MANSFIELD — Inmates of Mansfield Correctional Institution, Richland County Correctional Institution and Marion Correctional institution have art work displayed in the Central Guard Room of The Ohio State Reformatory.
Cory Blankenship, Activity and Therapy administrator at Mansfield Correctional Institution, said any of the inmates of those three facilities can submit artwork to the Inmate Art Show.
“This is the ninth year we’ve done this art show,” he said. “We have over 200 pieces, we have drawings, some paintings and some crotchet work today.”
The Inmate Art Show at OSR started Friday and is open Saturday, July 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Each artwork comes with a price tag and money goes back to the prison and inmates.
“We have a policy that dictates the breakdown of the money. Sales tax comes off the top of the total sale and then it’s an 80/20 split. 80 percent going back to the offender,” he said.
Twenty percent goes back to the prison. Money for the offenders goes into the Inmate Entertainment fund.
“That’s the money the department spends back on inmates,” Blankenship said. “So that’s basketballs, musical instruments — money we actually spend, it’s out of that fund.”
Aside from being able purchase new entertainment items, Blanekship said art programs at the prisons give inmates a positive way to spend their time.
“Idle time is probably the number one thing the inmates get out (of it), he said. “It’s occupying their time and also (works as) therapy. They can make projects to sell to staff and send home. They can make birthday cards and artwork to send home.
“It doesn’t have to just stay in the institution; they can do something with it.”
