Intersectionality of Incarceration and the Arts
March 21, 2025
Imani Carre
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Sing Sing. What are the first words that come to your mind when you read that? Singing a song, a musical maybe. Or there is a possibility nothing crossed your mind. Does a high security prison facility come to mind? I know when I originally heard that title, ‘prison’ was not even a thought that came to me. Sing Sing is a correctional facility located right here in New York, only a thirty-minute drive from Purchase College.
On Wednesday February 19, 2025, Purchase College had the privilege of hosting a screening of the film Sing Sing. The movie follows a group of incarcerated men who participate in Rehabilitation of the Arts (RTA) within the Sing Sing Correctional Facility. RTA, located on Purchase College’s campus, is a program that was founded at Sing Sing with the goal of providing an artistic outlet for incarcerated individuals, giving them a sense of purpose, self-expression, and a stronghold community. Based off of the true narratives of the RTA alumni, the film is a formidable display of the intersection between incarceration and the arts.
The United States’ prison system has long been criticized for its injustices, including racial disparities and mass incarceration. In the film, Sing Sing, many of the men on screen are people of color, reflecting the existence of racial injustice in relation to high incarceration rates. The film Sing Sing however, highlights these issues through an uplifting lens, showcasing the incarcerated individual’s resilience, humanity, and ability to create something meaningful despite the circumstances. RTA is a program that demonstrates the possibilities of rehabilitation, and that people are more than their mistakes.
Prison arts programs also foster a sense of community that builds beyond an individual transformation. A brotherhood is formed through this artistic program. They support one another, encourage each other to strive for better, and build a space for men to be vulnerable and express their feelings. Such an environment where survival may demand emotional disengagement, the theater arts program provides a rare opportunity for genuine connection to form.
Sing Sing is more than just a film about a prison theater program, it is a reality of the resilience of the human spirit, the impact of storytelling, and the urgent need for change in the justice system. Furthermore, it challenges audiences to reconsider certain preconceived notions of incarcerated individuals and recognize the foundational injustices within the system.
As we reflect on the film and its message, we must also question what role we can play in advocating for change. Issues regarding racial inequality in relation to mass incarceration rates connect directly to Sustainable Development Goal 10, Reduced Inequalities. During the discussion portion of the night, I discovered Purchase’s role in supporting the RTA program. Our school donates costuming and other resources to RTA, allowing the incarcerated individuals to fully immerse themselves into the roles they play. Supporting arts programs within prison facilities and challenging stigmas surrounding formerly incarcerated individuals are all steps towards a more compassionate and just society.
Sing Sing is not only a story exhibiting the rehabilitating impact of art programs in the prison system–it is a call to action, encouraging us as humans to rethink what justice truly means.
Imani Carre
2024 Cohort
Sing Sing. Directed by Greg Kwedar, A24, 2024.
