🌸 May Magic: Spring Concert, Social Events & Reentry Success! (May 2026 Newsletter)

May 2026 Newsletter Our Spring Concert is Almost Here! Join us on Sunday May 31st from 3-5 pm for our free upcoming Spring Concert Fundraiser featuring the masterful country blues duo – The Cedar County Cobras. It’s sure to be a fun afternoon in the sunshine (we hope!!) at Chauncey Swan Park in Iowa City. This family friendly event will have some activities for kids, as well as the opportunity to show your support of those returning from incarceration. Bring a lawn chair Read more

🌸 Spring into Reentry News from Inside Out! (March 2026 Newsletter)

March 2026 Newsletter Our 4th year of incredible art, inspiration and human connections!   Creativity hung on the walls and inspiration was abundant at our Art from the Inside Out reception on February 6th! Artists, family members representing their incarcerated loved ones, and guests mingled through the rooms at PS1. Each year the show draws a larger crowd to see the works of those who, despite life challenging circumstances, create. Thank you to those who visited the show and to Read more

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

🎉 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

✨ 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

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

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