The Center for Art & Advocacy

Mission

The Center for Art and Advocacy believes there is an abundance of uncultivated talent and exceptional creativity among individuals who share the lived experience of incarceration. At a time when our country leads the world in the criminalization of its most vulnerable populations, often made up of people with marginalized identities, we find that justice-impacted artists within the U.S. are especially at risk of being under-funded, under-mentored, under-resourced, and under-connected within the traditional institutions and arts communities. 

Vision

This is why The Center aims to improve these outcomes for our most vulnerable creatives by providing financial and community support via our catalytic flagship, the Right of Return Fellowship, mentoring and professional development through our capacity-building Academy and Arts Incubator program, and the opportunity for industry-wide recognition and dedicated time to develop their projects through our premiere Residency and Retreat in rural Pennsylvania. 

Action

Their distinctive perspective makes this community specially equipped to advance change throughout the United States by reframing our society’s criminal legal narrative and advocacy for racial justice and equity, using the vehicle of art to build, organize, and support local and national movements.