Notice: Send Inside and Out

Published on: 22 Jan, 2018
Updated on: 22 Jan, 2018

Saturday, February 17 sees the opening of something exciting and different for Ripley Museum.

Seven artists from HMP Send have spent the last few months creating exciting new paintings for an exhibition entitled Send Inside and Out at Ripley Museum.

HMP Send is a closed female training prison, located between Ripley and East Clandon and delivers an integrated regime to around 300 prisoners, enabling them to work and benefit from an extensive education curriculum.

These offenders take part in weekly art workshops delivered by Watts Gallery Trust, funded by the Michael Varah Memorial Fund (MVMF).

Last June, six of the seven exhibited at Our Time, the much-lauded exhibition for invited guests within HMP Send that was organised and curated by the women artists themselves – the first initiative of its kind in any UK prison.

Their highly original new artworks for Ripley Museum – including interpretations of well-known Ripley and Send landmarks – will be available for sale.

The women explain: “We know that we must donate 20% from the sale of any work to Victim Support Surrey (to benefit those whose lives have been affected by crime) and we also want to support the in-prison programme for future members, so 10% will go back to the MVMF.”

This is part of the social enterprise model that gives the women artists transferable skills that might lead them into training or employment on release.

The High Sheriff of Surrey, Robert Napier CBE, will officially open the exhibition on Saturday, February 17 at 11.30am. Coffee and cake – and the opportunity to buy postcards by the Send artists (in aid of the MVMF and with all profits going to support the HMP Send programme) will be available from 10.15am in the small village hall.

The museum is open every Saturday from 10am to 12.30pm and some Sundays (to coincide with the antiques fair in the village hall). There will also be a special opening on Sunday, February 25 between 2pm and 4pm.

The exhibition will run until the end of April.