The Alberta government is defending a program that displays art created by provincial inmates in the face of criticism from the Wildrose Party.

“Here was an opportunity for them to give back to the community while being incarcerated and use the skills and the talent that we were developing in our programming to go to a good use,” said Curtis Clarke, assistant deputy minister of the province’s correctional services.

The exhibition, "The Artist Inside—Removing Barriers Through Art," displayed the works of about 50 inmates at the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts throughout October.

The director of the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre told CBC News that the art programs were part of rehabilitation efforts for prisoners.

During Question Period on Thursday, Wildrose justice critic Shayne Saskiw denounced the exhibition while addressing Justice Minister Jonathan Denis.

“It’s his job to put criminals behind bars and not paint pretty pictures with them,” Saskiw said.

He called the program inappropriate and argued that the province was coddling inmates.

“And now he is unwilling to put the rights of victims before art classes of criminals.”

Clarke said that province didn’t spend any money on the art show, and that it, in fact, benefited the community.

He pointed out that the space was donated by the Nina Haggerty Centre and was sponsored by a company that provides telephone systems to correctional facilities.

Clarke added that proceeds from the show were donated to E4C, an inner-city agency.

“No inmate benefited from this financially," he said. "The money that we raised from the sale of the art went directly to E4C.”

Clarke also said the correctional system is mandated to not only house prisoners, but to rehabilitate them.