Speak Out: The Transformative Power of Art
By Edwin V. Santana
arttimes online August 2, 2016
SINCE ITS INCEPTION in 1996 at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Upstate New York, the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program has successfully assisted many incarcerated individuals make positive transformations in their lives. How do I know? Because I am one of them.
RTA, according to their mission statement, “exists as a nurturing-arts based community within the harsh environment of prison.” With emphasis in theater, dance, and music, RTA answers yes to the question: can the arts impact incarcerated individuals in a positive manner? On the cusp of their twentieth anniversary, RTA has become a pivotal element in the correctional system’s DNA. It now proudly operates within five New York State Correctional Facilities: Sing Sing, Green Haven, Fishkill, Bedford Hills, and my current location, Woodbourne.
At first, I treated the triptych program as an avenue to lead me away from trouble. But soon, it became more than that to me. To date, I have improved significant aspects of my life while working on many of their productions (e.g. stage plays, as well as, dance performances). So far, I have advanced my communication skills, developed proficient punctuality, and I learned how to resolve even the smallest of conflicts — all important qualities one must build in becoming an effective part of any cast or ensemble.
Katherine Vockins, Executive Director and Founder, attributes RTA’s achievements to the commitment of everyone involved. “There’s a strong collaboration of three major parts,” she stated,“ the dedication of all the RTA members, the strong support from the RTA facilitators, and the blessings from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS).” Not only does Mrs. Vockins believe in the program, but so do many others. Over thirty artists and educators currently volunteer to work with RTA. These professionals facilitate Personal Narrative and Physical Comedy workshops (to name a few); they teach basic piano and modern dance classes; and they create many theater productions such as Macbeth, Twelve Angry Men, and Forum Theater.
When I asked Craig Cullinane, RTA’s Director of Programming, why he chose to work inside a prison, his answer touched me. “I wanted to support men and women,” he said, “with owning up to their creative life which they find important. So that they can transform and heal,” On my own redemption journey, I truly appreciate his sentiments. I’m fortunate to have discovered an organization who understands the importance of helping us (incarcerated men and women) for the benefit of the communities to which DOCCS will release us. As RTA members we are all given a sense of responsibility, leadership, and teamwork. I believe that by developing these positive traits, we, incarcerated individuals, equip ourselves with the proper essentials to succeed in society. But I am not an expert.
Two published studies have already measured the advantages of being involved in RTA. At John Jay College of Criminal Justice, researchers discovered that, “Participants exhibited improved anger management and committed significantly fewer and less serious infractions than a control group.” Researches at Purchase College learned that RTA participants “Achieved a GED earlier in their incarceration and spent 3-fold more time in post-GED programs than a carefully matched sample.” Clearly, RTA’s creative journey extends far beyond prison walls, exhausting its efforts in the fight to lower recidivism.
In 2015, at a RTA modern dance performance for Black History month, I spoke with Woodbourne’s former Deputy Superintendent of Programs, Jean G. King. She shared with me the reason why she supports RTA — even in her retirement. “Because everybody [the incarcerated] is going home [one day],” she acknowledged, “and they need to be exposed to culture, cooperation, and trust.”
The positive experience RTA grants me raises my confidence level to skyscraper heights. However, going home to join the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater or becoming the next John Legend or even co-starring alongside Scarlett Johansson in a block-buster movie is unrealistic. But continuing in my self-development to make better life choices isn’t. No longer am I on a destructive path; and no longer am I a threat to society. I am ready, and prepared to face everyday hardships and stresses of life as a citizen of the community. And that’s a debt I will forever owe to the transformative power of RTA.
(Edwin V. Santana lives at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Upstate New York)