The Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP) was founded in 1990 with the mission to collaborate with currently and formerly incarcerated adults to strengthen our community through creative expression. Housed in the University of Michigan’s Residential College, faculty and students work with community members both inside and outside prisons to engage in workshops in theatre, dance, visual art, creative writing, slam poetry, and music. Annually, PCAP hosts one of the largest prisoner art exhibitions in the world and publishes a literary journal of writing by incarcerated authors. With arts programming and events year round, the organization serves as a creative hub for those with links to the criminal justice system, community volunteers, faculty, students, and university staff.

In order to fulfill its mission of strengthening our community through creative expression, the Prison Creative Arts Project:

• Hosts the Annual Exhibition of Art by Michigan Prisoners which showcases the work of incarcerated artists around the state.
• Showcases the talent and diversity of writers within correctional facilities in the Michigan Review of Prisoner Creative Writing.
• Organizes collaborative workshops in theater, creative writing, spoken word, art, dance, and music.
• Connects to support the artistic practice and development of returning citizens through the Linkage Community.
• Offers courses that provide a theoretical background and practical experience for engaging in social justice work.