A prisoner art auction has been held in Christchurch on Saturday evening to raise money for the city's earthquake relief effort.
About 75 inmates from three Canterbury prisons have produced 140 pieces of art, which include canvas paintings, clay sculptures and carvings.
The regional manager for rehabilitation and reintegration services, Steve Berry, says prisoners came up with the idea was initiated after the first earthquake in September 2010.
"Prisoners were really keen to try to help out and proposed the idea of using their creative skills to develop some art that they could then sell and donate the proceeds to the earthquake mayoral relief fund."
Mr Berry says the art is high quality and some pieces have been valued at several hundred dollars.
The auction was held at Spreydon Baptist Church.
