta Art Gallery’s outreach program and exchange began through practical workshops where inmates could learn new skills that could be put towards a future vocational pathway.
The workshops also have benefits for mental health and wellbeing, and importantly, participants could take joy from completing an item that could be sent to family or friends as a gift.
Through this project participants have gained an understanding of how a local gallery operates, it has opened up the opportunity to exhibit their work outside the confines of their visitor Centre at the Beechworth Correctional Centre.
Two of the artists in this exhibition have work held in the Australian National Veteran’s Art Museum’s collection in Melbourne.
The program assisted participants to develop new skills, engage in the arts, and create a possible pathway for future vocational art opportunities. It has importantly resulted in developing a sense of accomplishment, self-esteem, and assisted with their vital reintegration back into society.
