Art from Inside
Group show created by incarcerated people from the Prison Book Program Collection
On view from February 3 - 28, 2023
Since 1972, Prison Book Program has been dedicated to supporting people in prison by providing them with free, high-quality books and print resources that meet their specific needs and interests. Our large and loyal volunteer base gathers four times a week to read request letters, select books from our shelves to match each request, and package up books for the mail, complete with a personal note to each recipient. We receive 1,200-1,600 requests a month. Last year, we sent packages to 15,231 people. Each package contains, on average, 3-4 books and an assortment of print resources.
Over its 50+ years in existence, many readers have expressed their gratitude for a shipment of books by sending PBP things that they have made, mostly two-dimensional drawings and paintings. In 2022, to commemorate our 50th anniversary, we created Art From Inside, a curated selection of works by our readers and requestors. Many pieces in the show are explicitly book-themed, depicting reading as a temporary escape from the confines of prison or as a vehicle for growth, learning and rehabilitation. The pieces also showcase the detailed techniques that can be achieved with the simplest tools, most commonly ballpoint pen and pencil. Our goal in displaying Art from Inside is to humanize people in prison, make them visible to the general public, and showcase the talent, creativity and human potential that resides behind bars. Art from Inside has been displayed in Quincy, Hanover, and Norwell. Belmont Media Center’s exhibit is its first appearance in the Metro North area.