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Prison Arts in Northwest Michigan

You're supporting an original theatrical performance put on by inmates in a northwest Michigan correctional facility.

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Prison Arts in Northwest Michigan

Prison Arts in Northwest Michigan

Prison Arts in Northwest Michigan

Prison Arts in Northwest Michigan

Prison Arts in Northwest Michigan

You're supporting an original theatrical performance put on by inmates in a northwest Michigan correctional facility.

You're supporting an original theatrical performance put on by inmates in a northwest Michigan correctional facility.

You're supporting an original theatrical performance put on by inmates in a northwest Michigan correctional facility.

You're supporting an original theatrical performance put on by inmates in a northwest Michigan correctional facility.

Matthew Bertrand
Matthew Bertrand
Matthew Bertrand
Matthew Bertrand
1 Campaign |
Traverse City, United States
$600 USD 4 backers
120% of $500 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Choose your Perk

Post-performance celebration

$10 USD
1 claimed

Short Summary

Your contributions will make possible a singular, inspiring act of theater: one small group of inmates serving time in a northwest Michigan correctional facility will write and perform an original work of theater within the prison environment for their fellow inmates, with support from three Traverse City area facilitators. Though we are not affiliated with University of Michigan's Prison Creative Arts Project, we are pleased to rely on their excellent model.

What We Need

We don't need much -- a little money for gas will do (and we carpool). The requested total will fund our 10 week program at the federal mileage rate of $0.565 / mile, and provide a small cushion to purchase props if needed.

The Impact

Almost everyone imprisoned will someday be released. How can we as a society help people be, find, or hold on to their best selves while incarcerated, so they may thrive when they return to us, for themselves, for their children and families, and for their/our community? Prison Creative Arts, in this case theater, is one answer. We will foster a positive, safe environment through which participants may explore how to express themselves creatively and productively, a process they will then share with other inmates through performance. 

Explore Prison Theater

Explore this short video by the Prison Creative Arts Project about the impact of prison arts.

Listen to a piece by This American Life on a prison production of Hamlet.

Other Ways You Can Help

Stay in touch. Connect with us through facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/prisonartsNWMI.

Learn more about our model

Our efforts are modeled on those pioneered in Ann Arbor, MI through the University of Michigan's Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP). Our efforts began in 2010 with help from PCAP's Michigan Prison Arts Initiative, through which PCAP provided facilitator training to individuals across Michigan to help foster local prison creative arts efforts. To learn more about PCAP, visit their website: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/pcap.

Learn more about the facilitators

Patty Pelizzari
Patty Pelizzari is a long time fan of all art forms and a believer that the arts open doors for everyone.  She currently teaches Art Appreciation at The Pathfinder School and served as Collections Chair at the Michigan Legacy Art Park where she was a board member for 17 years.  Patty also facilitates an art class at The Goodwill Inn in Traverse City with artist Patricia Innis.  She has a BA in Art History from the University of Michigan and MA from The American University.

Gulshirin Dubash
Gulshirin Dubash is originally from Mumbai, India. She received her MFA in Physical Theatre from the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre, and works within the pedagogy of theatre practitioner Jacques Lecoq (physical theatre, commedia dell’arte, melodra, clown, street theatre and devised works). She has performed and taught at several festival and institutions around India and the US. She currently teaches theatre at Interlochen Center for the Arts. 


Matthew Bertrand
Matthew first became interested in prison arts when he was invited to serve as a guest instructor through the Inside/Out program in Tucson, AZ to work with young women incarcerated in the Pima County Juvenile Detention Center. When he moved to Traverse City in 2010, he began working shortly thereafter in local prisons with support from the Prison Creative Arts Project’s Michigan Prison Arts Initiative, assisting in leading visual arts and theater workshops. He currently works for Michigan State University Extension – Leelanau coordinating the Master Gardener program. Matthew received a BA in English Literature with a minor in History in 2006 from Arizona State University. 

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