University of Michigan's annual Prison Creative Arts Project goes online for the 25th edition

VISUAL ART

Alvin Smith's painting Pointless Acquisitions

Alvin Smith, Pointless Acquisitions, from the 25th Prison Creative Arts Project exhibition.

For more than two decades, the University of Michigan's annual Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP) has showcased the creative work of incarcerated people with an annual exhibition. The 25th edition of PCAP runs March 16-31, but it will be entirely online. While the pandemic forced PCAP to the virtual space, it's been on the organization's to-do list for a while.

“I hope that our artists are gratified to know that their work will be seen far beyond the gallery in Ann Arbor this year,” said Nora Krinitsky, director of PCAP, in a story published by U-M's Michigan News. “In that way, even though this is an unusual year, we’re able to serve PCAP’s mission of connecting people impacted by the justice system with those in the free world more than ever before.” 

Gallery viewers will be able to purchase the art via phone, and the artists receive 100% of the net sales revenue. PCAP associate director Vanessa Mayesky told Michigan News:

One thing we are really excited about with this digital version of the exhibit is that we are able to expand artwork sales to anyone in the U.S., not just those who can make it to Ann Arbor. Typically, visitors purchase about half of the pieces offered for sale. My secret hope is we can sell it all this year.

You can read the whole story and see more of the artwork here

Michigan News also wrote about how volunteers travel around the state visiting prisons to compile the pieces that go into the PCAP exhibitions.

Click here to see a full list of event's for this year's PCAP, including guided tours and numerous discussions.


Christopher Porter is a library technician and the editor of Pulp.