“Sorry, I can’t hang out tonight. I’m going to be in prison.” Elizabeth Sinclaire, an LSA sophomore, participates in the Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP). She said that she can’t figure out how to tell people where she spends her Monday nights. Sometimes she says that she’s doing a workshop or writing a play with a group, but when she wants to start a discussion, she says she’ll be in jail.

PCAP, a program that allows incarcerated people throughout Michigan to express themselves creatively through art, acting,music, and dance, was started in 1990 by William “Buzz” Alexander, professor in the English language and literature department. His students enrolled in English 310 travel to prisons throughout Michigan and lead workshops for prisoners. In class each week, the students learn about Michigan’s prison system and are trained in how to act when conducting a workshop inside a prison, juvenile detention center, or an urban high school. The program’s goal is to create a safe space for incarcerated people to express themselves. Without a program like PCAP, prisoners would have a more difficult time finding a creative outlet in their weekly schedules. PCAP is a unique program because it provides the incarcerated with time for creativity and contact with the outside world.

PCAP also organizes an annual art show. The first art show took place in 1995. “We realized we were onto something,” Alexander said, when fifty artists from 16 prisons responded the first year. This year, the show will display the work of 232 artists from 40 prisons around Michigan. There are close to 400 pieces of art available for purchase. Prisoners are eager to be part of the show, as it allows them to stand out as individuals who are appreciated for their unique talents. Alexander said that for many artists in prison, the selection of their artwork is the highlight of their year. “We treat them like artists and not as prisoners,” he said. “We respect and admire their work.”

While the United States prison system used to focus on rehabilitation and integrating prisoners back into mainstream society after their release, incarcerated people today often find themselves right back in jail. Before the 1970s, prisoners were encouraged to correct their behavior and prepare for reintroduction to the outside world; this is no longer always true. According to a lecture by Professor Jeffrey Morenoff, since the 70s, rehabilitation has been replaced with a more punitive approach where prisoners aren’t treated as individuals with talents and skills that would allow them to be productive in society. Alexander’s program works against this punitive system that treats prisoners as numbers instead of as people. His work aims for the humanization of Michigan’s prisoners.

Julia Taylor, an LSA senior who has been an active PCAP participant for the past three years, is part of the show’s planning committee. She traveled with Alexander to select the art for this year’s exhibit. “It really opened my eyes. I had never met any of the artists before. To hear the stories behind their art, to hear them explain the details, allowed me to really understand the creative side to these men and women.” Formerly incarcerated artists who have been released from prison and whose work has been displayed in previous shows are asked to speak at the event. Taylor explained that the show is a chance for the community to come together to celebrate this art. “I see it as a grand celebration of the artists inside, and as a chance to bear witness to their struggles.” she said.

Annually, prominent speakers connected with the field of incarceration from across the country come to the show to talk about their work. This year, several authors, performers, and activists will speak at the show. This year’s show is open from March 25 through April 9. Held at the Duderstadt Center Gallery on the University’s North Campus, the show is free and open to the public.