Series 6 - Episode 1: The Cause - IWD 2021 Art on a Postcard Auction

Art on a Podcast

In today’s episode Rosa Torr chats with Jane Shea and Julia Sheehan who both coordinated the Hepatitis C Trust’s women’s prison team. Having met first as inmates and reconnected in the Hep C Trust’s offices, the pair found an opportunity to reach women in prisons and encourage an environment where women felt free to talk, come forward and get tested. Our prisons are full of women who should not be incarcerated but who are in need of help and support through other means. Women in vulnerable positions are less likely to come forward and ask for help for fear of the implications and increased exposure. By addressing women’s needs, some woman can avoid getting caught up in the criminal justice system and have their problems addressed in a more appropriate setting. Women with addiction issues are much more likely to have hepatitis C. The prevalence of hepatitis C among women in prison is higher than in the male prison cohort. Getting tested and treated is a crucial step in rehabilitating women’s health and lives. Jane and Julia discuss their most recent project; a magazine called ‘i am’ provides a cathartic outlet for women who are incarcerated. The Art on a Postcard Auction for International Women's Day is raising money for The Women's Prison Team at The Hepatitis C Trust to support their important work. The artists who have donated their work have used 'i am' as inspiration for the artwork. Artists include such luminaries as Claudette Johnson known for her large scale paintings of black women; ‘Punjabi, Liverpudlian’ Dr. Chila Kumari Burman whose joyous work has been adorning the Tate Britain since Diwali; Japanese born, Brooklyn based artist Yui Kugimiya whose work is unique in its use of traditional painting techniques to create quirky stop-motion animations and Antonia Showering whose lockdown year included a White Cube show and representation by Timothy Taylor. Bidding starts at £50 25 Feb – 11 March 2021 View the auction - http://bit.ly/2XWXmiN