Workhouse Arts Center Launches 'Freedom Through the Arts' - A New Pilot Program Offering Free Art Classes to Justice-Impacted Individuals and Families
LORTON, VA February 14, 2025 — The Workhouse Arts Center is launching Freedom Through the Arts, a new pilot program offering free art classes to justice-impacted individuals and their families. The program will provide four courses for formerly incarcerated adults and two-family workshops designed for those affected by a loved one’s incarceration. All classes and workshops require advance registration, but attendance and materials are free. Additionally, participants in need of transportation support can request travel subsidies for rides to and from the Workhouse Arts Center campus.
This initiative is part of the Workhouse Arts Center’s ongoing commitment to social impact and community building, particularly for individuals affected by the criminal justice system. The program also acknowledges the site’s own history as the Lorton Correctional Complex, which operated until its closure in 2001.
Program Offerings
Adult courses include:
Introduction to Watercolors with artist David Vickers
Introduction to Flameworking: Pendants with artist Candi Durusu
Family workshops include:
Printmaking! with artist David Vickers
Raku Ceramics with artist David Newquist
Additionally, a special drawing workshop will be held at Friends of Guest House in Alexandria, VA, a nonprofit organization providing reentry support for women transitioning from incarceration.
A History of Community Engagement
Since transforming from a former prison into a thriving arts center over 15 years ago, the Workhouse Arts Center has played a vital role in the region’s revitalization. In addition to this new program, the Workhouse offers a robust military arts initiative called the Workhouse Military Arts Initiative (WMAI). The Freedom Through the Arts pilot is modeled after WMAI’s success, with guidance from OAR NOVA an organization that has supported justice-impacted individuals and their families in Northern Virginia for over 50 years.
By launching this program, the Workhouse is deepening its commitment to arts accessibility and community healing, ensuring that formerly incarcerated individuals have opportunities for creative expression and connection.
Workhouse’s Historical Significance
Visitors can explore the site’s rich history at the Lorton Prison Museum featuring the Lucy Burns Gallery. The museum chronicles the 91-year history (1910–2001) of the Lorton Correctional Complex, originally envisioned as a progressive model for incarceration but later plagued by overcrowding, riots, and other challenges. The prison housed notable figures such as:
Suffragists Lucy Burns and Dora Lewis (1917)
Watergate conspirator G. Gordon Liddy
Go-Go music pioneer Chuck Brown
Political activist Norman Mailer
The prison ceased accepting new inmates in 1998, and its final prisoners were transferred out in 2001. Shortly after, the federal government sold most of the property to Fairfax County, with 55 acres designated for the Workhouse Arts Center, which opened in 2008.
Workhouse & Program Information
Workhouse Arts Center Hours:
Wednesday–Saturday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Sunday: 12–5 p.m.
Lorton Prison Museum & Lucy Burns Gallery Hours:
Friday–Saturday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Sunday: 12–5 p.m.
Private tours available upon request.
For more information about the Freedom Through the Arts pilot program, including registration details, visit https://www.workhousearts.org/freedom or contact Freedom@WorkhouseArts.org
This program is organized by the Workhouse Arts Center and funded in part by ArtsFairfax
About Workhouse Arts Center
The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of the arts. Once a historic prison, the Workhouse is now a vibrant cultural hub offering gallery exhibitions, live performances, educational programs, and special events that inspire creativity and foster community engagement. Committed to excellence, inclusivity, and sustainability, the Workhouse empowers artists, enriches lives, and drives positive social change while serving as a dynamic platform for artistic expression and cultural dialogue.
Media Contact:
Nancy Hessler-Spruill
Head of Marketing
Workhouse Arts Center
Phone: (703) 785-0804
Email: nancyh@workhousearts.org