Arts Programming Initiative
“Cell Window” by C. Wynne
Art, music, poetry, and film have the transformative power to promote empathy and change lives. Inside Vision is MPAC’s arts programming initiative led by dedicated staffers and volunteers in collaboration with the Maine Department of Corrections and Maine College of Art & Design.
Gallery Exhibits
Inside Vision: An Outside Exhibition of Inside Art showcases works created by incarcerated artists, highlighting their creativity and unique perspectives. Each piece serves as a medium for storytelling, reflecting the artists' insights and challenges faced during their incarceration. The gallery invites the public to engage with the nuances of the human experience. You can watch the video of MPAC’s first Inside Vision Art Exhibit in collaboration with Freedom & Captivity here.
Workshops
Art and poetry workshops provide incarcerated individuals with tools to express themselves through creative arts and written word. Participants explore themes of identity, resilience, and hope, guided by our team of experienced art instructors. These sessions are designed to develop artistic skills and encourage emotional healing and self-reflection. This collaboration creates a supportive environment that helps incarcerated individuals envision a more positive future.
Events
In addition to gallery exhibits and workshops, Inside Vision also organizes monthly events for incarcerated audiences at each of the Maine carceral facilities from film screenings, panel discussions, book readings, to guest speakers and live performances, including engagements sponsored by the Maine State Prison Chapter of the NAACP.
Read more about our events series here.
Through curated gallery exhibitions, workshops, and events, this initiative empowers and enriches the cultural dialogue within and beyond the prison walls, creating a greater sense of community and shared understanding that incarceration does not define the full humanity or potential of an individual.
Every incarcerated person is more than the crime that led to imprisonment. No one should be reduced to a single moment in their life. Incarcerated people are whole, evolving individuals, just like anyone else.
We invite you to join us in making a meaningful impact through art and conversation. Your support plays a vital role in sustaining this program.