Michigan prison art program helps inmates find voice — and hope

March 24, 2026

The University of Michigan's Prison Creative Arts Project is displaying its 30th annual exhibition featuring over 800 artworks created by incarcerated individuals throughout Michigan. The program, which began in 1990 as a collaboration between U-M and the Michigan Department of Corrections, provides weekly workshops in visual arts, theater, and creative writing led by students and volunteers at state prisons. For participants like Kushawn Miles El, who spent 32 years imprisoned, and Charles Brooks, who served 20 years, the program offered crucial opportunities to process trauma, rebuild their identities, and communicate with the outside world through creative expression.

Who is affected

Incarcerated artists across Michigan state prisons
Kushawn Miles El (formerly incarcerated for 32 years, released last summer)
Charles Brooks (formerly incarcerated for 20 years, released last June)
University of Michigan undergraduate students who serve as workshop facilitators
Project volunteers who lead weekly sessions
Youth impacted by the criminal justice system (served by Brooks' Free Thoughtz workshop)
Prison staff who assist with program coordination
Outside community members who view and purchase the artwork

What action is being taken

The Prison Creative Arts Project is displaying its 30th annual exhibition (running through March 31) featuring more than 800 pieces
Students and volunteers meet weekly with inmates in southeast Michigan state prisons for workshops on theater, creative writing, and visual arts
The project publishes digital exhibitions in collaboration with local and global organizations featuring poetry, videos, and photography
Prison staff help chaperone visits, select art, conduct creative art workshops, and recruit participants

Why it matters

The Prison Creative Arts Project provides incarcerated individuals with critical tools for processing trauma, rebuilding their sense of identity, and communicating their personal narratives beyond how the criminal justice system has defined them. For people serving long or life sentences, creative expression offers hope, purpose, and a connection to the outside world during periods when they may feel forgotten or hopeless. The program demonstrates that rehabilitation can occur through artistic expression, and its longevity (30 years) and scale (over 800 pieces annually) make it the largest and longest-running exhibition of its kind in the country, providing a model for similar initiatives nationwide.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

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