Projects

The following are key projects that are planned or underway. We are open to new project suggestions and offers of collaboration.

In 2025, we launched the International Journal for Creativity Inside published with the Florida State University Institute for Arts & Art Therapy with the Imprisoned (AATI).

We are writing a Model Act: The Carceral Creativity and Poverty Reduction Support Act for use as legislation to provide public support for creativity in prisons at the national and state level (in progress).

We prepared a policy paper through the Scholars Strategy Network: "Unfetter Creativity in Prisons."

We are compiling a Directory of Arts In Corrections (AIC) Providers: Please add new AIC program information here.

We support establishing a Federal Credit Union for the Justice Involved in collaboration with First Step Alliance.

We prepared guidelines on "How to register a copyright application from prison" (5 pages may be printed on one side to pass prison mail censorship, where applicable): Prison Copyright Registration Protocol.

We plan to produce case studies on how to implement arts in corrections programs at prisons.

We would encourage developing an Annual Global Carceral Creativity Yearbook (in progress).

We plan to collaborate to offer an Annual Arts Exhibit and Competition (in progress).

We would encourage developing self-instruction guidebooks for drawing, music, Islamic art, and other arts (seeking collaborator/s).


Watch Copyright Behind Bars, a panel presentation at the 2023 IP Mosaic Conference, co-hosted by University of Illinois Chicago Law School, with panelists Jeanie Austin, Ph.D., Librarian, Jail and Reentry Services, San Francisco Public Library; Wendy Jason, Founder and Director, Justice Arts Coalition, nonprofit national network for those creating art in and around the criminal justice system (invited); Doran Larson, Ph.D, Professor of Literature, Hamilton College and Founder and Co-Director of the American Prison Writing Archive; Viva R. Moffat, Professor of Law, Co-Director, Intellectual Property and Technology Law Program, Sturm College of Law, University of Denver, advocating for IP rights for currently/formerly incarcerated and society; and Fury Young, Founder and Co-Executive Director, FREER Records, formerly Die Jim Crow, the first nonprofit record label for currently and formerly incarcerated artists.

Watch Henry A. J. Ramos, Senior Fellow, Institute of Race, Power, and Political Economy, The New School, New York, interviewing John R. Whitman on Prisons of Creativity here.