Residency at Lee Correctional

 Lee Correctional Institution is a maximum security facility in South Carolina, just 20 miles from Decoda cellist Claire Bryant’s home. Inspired by the power of music to help with rehabilitation and anti-recidivism, Decoda’s annual residency promotes self-expression in a creative space, strengthens citizenship within the prison community, and uses collaborative activities to foster social and analytical skills for success. Decoda has been in residency at Lee since 2013, and our work there has been highlighted in the Washington Post, CNN, and the White House, where Decoda showcased songs by incarcerated musicians with President Obama’s Office of Urban Affairs. 

“Music has a way of touching our minds, our hearts, even our very souls. It can cause a vortex of emotions to swell inside of us. It must be wielded carefully and responsibly. So, through music, even a prison’s climate can be changed.”

-Jimbo, incarcerated participant

“The workshop that Decoda has created works for relieving your stress out in a positive manner.  And it gives others the ability to do right while you're incarcerated. I don't know about the rest, but the joy they brought was good for my soul.  It was like a stress reliever, medicine for my heart.”

- Participant at Lee Correctional Institution