DARTMOOR Prisoners will be exhibiting examples of their art alongside professional artists after being invited to take part in an art exhibition.

Pieces will be on show and up for sale at the annual Tavistock Exhibition organised by the Drawn to the Valley cooperative of artists.

The invite follows a link-up between the prison’s art department and Drawn to the Valley, which has 160 professional artists all living or working within the Tamar Valley area. It was formed by the artists themselves in 2003, mainly as a support network, but also to promote the Tamar Valley by bringing the area of natural beauty to life through art.

The exhibition, at Tavistock Town Hall on August 2-6, will feature work by prisoners who are studying art, some of them with a view to potentially making a living from it when they leave. It will also be showing one-off and limited edition pieces by artists from Drawn to the Valley.

The prisoners were invited after a chance remark from the jail’s curriculum manager Bob Davis to the chair of Drawn to the Valley, Iain Grant: ‘It was purely coincidental really because Bob and I met initially through another artist who knew that the prison wanted some picture frames,” said Iain. “We just got chatting and Bob said he was looking to find somewhere that the prisoners could exhibit so I said “well, we’ve got an exhibition coming up”.

‘Some of us visited the art department at the prison and we decided we would like to help in other ways, too. So we provided some materials and then the prisoners asked for some workshops, which a few of our members are now doing. We’re keen for Drawn to the Valley to establish more links with the community and although the prison is a little way out of our usual area, we just wanted to be able to help.’

Iain added: ‘The standard of some of the work is very good indeed. One prisoner has done sketch portraits from the First World War and they’re very striking.

‘Some of it is challenging; you can see that it’s a reflection of the circumstances of the individual and in some cases, you can see the sadness. Art can be very beneficial. It takes you out of your normal zone and there is evidence that it works as a form of therapy. It has the capacity to change people in a number of ways. It does change lives.’

Mr Davis is employed by Somerset-based Weston College, which delivers education at the prison. He said: ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for the prisoners on the art course. Part of the course involves creating a portfolio of evidence linking their art course to a real life employment oppor-tunity. The aim is that when they’re released, we’re giving them the best opportunity we can of not re-offending, of being on the road to getting a job, and of being fully functioning members of society.

‘The work ranges from beginners to some absolutely phenomenal paintings and works of art,’ he added. ‘If any work is sold, the money will be put into the prisoner’s “out” box and stored for them until their release. A small percentage will also go towards materials for the department.

‘We will take photographs of the event for them to see their work being exhibited,’ added Mr Davis.