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After over twenty years of cultivating innovation, collaboration, and prospects for artists who have been previously incarcerated, the Linkage Community will officially become an independent endeavor on August 1.

Initiated in the early 2000s as a mentoring initiative within the University of Michigan’s Prison Creative Arts Project, Linkage is now progressing into a statewide, member-driven collective that will persist in assisting artists who have faced incarceration.

With engaged members across Detroit, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Flint, and other Michigan locales, Linkage has positioned itself as the state’s premier peer-based creative reintegration network.

“Linkage grants me a platform to amplify the voices of those who are silenced due to incarceration,” stated Johnny Van Patten, a visual artist based in Lansing and a founding member of Linkage.

Linkage will commence its independent operations under a fiscal sponsor, signaling its formal separation from U-M’s Prison Creative Arts Project. This transition allows for flexibility in programming and defines strategic direction, while still nurturing a collaborative bond with PCAP.

“This shift exemplifies the artistry, foresight, and leadership of Linkage members,” remarked Nora Kritinsky, director of the Prison Creative Arts Project. “We’re privileged to have aided in their advancement and are eager to continue collaborating in novel ways.”

While the original Linkage Project commenced as a mentorship trial about two decades ago, its rebranding to the Linkage Community in 2022 marked the beginning of a transformative phase, transitioning to a co-led, statewide coalition with enhanced infrastructure, broader involvement, and increased visibility for artists with personal experiences of incarceration.

“In 2021, we had merely 22 members registered,” said Sarah Unrath, executive director of Linkage. “Today, over 125 artists are included in our collective—and that figure is expanding each week. More than 1,800 incarcerated individuals keep informed through PCAP’s newsletter, and we’ve recently broadened our reach to facilitate prerelease enrollment at Michigan Works’ Reentry United gatherings inside correctional facilities.”

Linkage artists engage across over 22 creative fields—muralism, photography, poetry, tattoo art, podcasting, music, fashion, and more—and have exhibited their work in various venues throughout the state.

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Participants collaboratively design initiatives concentrating on emotional well-being, artistic development, peer support, and financial advancement. The network additionally provides holistic assistance and disperses resources to empower individuals in constructing meaningful lives post-incarceration. Its initiatives are founded on three fundamental pillars, each aimed at promoting expansive support for its members:

• Belonging: Cultivating a robust sense of community through “Welcome to Linkage” gatherings, customized one-on-one check-ups, regular in-person and virtual meet-ups, along with a weekly newsletter to maintain connections.
• Bridging Gaps: Delivering crucial support to assist members in addressing various obstacles. This encompasses tailored referrals to social services, travel aid for in-person events, essential pre-entrance parole board support, technology guidance, and complimentary digitization of artworks.
• Development: Advocating for artistic and personal advancement by presenting opportunities such as exhibitions and performances, immersive in-person intensives and training sessions, personalized project consultations, free art materials, and invaluable professional connections.

“At its essence, it’s a network of individuals with firsthand experience of incarceration who uphold dignity, mutual respect, and the transformative power of creativity,” stated Casey Ward, a creative author, entrepreneur, and member of Linkage. “We’ve cultivated something exceptional: a circle where individuals are authentically recognized. Not for their past experiences, but for what they contribute—their art, their perspectives, their compassion.”

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