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AHN Interview:
Elvera Voth, founder of Arts in Prisons, Inc.
"The inner self is so seldom exposed and explored in prison life, and what better tool than the arts for personal expression, growth, and therefore—healing." -Elvera Voth
"During the time that the East Hill Singers rehearse each week, singing sets me free." -an inmate and member of the East Hill Singers
Elvera Voth is a choral conductor and founder of the East Hill Singers, a men's chorus from Lansing Correctional Facility near Kansas City. In 1998, the East Hill Singers evolved into a nonprofit called Arts in Prison, Inc., whose mission is to facilitate personal growth through the arts for the incarcerated and their families. Today, their programs include creative writing, drama, gardening, guitar, painting and drawing, as well as singing.
A Kansas native, Elvera has a strong background in the musical arts, including a master's degree in music education and much teaching experience. She has also acted as Director of the Alaska Festival of Music and founded the Anchorage Opera Company, Anchorage Boys Choir, and Alaska Chamber Singers before returning to Kansas in 1995 and starting the East Hill Singers. Mary Daniel Hobson interviewed Elvera Voth in December 2005.
Mary Daniel Hobson: How did the East Hill Singers get started?
Elvera Voth: In 1995, during a chance meeting with a former student, I mentioned my dream of forming an inmate chorus. This student's relative was the Deputy Warden at the Topeka Correctional Facility in Topeka, Kansas. He made the proper connections for me to begin the East Hill Singers, a men's chorus of minimum security inmates and volunteer singers. Now the East Hill Singers has expanded to become a nonprofit organization called Arts in Prison, Inc.
Mary Daniel: What impact have you witnessed the arts having on prison inmates?
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Elvera: The surest description of impact can be taken from inmate quotes. After a recent rehearsal, an inmate, not given to easy conversation, came to me and haltingly said, "I notice that after rehearsal when I cross the yard to return to my cell, I carry myself in a different and more assured manner than my ordinary ways." Self esteem thus described is hard to come by in prison life.
Choir Practice for the East Hill Singers.
 |
And the following are more quotes by inmates:
"My time with the East Hill Singers has been one of positive personal growth. And it's much more than being able to sing the right pitch at the right time -- though that has really increased the fun and pleasure that I get when I now sing. It is more than being able to speak in public without getting physically sick. When I was much younger I used to be sick for two or three days after any public speaking. It's more than learning and using people skills. I was socially inept as a child. Now, because of Elvera's prodding to interact with all of the volunteers, I'm not the shy little wallflower. All of the above has led to a growing confidence in myself to accomplish my goals. The East Hill Singers have helped me to see the possibilities in life."
"I have been a member of the East Hill Singers for a total of five concerts these last two and a half years. I never considered myself a singer, and when Elvera asked me to sing a few notes at my first rehearsal, she thought the same thing. 'Bill,' she said, 'somehow we are going to have to figure out how to get you to sing the same pitch that I play.' At that time I thought, 'Man, she is really hung up on singing the right pitch. What's the big deal?' But I stuck with it and followed her instructions -- 'Listen more and sing less.' I learned the words and sang softly, and enjoyed it even then. One night after about a year of rehearsals she said, 'So, let's see how youÕre doing now.' And somehow she managed to get me to sing the same pitch that she played. She could hear that it was right, and I could feel that it was right. I am still no great gift to the world of music. But during the time that the East Hill Singers rehearse each week, singing sets me free."
"Also, paying attention to every detail was a new experience for me. And I find that it now spills over to other areas of my life. Being reminded, a lot, that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link makes me think twice before I miss a rehearsal or give less than my very best."
"I absolutely hate the behavior that resulted in my incarceration but I have stopped hating myself. It is programs like Arts in Prison that can help me in this process of believing in myself. I now know that I can have a positive impact on my environment through hard work, dedication, and the belief that I am a worthwhile human being."
"I never thought I would miss anything about prison life, but I will miss this chorus."
"Can you imagine what a standing ovation feels like after being told all your life that you are worthless?"
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Mary Daniel: Do you believe art can heal and if so, how?
Elvera: The inner self is so seldom exposed and explored in prison life, and what better tool than the arts for personal expression, growth, and therefore—healing.
Mary Daniel: What have been some of the greatest challenges of your work? And some of the greatest moments of inspiration?
Elvera: The challenges have been working within the prison system amid the constantly changing requirements and shifting personnel. It has also been a challenge trying to reawaken inmate brains that have been turned off in order to survive the insecurity, boredom, constant noise, and general discomfort of prison life. It has also been a challenge creating a chorus with meaningful sound with men who have minimal music training.
The greatest inspiration is to see the light of recognition in an inmate's eyes through his first experience of participating in a beautiful choral performance. The racial integration is also inspiring -- how well they sing, not the color of their skin determines who the men want beside them. It's pure joy to see a former inmate walk into a community volunteer singers' rehearsal and stay connected to the organization.
Mary Daniel: How do you sustain the great work you are doing...financially, creatively, and emotionally?
Elvera: Financially, I am able to be a volunteer at Lansing Correctional Facility because of retirement income from thirty-five years of teaching. Creatively, I'll admit it is difficult to change from deciding which of the six Haydn Masses to program to instead choosing men's chorus selections that the inmates will be able to master reasonably well, and that they will enjoy. Emotionally, because one keeps hoping for more concert perfection, it is hard to realize that some things will not change. Therefore, I have to accept limitations and not think of them as personal failures. Yet, there is constant reinforcement from the inmates. Rehearsals consist of humor, give and take, and warm rapport. |
Mary Daniel: What excites you most about your work right now?
Elvera Voth Conducting
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Elvera: What excites me the most is the possibility of the Arts in Prison concept being expanded throughout the United States. Also, the fact that the minimum security inmates travel outside the prison for performances bridges the gap between the community inside and outside the walls and demystifies stereotypical ideas of inmates.
Mary Daniel: What advice do you have for other artists wishing to use their creativity as a healing force in the world?
Elvera: There is no greater reward than giving the gift of artistic experiences to those who have not experienced it.
For more information about Elvera Voth and Arts in Prison, Inc., please visit www.artsinprison.org. |
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FEATURED BOOK:
Drawing Time: Art Therapy in Prisons and Other Correctional Settings
Edited by David Gussak and Evelyn Virshup
 Drawing Time is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to improve the lives of inmates through art. As the book explains, art has the power to get under the tough personas cultivated by prisoners in order to survive the system - and art often achieves this without the prisoner even knowing. Art provides a form of expression that can lead to healing. Many prisoners are victims of unresolved trauma that renders them unable to adjust effectively to the real world - art can be an avenue for healing this trauma and making themselves more whole. In addition, art making is a productive and self-esteem building activity. Drawing Time also speaks openly and honestly to the challenges of being an art therapist in a prison setting, including stress, managing group dynamics, and finding funding. One therapist explains how she was held hostage by one of her students, and subsequently she used the creation of mandalas to personally heal from that trauma. There is a chapter dedicated to the importance of self-monitoring as an art therapist and taking care of oneself in what can be a highly charged atmosphere. Despite these challenges, art therapists in this book continually articulate the postive impact the arts can have on prison inmates. And the book includes anecdotes and illustrations that reveal the evolution of prisoners' art and the greater sense of self-esteem and wholeness they acquire in the creative process.
This 259-page paperback book was published by Magnolia Street Publishers in 1997. It is divided into five sections called Presenting the Dilemma, Some Solutions, Special Forensic Populations, Healing Ourselves Through Art, and Other Areas. It is available on Amazon.com by clicking here.
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FEATURED LINK:
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company
www.theunusualsuspects.org
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company in Culver City, CA is a non-profit organization that brings theatre arts to youth, ages 12-21, from the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Their programs cultivate pride, racial tolerance and social consciousness. As their web site explains, "In addition to nurturing their communication skills and creativity, the program builds individual self-respect. For some, this confidence motivates them to overcome difficult, and even tragic backgrounds and set previously unimaginable goals, such as going to college. For others this confidence may give them something to sustain their spirit when facing a life in prison. This program offers these kids that experience as a step toward creating a positive future for themselves."
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FEATURED LINK:
ArtCarTraz
www.artcartraz.com
PMA Founder, Scott Johnson
 |
ArtCarTraz is a traveling work of art created by juvenile offenders from three different states. This art car will be exhibited in several locations and then be auctioned off to support Skip, Inc,. a Montgomery, AL based organization that mentors the children of incarcerated parents.
While traveling, ArtCarTraz hopes to raise awareness about the important benefits of institutional arts programming. "Arts-based programs for juvenile offenders are highly empowering and transforming for the participants," said Grady Hillman, Founder of the Southwest Correctional Arts Network. "These programs reduce the risk factors that cause youth to be susceptible to crime by increasing communication skills, conflict management techniques, and positive peer associations. Every evaluation study in this area confirms that arts programs are as effective in deterring juvenile crime as any other juvenile justice treatment methodology."
By designing and painting the car in order to raise money to benefit a separate population of underserved and at-risk youth, ArtCarTraz will enable these juvenile offenders to engage in the process of restorative justice by using their efforts and talents to give back to the community.
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FEATURED ARTICLE:
"Art from Inside: San Quentin Classes in Painting and Other Arts Give Inmates a New Perspective and a View of Life"
An Article from the San Francisco Chronicle by Janet Somers
Click here to read
The San Francisco Chronicle published a very interesting piece by Janet Somers on the arts program at San Quentin several months ago. "San Quentin, the oldest prison in California, remains home to what is probably the only surviving voluntary arts-program taught by outside professional artists in a California prison. Many inmates say it is their salvation." To read the whole article, click here.
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READERS RESPOND
Please send us your thoughts and feedback on this issue of AHN News.
Was this issue of AHN News helpful and how?
Do you have other resources about arts and prisons you'd like to share?
Are there other topics you would like to see addressed in AHN News?
Please send your comments, ideas, and feedback to ahn@artheals.org.
|
|
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SIGN UP FOR THE ARTS AND HEALING NETWORK E-MAILING LIST
Become part of our e-mailing list and receive a monthly email with information about what's new at artheals.org. To join the e-mailing list, simply send an email to artheals-subscribe@topica.com or go to www.topica.com/lists/artheals/
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AHN Interview:
Elvera Voth, founder of Arts in Prisons, Inc.
"The inner self is so seldom exposed and explored in prison life, and what better tool than the arts for personal expression, growth, and therefore—healing." -Elvera Voth
"During the time that the East Hill Singers rehearse each week, singing sets me free." -an inmate and member of the East Hill Singers
Elvera Voth is a choral conductor and founder of the East Hill Singers, a men's chorus from Lansing Correctional Facility near Kansas City. In 1998, the East Hill Singers evolved into a nonprofit called Arts in Prison, Inc., whose mission is to facilitate personal growth through the arts for the incarcerated and their families. Today, their programs include creative writing, drama, gardening, guitar painting and drawing, as well as singing.
A Kansas native, Elvera has a strong background in the musical arts, including a master's degree in music education and much teaching experience. She has also acted as Director of the Alaska Festival of Music and founded the Anchorage Opera Company, Anchorage Boys Choir, and Alaska Chamber Singers before returning to Kansas in 1995 and starting the East Hill Singers. Mary Daniel Hobson interviewed Elvera Voth in December 2005.
Mary Daniel Hobson: How did the East Hill Singers get started?
Elvera Voth: In 1995, during a chance meeting with a former student, I mentioned my dream of forming an inmate chorus. This studentÕs relative was the Deputy Warden at the Topeka Correctional Facility in Topeka, Kansas. He made the proper connections for me to begin the East Hill Singers, a menÕs chorus of minimum security inmates and volunteer singers. Now the East Hill Singers has expanded to become a nonprofit organization called Arts in Prison, Inc. (www.artsinprison.org).
Mary Daniel: What impact have you witnessed the arts having on prison inmates?
|
Elvera: The surest description of impact can be taken from inmate quotes. After a recent rehearsal, an inmate, not given to easy conversation, came to me and haltingly said, "I notice that after rehearsal when I cross the yard to return to my cell, I carry myself in a different and more assured manner than my ordinary ways." Self esteem thus described is hard to come by in prison life.
Choir Practice for the East Hill Singers.
|
And the following are more quotes by inmates:
"My time with the East Hill Singers has been one of positive personal growth. And itÕs much more than being able to sing the right pitch at the right time -- though that has really increased the fun and pleasure that I get when I now sing. It is more than being able to speak in public without getting physically sick. When I was much younger I used to be sick for two or three days after any public speaking. ItÕs more than learning and using people skills. I was socially inept as a child. Now, because of ElveraÕs prodding to interact with all of the volunteers, IÕm not the shy little wallflower. All of the above has led to a growing confidence in myself to accomplish my goals. The East Hill Singers have helped me to see the possibilities in life."
"I have been a member of the East Hill Singers for a total of five concerts these last two and a half years. I never considered myself a singer, and when Elvera asked me to sing a few notes at my first rehearsal, she thought the same thing. ÔBill,Õ she said, Ôsomehow we are going to have to figure out how to get you to sing the same pitch that I play.Õ At that time I thought, ÔMan, she is really hung up on singing the right pitch. WhatÕs the big deal?Õ But I stuck with it and followed her instructions -- 'Listen more and sing less.' I learned the words and sang softly, and enjoyed it even then. One night after about a year of rehearsals she said, ÔSo, letÕs see how youÕre doing now.Õ And somehow she managed to get me to sing the same pitch that she played. She could hear that it was right, and I could feel that it was right. I am still no great gift to the world of music. But during the time that the East Hill Singers rehearse each week, singing sets me free.
"Also, paying attention to every detail was a new experience for me. And I find that it now spills over to other areas of my life. Being reminded, a lot, that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link makes me think twice before I miss a rehearsal or give less than my very best."
"I absolutely hate the behavior that resulted in my incarceration but I have stopped hating myself. I is programs like Arts in Prison that can help me in this process of believing in myself. I now know that I can have a positive impact on my environment through hard work, dedication, and the belief that I am a worthwhile human being."
"I never thought I would miss anything about prison life, but I will miss this chorus."
"Can you imagine what a standing ovation feels like after being told all your life that you are worthless?"
|
Mary Daniel: Do you believe art can heal and if so, how?
Elvera: The inner self is so seldom exposed and explored in prison life, and what better tool than the arts for personal expression, growth, and therefore—healing.
Topeka Correctional Facility
 |
Mary Daniel: What have been some of the greatest challenges of your work? And some of the greatest moments of inspiration?
Elvera: The challenges have been working within the prison system amid the constantly changing requirements and shifting personnel. It has also been a challenge trying to reawaken inmate brains that have been turned off in order to survive the insecurity, boredom, constant noise, and general discomfort of prison life. It has also been a challenge creating a chorus with meaningful sound with men who have minimal music training.
The greatest inspiration is to see the light of recognition in an inmateÕs eyes through his first experience of participating in a beautiful choral performance. The racial integration is also inspiring -- how well they sing, not the color of their skin determines who the men want beside them. ItÕs pure joy to see a former inmate walk into a community volunteer singersÕ rehearsal and stay connected to the organization.
Mary Daniel: How do you sustain the great work you are doing...financially, creatively, and emotionally?
Elvera: Financially, I am able to be a volunteer at Lansing Correctional Facility because of retirement income from thirty-five years of teaching. Creatively, IÕll admit it is difficult to change from deciding which of the six Haydn Masses to program to instead choosing menÕs chorus selections that the inmates will be able to master reasonably well, and that they will enjoy. Emotionally, because one keeps hoping for more concert perfection, it is hard to realize that some things will not change. Therefore, I have to accept limitations and not think of them as personal failures. Yet, there is constant reinforcement from the inmates. Rehearsals consist of humor, give and take, and warm rapport. |
Mary Daniel: What excites you most about your work right now?
Mary Daniel: You and Michael have created a new CD called Care for the Journey: Music and Messages Sustaining the Heart of Healthcare. Please tell me about it.
Elvera Voth Conducting
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Elvera: What excites me the most is the possibility of the Arts in Prison concept being expanded throughout the United States. Also, the fact that the minimum security inmates travel outside the prison for performances bridges the gap between the community inside and outside the walls and demystifies stereotypical ideas of inmates.
Mary Daniel: What advice do you have for other artists wishing to use their creativity as a healing force in the world?
Elvera: There is no greater reward than giving the gift of artistic experiences to those who have not experienced it.
For more information about Elvera Voth and Arts in Prison, Inc., please visit www.artsinprison.org |
|
|
FEATURED BOOK:
Drawing Time: Art Therapy in Prisons and Other Correctional Settings
Edited by David Gussak and Evelyn Virshup
Drawing Time is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to improve the lives of inmates through art. As the book explains, art has the power to get under the tough personas cultivated by prisoners in order to survive the system - and art often achieves this without the prisoner even knowing. Art provides a form of expression that can lead to healing. Many prisoners are victims of unresolved trauma that renders them unable to adjust effectively to the real world - art can be an avenue for healing this trauma and making themselves more whole. Art also offers a productive and self-esteem building activity. Drawing Time also speaks openly and honestly to the challenges of being an art therapist in a prison setting, including stress, managing group dynamics, and finding funding. One therapist explains how she was held hostage by one of her students, and subsequently she used the creation of mandalas to personally heal from that trauma. There is a chapter dedicated to the importance of self-monitoring as an art therapist and taking care of oneself in what can be a highly charge atmosphere. Despite these challenges, art therapists in this book continually articulate the postive impact the arts can have on prison inmates. And the book includes anecdotes and illustrations that reveal the evolution of prisoners' art and the greater sense of self-esteem and wholeness they acquire in the creative process.
This 259-page paperback book was published by Magnolia Street Publishers in 1997. It is divided into five sections called Presenting the Dilemma, Some Solutions, Special Forensic Populations, Healing Ourselves Through Art, and Other Areas. It is available on Amazon.com by clicking here.
|
|
FEATURED LINK:
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company
www.theunusualsuspects.org
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company in Culver City, CA is a non-profit organization that brings theatre arts to youth, ages 12-21, from the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Their programs cultivate pride, racial tolerance and social consciousness. As their web site explains, "In addition to nurturing their communication skills and creativity, the program builds individual self-respect. For some, this confidence motivates them to overcome difficult, and even tragic backgrounds and set previously unimaginable goals, such as going to college. For others this confidence may give them something to sustain their spirit when facing a life in prisonÉ.This program offers these kids that experience as a step toward creating a positive future for themselves."
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FEATURED LINK:
ArtCarTraz
www.artcartraz.com
"Remember, it is easier to build a youth than to repair an adult." Lousiana Office of Youth Development website
PMA Founder, Scott Johnson
|
ArtCarTraz is a traveling work of art created by juvenile offenders from three different states. This art car will be exhibited in several locations and then be auctioned off to support Skip, Inc,. a Montgomery, AL based organization that mentors the children of incarcerated parents.
While traveling, ArtCarTraz hopes to raise awareness about the important benefits of institutional arts programming. "Arts-based programs for juvenile offenders are highly empowering and transforming for the participants," said Grady Hillman, Founder of the Southwest Correctional Arts Network. "These programs reduce the risk factors that cause youth to be susceptible to crime by increasing communication skills, conflict management techniques, and positive peer associations. Every evaluation study in this area confirms that arts programs are as effective in deterring juvenile crime as any other juvenile justice treatment methodology."
By designing and painting the car in order to raise money to benefit a separate population of underserved and at-risk youth, ArtCarTraz will enable these juvenile offenders to engage in the process of restorative justice by using their efforts and talents to give back to the community.
|
|
|
FEATURED ARTICLE:
"Art from Inside: San Quentin Classes in Painting and Other Arts Give Inmates a New Perspective and a View of Life"
An Article from the San Francisco Chronicle by Janet Somers
Click here to read
The San Francisco Chronicle published a very interesting piece by Janet Somers on the arts program at San Quentin several months ago. "San Quentin, the oldest prison in California, remains home to what is probably the only surviving voluntary arts-program taught by outside professional artists in a California prisonÉMany inmates say it is their salvation." To read the whole article, click here.
|
|
|
|
READERS RESPOND
Please send us your thoughts and feedback on this issue of AHN News.
Was this issue of AHN News helpful and how?
Do you have other resources about arts and prisons you'd like to share?
Are there other topics you would like to see addressed in AHN News?
Please send your comments, ideas, and feedback to ahn@artheals.org.
|
|
|
|
SIGN UP FOR THE ARTS AND HEALING NETWORK E-MAILING LIST
Become part of our e-mailing list and receive a monthly email with information about what's new at artheals.org. To join the e-mailing list, simply send an email to artheals-subscribe@topica.com or go to www.topica.com/lists/artheals/
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