News

News About the 2026 Art Show: Everyday Iowa and Little Village

Everyday Iowa – Inside Out Reentry Community’s Art from the Inside Out Link to video interview on Everyday Iowa with Executive Director Michelle Heinz. _______________________________ Little Village – ‘Art is my escape’: Paintings, drawings, a Popsicle stick sculpture and other intricate work make up the 2026 Art from the Inside Out exhibition, debuting Friday “My biggest inspiration for my artwork is God, injustice and purpose,” said Ivan Flores, an incarcerated artist with work featured in Read more

By InsideOut Reentry, ago

🎉 Art Show and New Year News! (January 2026 Newsletter)

January 2026 Newsletter 4th Annual Art from the Inside Out Art Show! Our fourth annual Art from the Inside Out art show is coming up soon! This free show features the incredible artwork of current and formerly incarcerated artists. The reception is February 6th at 6 pm at Public Space One (538 S Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA) and art will be on display from February 3rd-14th (See our website for more information.) Attendees will have the opportunity to gather and build support for artists impacted by incarceration. You do not want to miss Read more

By InsideOut Reentry, ago

✨ Getting Out and Staying Out – Our November News (November 2025 Newsletter)

One year of incredible work and ten years of gratitude!  As 2025 comes to a close, we proudly celebrate 10 years of growth, resilience, and service to our community. At Inside Out Reentry Community, our commitment to walking alongside individuals returning from incarceration has never been stronger. With your encouragement and support, we achieved these 10 highlights in 2025: Held our third annual Art from the Inside Out art show Celebrated our 2-year anniversary of the reentry Read more

By InsideOut Reentry, ago

Inside Out May Update Is Here! 🌸 Events, News, and More

Inside Out Reentry Community has been busy the past few months and we’re so grateful for our supporters and volunteers who help us further our mission of supporting those returning after incarceration.Acceptance Commitment Group – Skills Building In March and April we facilitated a six-week ACT (Acceptance Commitment Training) Group. This group is focused on skill-building to cope with stressors, aid in emotional regulation, and build awareness to reach goals. This group was a big success with 9 graduates Read more

By InsideOut Reentry, ago

Creativity behind bars: “Art from the Inside Out” shines light on incarcerated artists in Iowa

Creativity can sprout anywhere. Impressionist drawings of lush landscapes, water-colored paintings infused with Kool-Aid and coffee, and intricate and detailed portraits of celebrities are just a few of the dozens of art pieces that will be displayed at Public Space One’s “Art from the Inside Out” exhibition. The yearly offering from Inside Out Reentry Community (IO) is a rare glimpse into the creativity and resilience of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals across the state of Read more

By InsideOut Reentry, ago

Review: ‘Art is survival’ for the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated craftsmen behind this PS1 exhibition

Community members packed the Feb. 7 opening reception of the “Art from the Inside Out” exhibition at Public Space One’s Close House, giving me the feel-goods. I saw a woman I used to work with and met her mother; I saw friends and met their grandchild. Artists and their families were there, and it was the most class-diverse art show I’ve attended. It felt divine because I saw the Iowa City community as it is, Read more

By InsideOut Reentry, ago