The Art of Restoration

Throughout the magazine on Restorative Justice and Human Rights you can find powerful images created by participants of the Prison Arts Collective in California. This is their account of the initiative. 

In California, the Prison Arts Collective, operates on a fundamental belief: art is a human right. They are dedicated to expanding access to the transformative power of the arts to one of the most marginalised populations – people who are incarcerated.

What began in 2013 at a single men’s prison has grown into a statewide movement. Today, the Collective  offers arts programming in 17 state prisons, two youth detention facilities, and a Naval Brig. 

Where the traditional system focuses on retribution, restorative justice focuses on repairing harm and rebuilding relationships (Zehr, 2015). The Prison Arts Collective links its practice to restorative justice and brings this this philosophy to life through a four-part model: creative practice, safe space, art history, and reflection. Incarcerated individuals make meaningful art that reflects their lived experiences, stories, and emotions,  cultivating a safe space for dialogue and connection. Art becomes their voice and an outlet for emotional processing –  a liberating experience in an environment defined by its absence. 

This approach is not just intuitive; it’s backed by evidence. Research shows that arts programming in prison has positive effects on ' emotional well-being and self-expression (Mullen, 1999), and provides a critical space for healing and processing trauma (Williams & Taylor, 2004; Litman & Silva, 2021). These programs improve social relationships (Atherton et al. 2022),behavioral outcomes (Brewster, 2014; Cheloistis & Jordanoska, 2016), and, crucially, develop community and instil hope (Atherton et al. 2022; Johnson, 2008) – all of which contribute positively to restorative justice.

Prison Arts Collective participants are central to our work. Early on, at their request, we began exhibiting their artwork. The goal is consistent: to share their work to demonstrate their humanity. To show that people in prison are still people, with ideas, hearts, values, and stories beyond their incarceration. 

Pablo, a Peer Facilitator for the Acrylic Landscape Painting Class at Avenal State Prison, shares his experience with his painting, Untitled:

“I’ve worked through the frustrations and distractions of prison life to finally sit down and peacefully turn a blank piece of canvas into a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. …Through painting, I have found a way to quiet my mind and my soul.”

Image: Untitled, 2023, Paul, Acrylic, 12 by 12 inches.  Courtesy of Prison Arts Collective

Recently, artists from the Collective at the California Institution for Men and California Institution for Women were invited to create works based on photographs of the Los Angeles State Historic Park for a community ‘Justice + Art Jam’. These works were displayed publicly, inspiring conversation and connections. 

Timothy, a longtime participant, opted to create a watercolour depicting a crack in the concrete at the prison. He shares this commentary about his work: 

“Nature says, ‘Don’t fence me in’, ‘Don’t curb me.’ I met this curb crack in C yard. She was thriving splendidly. But a human came along with a vicious weed eater and murdered her and dug all the accumulated topsoil out of the ugly crack. Now nature is starting over, laying layer after layer of glass clippings for the worms to eat and poop out to make beautiful black soil for more native flowers to grow. It will take many years, but she is very patient and tolerant. Please! Let us be more patient and tolerant to her.”

Image: Untitled, 2025, Nancy, Color Pencil, 9 by 12 inches.  Courtesy of Prison Arts Collective

Over time, Prison Arts Collective has seen many artists create images of birds –  a powerful symbol of freedom, flight, and expanded perspectives. Josiah, who painted the watercolour entitled Caged Birds, identifies his own core principles:

 “Having found healing in artistic  disciplines, I hope to share with other people in similar situations and struggles that they, too, can find healing in the arts.”

Since its inception, Prison Arts Collective has valued collaborative teaching teams, blurring the lines between university students, faculty, and incarcerated artists.  Mentoring and apprenticeship are built into the practice. For a closer, we feature four teaching artists below, who describe their experiences working in the programme. 

Rubén Alarcón is a formerly incarcerated artist, Prison Arts Collective peer facilitator and journalism student in San Diego State University’s first bachelor degree programme in a prison, Valuing Incarcerated Scholars through Academia. 

“I leaned on the arts for its therapeutic benefits… Through the arts, I gained empathy, emotional control, problem-solving skills, and the ability to turn my mistakes into guideposts for better decisions. It is through these changes that restorative justice begins to germinate, because the best way to apologise for the harm I’ve done is by changing who I am so that I will not harm someone again.” 

Image: Caged Bird, 2025, Josiah, Watercolor on paper, 9.5 by 13 inches. Courtesy of Prison Arts Collective

Alberto (Berto) Lule is a formerly incarcerated artist with Prison Arts Collective and  a Valuing Incarcerated Scholars through Academia faculty member. Incarcerated for 14 years, he received his Master of Fine Arts and is now a PhD candidate  at University of California, Los Angeles. Berto believes art and education saved his life while incarcerated. He exemplifies and reinforces the possibilities for his students' own journeys. 

Image: Berto Lule (middle) poses with graduates at the inaugural commencement ceremonies for the San Diego State University VISTA program, a 2-year completion Bachelor of Arts degree for incarcerated students at Centinela State Prison in California’s Imperial Valley. Photo by Peter Merts

Martin Townsend is a Fresno-based muralist, portrait artist, and educator, currently the Fresco Regional Lead with Prison Arts Collective.  As a mentor, he supports creative programming by guiding artistic practice while fostering spaces for self-expression, reflection, and community. His work bridges artistic engagement and restorative justice, emphasising visibility, empowerment, and the cultural contributions of participants. 

Photo: Martin Townsend in Avenal State Prison. Image still from documentary film Facilitating Change: The Vision of Prison Arts Collective, made in collaboration with Avalie Media.

Kristi Williams is an Australian/American designer based at Prison Arts Collective’s main office at San Diego State University. The intersection of art and restorative justice practices inspired her thesis, The Circle: A Restorative Process, a series of five custom-made outdoor benches tto encourage open dialogue. 

“I remember reading in my first post-class surveys that participants could not believe that I sat beside them, knew their first name and made them feel human again.” 

She saw that their built environments deeply shaped their self-understanding and that mutual respect and connection helped them reimagine it.

Perhaps the most transformative part of Prison Arts Collective’s work is its commitment to building leadership from the inside. This is achieved through the Arts Facilitator Training, an innovative program that empowers incarcerated artists to become peer facilitators and community leaders. 

This programme is rigorous. It involves an in-depth 60-hour teacher training curriculum followed by a 6-month apprenticeship. Participants receive university-level content in arts and education, engage in shared dialogue and reflection, and develop and practice teaching skills. At the culmination of the training, these new peer facilitators develop and lead their own multidisciplinary art programmes at the prison, guiding their peers with ongoing mentorship from experienced Prison Arts Collective Teaching Artists. 

The program, launched in 2017 by Professor and Director Annie Buckley, is a proven success. As of August 2025, the Collective’s teaching team currently mentors 58 active peer facilitators across seven state prisons. 

This opportunity gives participants a chance to see themselves in a leadership role, many for the first time. Mentors often highlight for the new peer facilitators that they are closer to the problem and thus, much closer to the solution. 

Peer facilitators do more than teach; they create and uphold a safe, restorative communal environment. The classroom becomes a type of sanctuary for creative expression, critical thought, and the sharing of experiences on a more personal level.

Figure: PAC Restorative Justice Poster, made in collaboration with Prison Arts Collective staff and students. Courtesy of Prison Arts Collective

Prison Arts Collective shares participant artwork in exhibitions held in formal art spaces, community areas, and government buildings across California. Alongside a thorough archive with the San Diego State University (SDSU) Library, the organisation shares art on social media, reaching families, friends, formerly incarcerated individuals, and new supporters. 

The responses we receive online are powerful and build community beyond the prison walls.

“It’s beautiful what Prison Arts Collective does for people incarcerated, they’ve done so much for me… Thank you for making us feel important. The work you guys do for us incarcerated is priceless and greatly appreciated.” 

– A Prison Arts Collective Alum, via Instagram

By sharing these stories and images, the Collective bridges the gap between those inside and outside of prison through the shared language of creativity,  strengthening respect and humanity across diverse communities. 

Image: XIII Blackbird, 2022, Anthony, Colored pencil on paper 8.5 by 11 inches Courtesy of Prison Arts Collective

In conversations (using pseudonyms), three peer facilitators described how this practice supports restoration: 

Gorilla emphasised creative expression as a means of internal growth and self-understanding, allowing individuals to confront personal histories and move beyond harm by cultivating new ways of seeing oneself. 

王 highlighted the role of grace in the community. Through art, participants are reminded they are more than their past mistakes and are given space to practice forgiveness—for themselves and for others. 

Deadlift underscored the importance of safe space and belonging. The creative environment becomes a refuge where individuals feel seen and valued, allowing for vulnerability and the building of authentic relationships.

Image: Beneath The Calm Blue Sea, 2023, Jose, Marker and color pencil, 8.5 by 11 inches Courtesy of Prison Arts Collective

Creating art in prison is more than the work itself. As the participants, teachers, and facilitators of Prison Arts Collective demonstrate, this creative process – emerging within the harshest of environments –fosters community, solidarity, growth, healing, and restoration.

Ultimately, this organisation's work affirms that art is a human right, integral to the restorative process. It provides a vital pathway for individuals to reclaim their narratives, repair harm, and rebuild connections to self and others. The stories and images shared here are not just testaments to a successful program; they prove that by investing in our shared humanity and creativity, we can build a more just and restorative world.

Atherton, S., Knight, V., & van Barthold, B. C. (2022). Penal arts interventions and hope: outcomes of arts-based projects in prisons and community settings. The Prison Journal, 102(2), 217-236.

Brewster, L. (2014). The Impact of Prison Arts Programs on Inmate Attitudes and Behavior: A Quantitative Evaluation. Justice Policy Journal, 11(2).

Cheliotis, L., & Jordanoska, A. (2016). The arts of desistance: Assessing the role of arts-based programmes in reducing reoffending. The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 55(1-2), 25-41.

Johnson, L. M. (2008). A Place for Art in Prison: Art as A Tool for Rehabilitation and Management. Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice, 5(2).

Littman, D. M., & Sliva, S. M. (2020). Prison Arts Program Outcomes. Journal of Correctional Education (1974-), 71(3), 54-82.

Mullen, C. A. (1999). Reaching inside out: Arts-Based Educational Programming for Incarcerated Women. Studies in Art Education, 40(2), 143–161.

Zehr, H. (2015). The Little Books of Restorative Justice: Revised and Updated. Good Books.