Statewide Creative Network Will Transition from University of Michigan’s Prison Creative Arts
Project on August 1, 2025
After more than two decades of fostering creativity,
connection, and opportunity for artists who are formerly incarcerated, the Linkage
Community will officially transition into an independent initiative on August 1, 2025.
Founded as a mentorship program under the University of Michigan’s Prison Creative Arts
Project (PCAP) in the early 2000s, Linkage has evolved into a statewide, member-driven
network supporting artists with lived experience of incarceration. With active members in
Detroit, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Flint, and other communities across Michigan, Linkage is now
recognized as the state’s leading peer-based creative reentry network.
“Linkage provides me with a platform to give a voice to those who are unable to
speak because of incarceration,” said Johnny Van Patten, a Lansing-based visual
artist and founding Linkage member.
On August 1, Linkage will begin operating independently under a fiscal sponsor, marking its
departure from PCAP and the University of Michigan. The move provides autonomy to shape
programming and set strategic direction, all while maintaining a collaborative relationship
with PCAP.
“This transition is a testament to the creativity, vision, and leadership of Linkage
members themselves,” said Nora Kritinsky, Director of the Prison Creative Arts
Project. “We’re honored to have supported their growth and excited to continue
working together in new ways.”
Linkage Community members co-create programming that fosters emotional wellness,
artistic growth, peer navigation, and economic mobility. The network also provides holistic
support and resource-sharing for individuals as they build lives after incarceration. Pillars of
programming include:
● Belonging: “Welcome to Linkage” meals, one-on-one check-ins, in-person and virtual
gatherings, weekly newsletter
● Bridging Gaps: Personalized referrals to social services, travel support for in-person
events, pre-entry parole board support, technology coaching, free digitization of
artwork
● Development: Exhibitions and performances, in-person intensives and trainings,
project consultations, free art supplies, professional introductions
A send-off fundraising campaign is underway to ensure a strong launch. Supporters can
contribute at https://myumi.ch/VVDdV. Funds will help establish a sustainable foundation and
ensure Linkage continues to welcome artists home from prison into a supportive and vibrant
creative community.
“At its core, it’s a network of people with lived experience of incarceration who
believe in dignity, in each other, and in the power of creativity,” said Casey Ward, a
creative writer, entrepreneur, and valued Linkage member. “We’ve made
something rare: a circle where people are truly seen. Not for what they’ve been
through, but for what they bring—their art, their insight, their care.”