IT ALL STARTED WHEN…
In 2015, a volunteer committee of defense attorneys, clinical social workers, and criminologists came together to create Unchained Voices. Supported by Denver community members, the first of what would become an annual art show featuring incarcerated artists was born.
Since its inception, Uncahined Voices has grown exponentially across the state of Colorado. With artists participating from 19 state facilities, the program has blossomed into an opportunity for incarcerated artists to tell their stories, raise money for themselves and their families, and bring awareness to incarceration and restorative justice through art practices.
In 2024, Unchained Voices became an official non-profit organization, comprised of a working Board of Directors that continues to operate entirely on a volunteer basis. Ranging from various backgrounds, such as fine artists, curators, arts advocates, and criminal justice reform advocates, our board members have joined the team to continue to enhance and expand the show with their expertise.
What is an Advocacy & Empowerment Art Show?
The mission and vision of the Unchained Voices committee is to Educate, Empower, Advocate, and Connect through shared humanity and the powerful voice of Art.
We seek to Educate the greater community about the experience of incarcerated people. Through our unique model, requiring “Needs Statements” from each of our artists, we seek to help others understand the many collateral consequences of “Mass Incarceration”. We also seek to illuminate the dark corners of the justice system, to highlight the change, humanity, and redemption that grow inside incarceration facilities.
We seek to Empower both incarcerated individuals and “free people” towards a better vision of community. Through the sale and purchase of art created inside incarceration facilities, individuals can contribute, in a positive way, to their community. Some choose to financially support families in the “free,” while others give their earnings to a wide range of organizations, from the Children’s Hospital to the DU Prison Arts Initiative. We believe in empowering people to do better, no matter their past or present circumstances.
We seek to Advocate. By illuminating the many “faces” of Mass-Incarceration, we seek to advocate for a more just and equitable system. By illustrating, through “Needs Statements,” the multi-faceted collateral consequences of the system, we seek to advocate for change. As we believe our artists’ voices best illustrate the change they are engaging in, despite the hardships of incarceration. We believe that by experiencing firsthand the many obstacles our artists face, we can help others imagine better, more equitable systems of justice.
We seek to Connect people. Encored in the values of Restorative Justice, we seek to connect ALL our community. Because we believe that our inter-dependence is valuable. We seek to connect the marginalized with the privileged, the incarcerated with the free, and families with their loved ones. Through sharing of Art, ideas, emotions, and resources, we hope to engage all members in making our community a better home, for those here and those returning from their time incarcerated.
We achieve these goals by promoting, displaying, and selling inmate-created artwork in an annual show. Each artist is required to provide a unique explanation or “Statement of Need,” which is displayed along with the art at each show. All proceeds go directly to fulfilling the “need” identified by the artist.
The committee receives no compensation for its work. All costs of production are covered by a combination of community sponsorship, private donations, and a small grant. For donation or sponsorship information, please use the ‘Contact Us’ section of the website.
If you would like to partner with us…
We are always looking for new venues and organizations to partner with in the future! If you are interested in collaborating or want to learn more, please email us at unchainedvoicesartshow@gmail.com.
Past partners have included the Cottonwood Center for the Arts, Denver Arts and Venues, The McNichols Building, Boulder Public Library, and more!