Events.
Click here to view our MPAC 2025 Calendar!
Pickleball Clinic at MSP with Gina Cilento
Gina Cilento, a well-known professional tennis player and rising star in the world of pickleball, will visit the Maine State Prison for a special clinic to share her expertise and support aspiring players who are incarcerated to hone their skills in both sports.
Inside Vision: An Outside Exhibit of Inside Art
Who do we put into prison? What are their stories? Inside Vision gives voice to those who are incarcerated, creating a space for them to share their thoughts, dreams, and longings. Artwork and poetry made by residents of Maine’s prisons presents a diverse and complex portrait of those we put behind bars, a people yearning to be heard. Join us as we return to L/A Arts for our first gallery exhibit of 2025.
SING SING Inside Vision Film Screening + Live Discussion with Clarence "Divine Eye"Maclin,
Inside Vision Film Series is excited to present a film screening of Sing Sing for audiences incarcerated at the Maine Correctional facilities. This screening will be followed by a live discussion with Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin, Sing Sing Best Supporting Actor, youth counselor, creative arts specialist, and gang intervention specialist.
Watch the trailer here.
Legislative Strategy Meeting
Join us every Tuesday via Zoom for our MPAC Legislative Strategy Meeting. Engage with fellow advocates as we discuss key legislative initiatives, share strategies, and collaborate on effective approaches to influence policy. Whether you're a seasoned advocate or new to the process, your insights are valuable. Together, we can work towards advancing our collective goals and make a meaningful impact in our communities.
16 Bars Film Screening
Inside Vision Film Series will host a live streaming of “16 Bars” a film featuring Todd Thomas “Speech” from Arrested Development for incarcerated audiences at the Maine State Prison, Maine Women’s Correctional Center, and the Southern Maine Women’s Reentry Center with a panel discussion to follow.
Watch the trailer here.
Inside Vision Film Screening at MSP: THE SEARCH FOR GENERAL TSO
MPAC’s Inside Vision Film screening this month for Incarcerated audiences at the Maine State Prison will be "THE SEARCH FOR GENERAL TSO" which explores the history and cultural significance of a popular Chinese dish, highlighting its connection to food, identity, and the immigrant experience.
Watch the trailer here.
MPAC Community Strategy Meeting
Join us Saturday, March 8 at 10am for our MPAC Community Strategy Meeting live from Beyond the Bars in NYC!
Zoom Link here.
The Malaga Ship Performance at MSP
The NAACP Maine State Prison Chapter in collaboration with Atlantic Black Box will present a performance by Antonio Rocha titled "The Malaga Ship: A Story of Maine and the Middle Passage" a powerful exploration of the historical connections between Maine and the transatlantic slave trade. Through his storytelling, Rocha will illuminate the narratives often overlooked in mainstream discussions about history and resilience.
Maine Humanities Council Hosts DUNE Part Two at MSP
A special 2-day film screening of DUNE will be held at the Maine State Prison on March 6th and March 13th. Hosted by the Maine Humanities Council.
6th Amendment and Maine: A Moderated Panel Discussion
Join the Maine Law student groups, Students for the 6th Amendment, American Constitution Society, and the Youth Justice Society, for 6th Amendment and Maine: A Moderated Panel Discussion, including Joseph Jackson, Executive Director of MPAC.
Register here.
Victoria Wyeth Art Gallery Exhibit at Maine State Prison
Maine State Prison’s annual Victoria Wyeth’s Art Gallery Event will be held Thursday, February 27th. Click here to learn more about the exhibit.
MYP Justice Policy Expert Call with Jan Collins
Jan Collins, Associate Director of MPAC, will be a featured presenter at the Maine Youth Power Justice Policy Expert Call to be held virtually on February 12 from 7p to 8p.
Click to register here.
TEHACHAPI Film Screening at MSP
Inside Vision’s next film screening for audiences at the Maine State Prison will be: Tehachapi, a thought-provoking documentary by the French artist JR created with incarcerated men at California’s Tehachapi State Prison. The film explores how art can help people heal, reconnect with family, and transform their lives.
Watch the trailer here.
MPAC Community Strategy Meeting
Join us in person or online! Our community partner this month is Kage Johnson, a transformative justice practitioner & abolitionist. She is a co-founder of Healing First!, a Transformative Justice collective entirely led by survivors of violent harm who advocate for RJ/TJ as an accessible option for all. Kage is also the representative for the Maine chapter of the growing global coalition, Survivors For Justice Reform.
NAACP Prison Branch 20th Anniversary Celebration & MLK Day Observance
A celebration will be held at the Maine State Prison to mark the 20th Anniversary of the NAACP Prison Branch, during which Joseph Jackson, the Executive Director of the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition, will be honored as a founding member. This event will also serve as an observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, recognizing the enduring impact of his work and legacy. Keynote Speaker: Senator Rachel Talbot-Ross, who will share her insights and reflections.
MLK Spoken Word Festival
Join us for the 2nd Annual MLK Spoken Word Festival at Bates College. This event celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through the powerful medium of spoken word. Featuring a diverse lineup of talented poets, including MPAC’s Executive Director Joseph Jackson, and performers, the festival invites participants to explore themes of justice, equality, and resilience. Come experience an inspiring evening of creativity, expression, and community engagement as we honor Dr. King's impact and vision for a better world. All are welcome to take part in this meaningful celebration.
Inside Vision Film Screening & Discussion Panel at MSP
Inside Vision’s feature presentation this month at the Maine State Prison will be: Since I Been Down. A film by Gilda Shepard about resilience.
“The culture of punishment and its consequence is our shared reality in America today. Especially in these times of legislated violence and fear of difference, who better to show us the triumph of the human spirit than those caught behind bars for life?”
- Filmmaker Gilda Sheppard
MPAC Community Strategy Meeting
We're excited to have Mary Bonauto as our guest speaker this month! Mary is a recent recipient of the prestigious Presidential Citizen Medal and a long-standing supporter and community partner of the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition.
MPAC Community Strategy Meeting
Join us this Saturday, December 14
for our monthly MPAC Community Strategy meeting. We're excited to have Members of the NAACP's MSP chapter share updates on their advocacy work from inside the Maine State Prison. You won't want to miss this informative and insightful presentation!
‘CREATING IN CONFINEMENT’ HOLIDAY ART & GIFT MARKET AT THE FRANCIS HOTEL
This inaugural collaboration between The Francis Hotel and MECA&D's Public Engagement Program celebrates the creativity and resilience of incarcerated artists, while supporting ethical reforms in the Maine prison system; this includes increased access to art materials and instruction, which reduces recidivism rates, improves mental wellness, and can develop vocational and entrepreneurship skills. The exhibit includes artists whose work has also been featured in exhibitions organized by Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition.
Gender Justice and Participatory Pretrial Training
This training responds to the urgent need to interrupt a 50-year trend of increasing pretrial detention and further incarceration of women and gender-expansive people, despite them posing the lowest risk to public safety and being likeliest to have the role of primary caregiver.
Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition (MPAC) and Orange Bike Brewing Company
Prisoner Advocacy Charles Jordan Reentry Home Youth Engagement fundraiser at Orange Bike Brewing Company.
NB2A Symposium & Screening of One Pint at a Time
Orange Bike Brewing Co. and Third Place are hosting a two-day event for the National Black Brewers Association (NB2A). This event includes a screedning of the documentary film One Pint at a Time. For more information visit the Orange Bike Breweing Co. website. If you would like to sponsor the event please use this link.
Inside Vision: Art & Incarceration Panel Discussion
We’re pleased to announce a Panel Discussion at Meetinghouse Arts Stage on Saturday, June 15th at 6:00 PM, as a part of Inside Vision, An Outside Exhibition of Inside Art. Check back for more details.
Inside Vision is a traveling exhibit of art created by people incarcerated in the Maine prison system and is organized by the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition. Residents of Maine’s prisons express their lived experience, hopes, and dreams in the art they create. Their artwork defies stereotypes and emphasizes that we are all more than the worst act we have committed. Through their art, those living inside convey the message that, “We are whole people with loves and losses, skills, talents, ideas, and gifts… and a longing to be free.”
Please join us at Meetinghouse Arts Gallery on Friday, June 7th for the free opening reception from 4:30-7:00 PM.
ART & KRIMES BY KRIMES – Film Screening
Please join us at Meetinghouse Arts Stage on Saturday, June 8th for a free, public screening of ART & KRIMES BY KRIMES at 6:00 PM as part of our Inside Vision, An Outside Exhibition of Inside Art Gallery exhibition. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Inside Vision is a traveling exhibit of art created by people incarcerated in the Maine prison system and is organized by the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition (MPAC).
Description
While locked-up for six years in federal prison, artist Jesse Krimes secretly creates monumental works of art—including an astonishing 40-foot mural made with prison bed sheets, hair gel, and newspaper. He smuggles out each panel piece-by-piece with the help of fellow artists, only seeing the mural in totality upon coming home. As Jesse's work captures the art world's attention, he struggles to adjust to life outside, living with the threat that any misstep will trigger a life sentence.
Festivals
Winner, Best Documentary Feature, RiverRun International Film Festival
Winner, Best Feature Documentary, Justive on Trial Film Festival
Winner, Audiance Award and Best Animation, Philadelphia Film Festival
Official Selection, DOC NYC
Official Selection, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
Inside Vision: An Outside Exhibition of Inside Art Opening Reception
Purple Landscape by Chris Wynne, 2021
Inside Vision, An Outside Exhibition of Inside Art, is a traveling exhibit of art created by people incarcerated in the Maine prison system and is organized by the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition. Residents of Maine’s prisons express their lived experience, hopes, and dreams in the art they create. Their artwork defies stereotypes and emphasizes that we are all more than the worst act we have committed. Through their art, those living inside convey the message that, “We are whole people with loves and losses, skills, talents, ideas, and gifts… and a longing to be free.”
Please join us at Meetinghouse Arts Gallery on Friday, June 7th for an Opening Reception from 4:30-7:00 PM. Admission is free for all Inside Vision events.
Inside Vision: An Outside Exhibition of Inside Art
Purple Landscape by Chris Wynne, 2021
Inside Vision, An Outside Exhibition of Inside Art, is a traveling exhibit of art created by people incarcerated in the Maine prison system and is organized by the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition. Residents of Maine’s prisons express their lived experience, hopes, and dreams in the art they create. Their artwork defies stereotypes and emphasizes that we are all more than the worst act we have committed. Through their art, those living inside convey the message that, “We are whole people with loves and losses, skills, talents, ideas, and gifts… and a longing to be free.”
Please join us at Meetinghouse Arts Gallery on Friday, June 7th for a free opening reception from 4:30-7:00 PM. We’re pleased to announce a panel discussion at Meetinghouse Arts Stage on Saturday, June 15th at 6:00 PM, as a part of Inside Vision. Stay tuned for more details.
Inside Vision: An Outside Exhibit of Inside Art
Gallery Hours: Tuesday- Friday 10-6; Saturday 12-6
Opening Reception: TBD December
Inside Vision: An Outside Exhibit of Inside Art
Gallery Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 12:00pm-6:00pm, Sat.: 4:00pm-6:00pm; closed Sundays, holidays and university breaks
Opening Reception: Thus, Oct 5, 5-7pm
Inside Vision: An Outside Exhibit of Inside Art
Gallery Hours: 7 Days/week 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Opening Reception: Aug 19 or 20
Master of Light film screening
Master of Light: Directed by Rosa Ruth Boesten.
George Anthony Morton, a classical painter who spent ten years in federal prison travels to his hometown to paint his family members. Going back forces George to face his past in his quest to rewrite the script of his life.
With Liberty and Justice for All: Current issues in Maine's legal justice system
Jan Collins will be giving a Gold Leaf presentation of With Liberty and Justice for All: Current issues in Maine's legal justice system, at the University of Maine Farmington’s Emery Arts Center.
Now Date, November 18.