Half a Canvas for Holistic Education: Collaborative Art Creation between Incarcerated Artists and High School Students

• In Event: Bridging the Gaps: Foregrounding Activism in the Field

Abstract

Art is a way to build connection and break down walls. In this activist research project, we will share findings from a collaborative art project where artists incarcerated in a federal prison in British Columbia, Canada paint half of a large canvas. The canvas is then completed by high school students enrolled in an elective class, called Art Activism. This partnership has completed its 3rd year, with high school students learning about a different social justice topic each year, including the colonial foundations of the Canadian carceral system and climate justice. We will share key lessons from this partnership, drawing from participant observation and interviews with the artists themselves. Findings include impacts of art creation on student learning and incarcerated artist’s self-image and healing, and ways to strengthen reciprocal benefit through the creation and sharing of art across diverse contexts.

Authors

• Helen Brown, University of British Columbia

• Kelsey Timler, University of British Columbia