The History of Inside/Outside
Inside/Outside: The Prison Project is in its tenth session with incarcerated 'residents' of River City Correctional Center.
Inside/Outside began in February 2001 with the participation of individual artists and collaborating organizations in an intensive training conducted in Cincinnati by the Pat Graney Dance Company of Seattle. The training involved Cincinnati participants in the creation of an integrated arts program for women at River City.
The residency of the combined Seattle and Cincinnati artists’ teams culminated in two performances at River City. Interweaving poetry, movement, and visual arts created by incarcerated women, the performances were attended by audiences composed of incarcerated women and men, River City staff, and members of the general public including city officials, corrections professionals, local artists, and friends of the arts.
The success of our original work with the Pat Graney Dance Company, and the intensive team-building sessions engaged in by the Cincinnati artist team, resulted in an ongoing commitment to collaborate together.
ISOS has grown on the work of artists Diane Debevec, Pauletta Hansel and Bet Stewart in collaboration with Jefferson James of Contemporary Dance Theatre and Mary Pierce Brosmer of Women Writing for (a) Change.
Other collaborative organizations have included the Prison Reform Advocacy Center.
Current collaborative organizations include Grailville Retreat and Education Center and Contemporary Dance Theatre with River City Correction Center
