Since its inception, the ART & Justice initiative has accomplished several milestones in its efforts to support incarcerated individuals and transform the criminal justice system.

Here are some of its key achievements:

November 2020

Risk Management Framework Launch

CSC launched a Risk Management Framework to resume services and programming safely during the pandemic, and no infections were recorded in federal prisons from May to November.

February 2021

1st Volume of Art and Writing

ART & Justice created the first volume of art and writing received from participants, with hard copies shared among all participants and digital copies distributed widely.

May 2022

Public Exhibition at The Reach

The Art Activism class held a public exhibition at The Reach, showcasing the artwork of students who learned about the colonial foundations of the Canadian prison system and incarcerated artists participating in ART & Justice.

July 2022

ART & Justice launched its first-ever art exhibit

ART & Justice launched its first-ever art exhibit, “Locked Up: The Soul Speaks Out,” at Gallery Gachet. The exhibition featured artist talks, live music, and virtual tours.

Additionally, the team has delivered 765 art kits to federal prisons, parole offices, and other community partners, which have received an overwhelming response of over 800 pieces of visual art and writing back from incarcerated artists. These kits include art and writing supplies, Indigenous medicines, teachings, words of support, and messages to inspire creativity.

January 2023

Website Development

Partnering up with HSCI 449 SFU student volunteers, the UBC A.R.T & Justice website begins website updates and artwork cataloguing.

• A.R.T & Justice continues to work on developing new ways to honor the creativity and work of incarcerated artists and storytellers. These include creating physical and digital art booklets, developing digital platforms to display their work, and partnering with art galleries and libraries.