Alabama Prison Arts Project, ACLU to host exhibition, auction of student work

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The Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project and the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama are hosting an exhibition and auction of student works from 4-8 p.m., Wednesday, April 15, at The Sanctuary in downtown Montgomery.

"Consider the Sentence: An Art Exhibition and Auction to benefit the Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project" is free and open to the public.

The ACLU of Alabama has been a longtime supporter of the APAEP, which is housed in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies in Auburn University's College of Human Sciences. Under a partnership with the Alabama Department of Corrections, the APAEP offers semester-long courses in arts, humanities, science, technology, engineering and math in 10 correctional facilities across the state.

"We are excited for the opportunity to share our work and mission whenever we are given the chance," said Kyes Stevens, APAEP director. "Working with the ACLU has allowed us to broaden our support network and work with people who share our vision and deepen our commitment to social justice."

Calling the event "Consider the Sentence" is meant to be a play on words: Consider the sentence as a student would discussing writing in class, and also consider how the community and APAEP students consider their sentence to a correctional facility.

The evening's auction will feature original artwork and anthologies produced by APAEP students.

"This event will highlight the work done in our classrooms over the past 12 years and offer an opportunity for people outside our program to interact with some of our past and present teachers, visiting scholars, writers and artists and learn more about the dynamics and relationships we are able to build in the classroom," Stevens said.

For more information about the APAEP, visit http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/apaep/. For more information about the April event, contact Meredith Randall Knight at mlr0033@auburn.edu.

The Sanctuary is located at 432 S. Goldthwaite St. in Montgomery.

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