Four years behind bars at Broken Hill Correctional Centre has not been easy for "Mick", with separation from his family and his much-loved Dieri country in South Australia a challenge.

We cannot use Mick's real name, or any other inmates' names that we spoke to for this story.

"I miss home, I miss my family — just miss doing the things that I used to do with them," Mick said.

But, on occasion, an opportunity to see his fellow inmates perform music, poetry and dance and talk about their culture offers some reprieve.

A recent NAIDOC concert was one of those occasions, and Mick said it was a way to keep him connected to family and culture.

"Everyone makes mistakes and then suffers the ultimate price," he said.

"But days like this in particular remind you of a home — remind you who you actually are."

Prisoners at the Broken Hill Correctional Centre around a sign they painted for NAIDOC 2019. ( ABC: Aimee Volkofsky )

The power of art and music

The NAIDOC celebrations showcased the talents of prisoners who had taken part in the Songbirds program, which sees prisoners writing, performing and recording music from behind bars.

The program was started three years ago by the Community Restorative Centre with musician Murray Cook at the helm.

Mr Cook had 21 years experience teaching at Long Bay prison and a career touring with some of Australia's most loved groups; from Midnight Oil to Warumpi Band.

He said creative arts gave prisoners more than just a way to pass the time.

"It's been shown to be instrumental in doing things like rebuilding brain pathways in people with foetal alcohol syndrome, improving literacy and all kinds of things," he said.

"They'll probably say things in songs that they won't say to a psychologist.

"It's a sign of weakness in jail to show any emotion, but somehow in a song, you can do it."

Murray Cook accompanies an inmate for a NAIDOC performance. ( ABC: Aimee Volkofsky )

Cultivating artistic and performance skills can also pay off for prisoners once they have been released, according to manager of security Damien Ward.

He said he had seen one reoffending prisoner, who never had money on release, now making money from his art while inside.

"He's got $3,000 at the moment into his account, all through the sale of art," Mr Ward said.

"So his start into the community is much better, which really reduces his chances of re-offending."

Keeping culture alive

Up to 70 per cent of Broken Hill's prison population is Indigenous, with origins all over the country.

Mick said music, dance and poetry gave inmates the chance to stay connected to their cultural identity.

"There's a lot of different nations here, whether it be from the Barkindji, or from where I'm from, it just brings you back to where you're from and your family."

Prisoners perform traditional dance for fellow inmates and staff at the Broken Hill Correctional Centre. ( ABC: Aimee Volkofsky )

A fellow inmate and Barkindji man called "Jim" said being cut off from local culture and family was particularly difficult at a time most of his family were fighting to protect the Darling River, the centre of Barkindji culture.

"My grandmother and other elders are trying to fight to try and restore our river," he said.

"It hurts a lot because when you're incarcerated you more or less lose all your rights and you can't help fight the good fight on the outside."

But Jim said the NAIDOC concert was empowering.

"It's really touching. Although we're still in here I feel we still have a voice," he said.

"The more we put our culture and history out there, the more people will respect us and agree that we do need to do something about it."

Inmates at Broken Hill Correctional Centre prepare Johnny cakes for a NAIDOC celebration. ( ABC: Aimee Volkofsky )

Mr Ward said having access to culture was helpful for prisoners getting through their sentence and in re-entering the community.

"After talking to some elders, they believe [offenders] are a little bit lost in who they are in their culture," he said.

"If they can understand who they are, it goes a long way into going into the community."