But that's just been proved incorrect for the Macquarie Correctional Centre.

The jail's art program has just been named as Wellington's 2024 Community Event of the Year.

"It was a big surprise more than anything, but we're really proud to have got it," Mr Lindley said.

"It's not something you really think of, the community actually acknowledging the work that goes on in a jail. That's really, really bizarre."

The art program at the Macquarie Correctional Centre started more than five years ago.

"We had some very accomplished artists in our midst, they had been painting since they were kids. They came to us with an idea and said 'we'd like to run art classes on weekends'. I said, 'no worries, knock yourself out' and it's basically grown from there," Mr Lindley said.

"It's grown into this massive, monster program... And they're actually churning out some reasonably good stuff."

The inmates held two exhibitions last year, including one at the jail, and the third is currently open at the Western Gallery. About $30,000 worth of art was sold at the first exhibition, with part of it going back to charity.

"The community is seeing the good things that are happening, that it's not a normal jail where people get stabbed, bashed, robbed. These guys are giving back. They do a lot of fundraising for the local community," Mr Lindley said.

Mr Lindley estimates more than $150,000 has been raised by the jail over the years for various charities and community groups.

"That's all driven by them.They come up with the ideas, they come up with how they want to raise money and who they're going to give it to," he said.

"These guys, they've done the wrong thing but here they are trying to give back to the community, and they're doing it of their own accord. We're not forcing them to do anything."

Mr Lindley said having people pay "good, hard money" for the inmates' work also inspires them "to keep going and do better things".

Overall, the senior assistant superintendent said it was hard to know the impact the art classes - and other similar initiatives - were having on the inmates. He said because they weren't a minimum security centre they weren't able to see the inmates when they leave jail.

However, he highlighted two former inmates who picked up welding skills while they were at Macquarie and now have jobs in Dubbo. Another inmate picked up a media job after leaving prison because of the experienced he gained at the jail.

"Going out of jail into a good job is very rare. People don't want to take them on. But the skills we're giving them, they're actually real-world skills," Mr Lindley said.