Confined 10 celebrates its 10th anniversary with a record number of Indigenous artworks exhibited and receives multi-million dollar funding.
The 10th annual edition of Confined, Confined 10, an Indigenous arts exhibition was launched on January 30 and will be running until February 27 at St Kilda Town Hall in Melbourne.
Kent Morris, CEO of the Torch project says Confined 10 is one of their flagship initiatives and one of their most successful ones.
"The first Confined exhibition, ten years ago, featured only 18 artists with a total of 25 paintings on display. This year, Confined 10, boasts more than 200 artworks from 200 artists currently in prison or recently released," Kent Morris says.
He clarifies that all the artworks on display are up for sale. Profit from the sale is then put into a trust fund that can be accessed by participants when they are released.
Inmates' families can also access the funds to pay for things like unexpected medical bills or kid’s education. Interest from the trust account goes to victims of crime.
Kent Morris explains that access to monies generated through the sale of inmates' and former inmates' artworks plays a significant role in their successful reintegration back into society. The generated income helps lower recidivism rates considerably.
"It is well established that financial stress is one of the major factors of high Indigenous incarceration rates and recidivism," Kent Morris says.
“It is a grass roots no-nonsense cultural program that is working. It is so successful the Victorian government has increased its funding by 200% over the next three years."
The CEO of the Torch stresses that this project is a community program focusing on the role that culture and cultural identity play in the rehabilitation of Indigenous community members who are incarcerated.
The Torch is set within the context of the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement whose ultimate objective is to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system.
Kent Morris says, the Torch is on track to meeting its key objectives thanks to community and participant buy-in.
“It is a grass roots no-nonsense cultural program that is working. It is so successful the Victorian government has increased its funding by 200% over the next three years."
The financial boost has allowed the Torch to hire additional full-time staff including Shaun Miller, a former participant in the program.
Kent Morris says Shaun Miller’s story is inspirational and testimony of the success of the project. Shaun’s paintings and ceramics featured in all previous Confined exhibitions except this year's instalment because of his new status as a staff member.
"Over the years, Shaun Miller's confidence has increased considerably and the quality of his artwork has literally exploded. He has become the first former inmate to ever qualify to go back and deliver the program in Victoria’s prisons.”
The CEO of the Torch also reveals that the success of the art program has attracted high profile patrons and benefactors including Jeff Kenneth, former Victorian Premier and current Chairman of The Torch.
Besides outstanding cases like Shaun Miller's, all participants have gained from their involvement in the project. Many of the artists have, subsequently, had works commissioned and curated by major art galleries as well as other institutions across Australia and around the world.
Other exhibitions by The Torch also benefited from the support of the Alliance Française in Melbourne, where some of the artworks were exhibited. Collaboration with this leading French cultural institution generated additional international exposure for the artists.
"Indigenous art has morphed into an industry. A very competitive industry,” Kent Morris says.
Confined has now outgrown the St Kilda Town Hall location. The next exhibition will most likely be held in bigger premises .
The tenth instalment of Confined has also offered the opportunity to release a new book of Indigenous art. Profits from the sale of this book will go back to the program and loyalties will be paid back to the artists.
