BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS
The First Annual Champaign-Urbana Prison Arts Festival
April 20-22, 2006
Co-sponsored by the University of Illinois Center on Democracy
in a Multiracial Society and OPENSOURCE Art
Friday, 21 April
8:00 – 10 PM
OPENSOURCE
12 E. Washington, Champaign
Prison Arts Festival Opening and Party
OPENSOURCE will host a traveling collection of prisoner art collected by the Prison Creative Arts Project (http://www.lsa.umich.edu/english/pcap/index.html) of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Art made by Illinois prisoners, and collected by Sandra Ahten of the Champaign-Urbana Books 2 Prisoners Program, will also be displayed. UC Hip-Hop will perform around 9:30.
“Prison art offers viewers opportunities for recognizing the humanity of men and women whom the prison-industrial complex would like you to believe are monsters. Moving from comedy to tragedy, from self portraits to nature drawings, from realism to fantasy, the prison arts on display will enlighten and empower viewers, hopefully motivating them to begin seeking alternatives to massive incarceration.”
Saturday, 22 April
Noon – 2 PM
Boardman’s Art Theatre
126 W. Church, Champaign
Screening of What We Leave Behind
A remarkable documentary produced by the Beyondmedia collective from Chicago, What We Leave Behind was written, filmed, and edited by formerly incarcerated women to portray how the prison-industrial complex destroys families. After the screening, join in a discussion about the hardships of living life on the edge of poverty and the particular difficulties faced by women trying to raise families, hold down jobs, and rebuild lives shattered by crime, violence, and imprisonment.
2:30 – 4 PM
OPENSOURCE
12 E. Washington, Champaign
Roundtable Discussion How to Fight the Prison Industrial Complex
A roundtable discussion on strategies for advocating for social justice, featuring:
• William Patterson, U. of I. African American Studies, hosting.
• Judith Tannenbaum (Bay Area activist) on teaching political poetry in prisons.
• Edward Hinck (Central Michigan State U.) on teaching debate skills in prisons.
• Sandra Ahten (Books 2 Prisoners) on winning grassroots strategies.
• Charmaine Bee (Critical Resistance) on mobilizing youth for justice.
• Andrea Brandon (Students for Sensible Drug Policy) on sane drug policies.
• John Howard Association representative on monitoring prisons.
• Carol Aamons (C-U Citizens for Peace and Justice) on fighting racism.
7:30 – 9 PM
OPENSOURCE
12 E. Washington, Champaign
Slam Jam Romp Stomp II
As our capstone event to the First Annual Prison Arts Festival, join us for a raucous evening of prison-based poetry. Poems by Illinois prisoners will be read by Aaron Aamons of Champaign-Urbana’s Citizens for Peace and Justice; poems by Michigan prisoners will be read by Janie Paul of PCAP; poems by California prisoners will be read by Judith Tannenbaum; and poems in honor of her students on Rikers Island will be read by Tori Samartino, the founder of Voices Unbroken. Come prepared to be enlightened and empowered by the voices of folks the prison-industrial-complex wants silenced!
Posted by os_admin on April 17, 2006 / Permalink
