NYS Arts In Correctional Education Network (NYSACEN)

About

Through informal gatherings and presentations at the NYS Association of Incarcerated Education Programs conferences (http://www.nysaiep.org/), Frank Dody and John Cates Curtis (Island Academy at Rikers Island); Sydney Blair, Ron Carter, Michael Blake, and Sean Turner (Passages Academy, New York City); Donnielle Rome (Queens Museum, Queens); Edward Ignarri (Office of The Sheriff, County of Monroe, Rochester), Margaret Porter (Rochester City School District, Youth and Justice Programs, Rochester), and Dale Davis (Executive Director of The New York State Literary Center, Rochester) formed the NYS Arts In Correctional Education Network (NYACEN). NYSACEN first met formally in the offices of The New York State Council on The Arts in the fall of 2006 to discuss the network with the Arts In Education program staff. 

NYSCAEN came together again in December 2006 at the offices of Pressure Point Films (http://www.pressurepointfilms.com/thehiphopproject.html) in New York for a screening of “The Hip Hop Project” with the film’s star, Chris “Kazi” Rolle.

Chris “Kazi” Rolle at screening of “The Hip Hop Project” for NYSACEN Steering Committee

(Photo: Michael Starenko)

Following that initial screening, “The Hip Hop Project” was screened at the Monroe County Jail, Passages Academy, and Island Academy at Rikers Island. Chris “Kazi” Rolle screened the film and led a discussion following at each site.

The Steering Committee met again at the C.W. Post campus in July 2007 during the Empire State Partnerships’ Summer Seminar (http://www.espartsed.org/index.php). At this meeting, planning began for a NYSACEN presentation at the national Arts In Criminal Justice conference.

In October 2007, the Steering Committee announced NYSACEN to a national audience at the Arts In Criminal Justice conference in Philadelphia (http://www.artsincriminaljustice.org/aicj/public/frontpage.htm). NYSACEN’s session, “Communicating the Concept of Community Through the Integration of Arts for Incarcerated Youth.” included examples of student / inmate writing, visual art, CDs, and DVDs; a discussion of the effects of arts integrated education at each site and the benefits to faculty and students / inmates; and an art project as part of an entire course of instruction. An exhibition of visual art by student / inmates at Island Academy at Rikers Island was curated and hung during the conference by the Queens Museum as part of NYSACEN’s presentation.

NYSACEN’s mission:

• To develop a support community and a network of resources;

• To facilitate dialogue and collaboration among arts organizations, artists, and correctional education programs;

• To support artists and arts organizations with the knowledge and training needed in order to better serve correctional education.

The founders now work as the Steering Committee and the NYSACEN has received funding from The New York State Council on The Arts. Dale Davis, Executive Director, The New York State Literary Center, administers the network.