The JusticeLA Creative Action Team was a group of system-impacted artists that through community engagement work helped to stop LA County’s $3.5 billion jail expansion plan. We repurposed jail beds into altars, looms, stages, workshop spaces, and much more to bring out what is usually hidden behind the jail cell wall.
The work of the Creative Action team continues primarily with the work of Brianna Mims as seen on the #jailbeddrop site.
A jail bed becomes a loom at the Ganas de Existir! exhibition at Angel’s Gate Brewery in San Pedro, CA.
Children learn to weave on a loom made from a jail bed at South LA Power Fest.
A jail bed is used as an altar to honor transcestors stolen by police violence at the Trans March LA.
“Beyond Cages,” a community arts event around abolition, inspires attendees at Eastside Café.
Community members and performers at the JusticeLA Block Party attend an embroidery workshop beside a jail bed-turned-altar.
A political education workshop on abolition drew dozens of students at CSULA.
Christmas Eve 2017 #JailBedDrop
Below are just a few of the 50+ jail bed artworks that were dropped on Christmas Eve of 2017. To see more, explore the map of the projects with bios and exact locations here.
The 100 jail beds as seen the night before the Christmas Eve 2017 Jail Bed Drop.