Beginning in December 2025 and continuing throughout the month of February, more than 600 works of art created by incarcerated artists were exhibited at Eastern Connecticut State University as part of CPA’s Prison Arts Program Annual Show.
The exhibition drew many hundreds, if not thousands of visitors and significant media attention across Connecticut. Guests viewed paintings, sculptures, drawings, and mixed-media pieces that reflected accountability, memory, hope, and growth.
For nearly five decades, CPA’s Prison Arts Program has operated in Connecticut prisons. Thousands of incarcerated individuals have participated in our program that encourages reflection and discipline while fostering skills that carry beyond incarceration. For over 34 years, Program Manager Jeffrey Greene has been responsible for its direction and success. Once again, he led a masterful event in collaboration with the university and its campus community.
Visitors to the show did not encounter statistics. They encountered talent and humanity.
Constructive programming inside correctional facilities contributes to safer institutional environments and stronger reentry outcomes. Participants consistently describe the program as one of the few spaces where they are encouraged to reflect rather than react.
The Prison Arts Program Annual Show serves as a bridge between prisons and the public. It invites the community to see individuals not only through the lens of conviction, but through the lens of creativity. Read the CT Mirror story at https://ctmirror.org/2026/02/19/ct-exhibition-prison-arts-program/