10 questions

Coming into the Arts in Justice module, I had many misconceptions about prisons.

Coming from Motherwell, I am aware of the levels of crime and expections on people from the area from other levels of society.  Growing up near Shotts prison which is a maximum level security prison  I have always been taught that prison is a place for bad people and to stay away from them in general. However something in me as an artist and human didn’t sit right. Why did I not know anything about these places or the people that live within the harsh concrete walls.

Reading ‘Theatre in Prison’ by Dr Caiomhe McAvinchey began my learning of prison as a place and the similarities it has to theatre. It is a constant performative place, mainly involving the performance for the general public living outwith the prison walls.

This book and speaking with my fellow artists on this module has raised 10 key questions for me and my learning of this context, all of which I’m aware I will probably be unable to solidly answer and will leave me with an array of more questions.

1. As an artist, how do we debunk or challenge a notion of “passing down anger and fear” both during a prison sentence and after release of a prisoner?
2. How expansive is the word crime?
3. How does architecture play a role in the preconceived notions of prisons?
4. What are both prisoners and societies relationship to the concrete building?
5. What are the consequences of loss of identity in prison?
6. Taking away of touch- what is the reality and universe of prison?
7. How has Covid-19 affected prison?
8. How do we know what is needed in prison?
9. How do we as artists conduct ourselves in this context?
10. What am I able to do in this context?

As mentioned above, beginning to deconstruct these questions has left me with multiple more questions as a result. I can’t wait to dig into them more.

References-