The Agency of Corrections under Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice will host the Joint Exhibition and Sale of Correctional Institutions’ Cultural, Artistic, and Vocational Training Works from October 23 to 25 at ICC Tainan. The event will feature 49 booths presenting a total of 431 handcrafted “Behind-the-Bars” products, all made by inmates from correctional institutions across the country.

Tainan Prison Warden Chiu Tai-Min, who is leading the event, noted that the booths will be set up in collaboration with local rehabilitation associations and will offer a wide range of inmate-made products, spanning food items, personal care products, and household essentials.

In addition to sales, the event will include a static exhibition area showcasing 240 pieces of traditional crafts, visual arts, and cultural creations by inmates. These works reflect the event’s theme, “Art as Heritage, Sunrise of Renewal”, symbolizing the hope that inmates, like the rising sun, can rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.

Minister of Justice Cheng Ming-Chien emphasized that many inmates are highly talented individuals who unfortunately took the wrong path in life. Through cultural and artistic programs, the Ministry aims to redirect them toward positive development, often helping them discover artistic gifts they never knew they had.

Director-General of the Agency of Corrections Lin Hsien-Ming further highlighted that while correctional institutions typically operate quietly behind the scenes, this exhibition provides an opportunity to showcase the outcomes of restorative justice and the transformative power of education and vocational training within Taiwan’s correctional system.

News link：https://udn.com/news/story/7321/9027057