Camille Graham Correctional Institution
Interactive Concerts
The South Carolina Philharmonic has partnered with Arts Capacity for the 2024-2025 season to bring interactive concerts to the Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution in Columbia, South Carolina. This collaboration harnesses the power of music to inspire personal growth, foster healing, and strengthen connections among incarcerated individuals. Based on an interactive concert model developed by Arts Capacity, these performances, led by South Carolina Philharmonic musicians, allow inmates to engage directly with the music in a meaningful and personalized experience.
The inaugural concert, scheduled for September 2024, represents a groundbreaking initiative to use music for social good, with the goal of making a lasting impact on the lives of those within the South Carolina correctional system.
Arts Capacity is thrilled to be in partnership with the South Carolina Philharmonic. Membership opportunities are available for orchestras eager to harness the transformative power of music within community outreach programs. Learn more about the Arts Capacity Membership Program and consider joining.
South Carolina Philharmonic
Partnering with Camille Griffin Graham & Arts Capacity
The SC Philharmonic’s community outreach initiative, “Off the Stage and In the Community,” aims to extend the reach of classical music beyond traditional concert halls. We believe live music performances in prison leverage the power of music to provide various benefits to inmates and the broader community.
Music serves as a common ground that can break down barriers and build connections. These programs allow inmates to feel a part of the larger community, reducing feelings of isolation and promoting a sense of belonging.
By bringing live music and interactive sessions into prisons, the SC Philharmonic aims to humanize the experience of incarceration for both inmates and the wider community. This exposure helps foster empathy by highlighting shared human experiences and emotions expressed through music.
The ongoing nature of these music programs supports the rehabilitation process by providing inmates with regular, positive activities that contribute to their personal growth and mental well-being. This consistency can be crucial in fostering long-term behavioral changes and aiding reintegration.
By establishing these ongoing music programs, the SC Philharmonic hopes to create a lasting impact that transcends the prison walls, fostering a more empathetic, connected, and understanding community.
Composer Collaborations
Arts Capacity programs showcase works by living American composers, offering contemporary musical experiences that inspire creativity. Arts Capacity is honored to have collaborated with the following living artists at Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution.
Composer list coming soon.
Testimonials
The way the individuals in custody immediately felt safe to be transparent when sharing how the music resonated with them, individually, speaks to the power of and need to provide these kinds of experiences as part of the healing, recovery, restoration, educational, reentry, and reunification processes. It was inspiring to see how the words, shared by the individuals in custody, moved members of the musical ensemble and the members of the non-correctional organizations. During this time of calls for reform to incarceration, events like this not only help the individuals in custody, it also provides an opportunity to remind those that are not physically in the correctional facilities yet make decisions that impact correctional facility operations to be reminded that those facilities house individuals that live, love, and feel just like everyone else.
I didn’t anticipate 100% engagement from so many of the women, or their strong desire to share their experiences and thoughts not only with us, but with their peers. The support they had for each other was also more than I expected…Extremely thankful to have played a role in bringing this program to Camille.
It was a peaceful and gratifying experience. The performance took out of the work flow zone into a place of relaxation. To see the emotions the performance generated from the offenders was amazing. It brought about a sense of the feelings and things they love and look forward to getting back to. They felt civilized. And can’t wait until the next performance.
“The South Carolina Philharmonic is excited to partner with Arts Capacity to bring this outreach program to the Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution.We believe live music performances in prison leverage the power of music to provide various benefits to inmates and the broader community.”
“It was the most rewarding experience I’ve had as a musician (I can say that unequivocally). I absolutely loved this trip; playing for the inmates really warmed my heart not to mention meeting you and learning about your family and what you’ve been through as a person. The mission of Arts Capacity is so innovative, unique, and impactful. It was an absolute pleasure to meet Holly and Tim and interact with them musically and personally.It is my hope that this form of outreach continues. Thank you for all of your support and planning for this. My colleagues and friends are in for an earful of the experience I had doing this.”
