Sara Lee has worked as a musician in prisons since 1984 and in 1995 she was asked to form the Irene Taylor Trust which delivers music projects in prisons and in the community. Sara speaks about the beginning of her career working in HMP Wormwood Scrubs playing music for people in prison and the positive effect this had on not only them, but the staff too. She tells us about how the arts were called upon during the Covid-19 pandemic to help alleviate the difficulties people in prison were facing by being in their cell around 23 hours per day. She shares about her experiences of working in America and Norway, and the integration of music in prisons over there. Sara also talks about the many benefits of music for people in prison and how she wishes more funding and importance was placed on this.
Irene Taylor Trust links
Evolving Prisons links
Please note that the views and opinions expressed by all guests on the Evolving Prisons podcast are not the views or opinions of the host.