Art is just one of many education and rehabilitation programs offered in prison. These programs recognise the value of art as a creative process that can effectively channel aggression and violence and which can be constructive and therapeutic.
Prisoners are offered accredited art studies, from entry level through to tertiary level. Artworks are completed as individual pieces or as a group, which often involves prisoners producing public art pieces such as murals. Artwork can be in many mediums such as painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printing or lead lighting, and also includes creative writing, music and performance.
The arts are powerful in expressing and sharing cultural heritage and provide a medium for increasing individual and group esteem.
In a practical sense, art can provide prisoners with realistic employment skills when released.
The Prisoner Art Gallery, housed in the old Fremantle Prison, showcases and offers for sale the artworks of current and ex-prisoners of Western Australian prisons.
The art shown in this gallery represents the high quality of work produced by prisoners.
The exhibition provides the public with insight into how justice programs are delivered and how art programs can help prisoners in the successful transition from custody into the community.
The Prisoner Art Gallery is a joint initiative between the Department of Corrective Services and the Department of Housing and Works, which manages the site.
Contact details
Prisoner Art Gallery
Fremantle Prison
1 The Terrace
FREMANTLE WA 6160
Free admission
Gallery hours: 10am-5pm daily
