The Safe Streets Art Foundation. which exhibits and sells artwork by prisoners in 17 satellite art galleries throughout the Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area, is holding its annual Justice Arts Program at the prestigious Kennedy Center for the performing Arts on September 3, 2011.
This year’s presentation will include the plays, Settling Scores, Gumbo, and Elvis Returns from Prison, the latter which includes one of America’s most famous Elvis impersonators. The free event will also feature music performed by the Foggy Bottom Guitar Orchestra, and Inner Voices (of Lorton Reformatory.) The “Prison-to-Stage” show is part of the Kennedy Center’s “Page-to-Stage” Festival
Safe Street Arts was created to allow incarcerated individuals to use the arts as a “rehabilitative and therapeutic tool.” The program also invites those in the criminal justice field to use art to depict their views. Victims of crime are also included in Safe Street Arts projects, and are encouraged to participate by using the arts. The Safe Street Arts Foundation incorporates both the Prison Foundation and the Victims Foundation.
Funds generated by the sale of prisoners’ artwork is used to purchase art supplies for the inmates, and to meet restitution requirements. more information, including the locations of satellite galleries, can be found on the Safe Street Arts Foundation website.
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