Open Call for Papers

2026-02-15

The teaching and practice of the arts in carceral facilities, often called arts-in-corrections (AIC), is a growing professional field internationally. This field is an expanding ecosystem of many types of organizations including those engaged in education, arts exhibitions, sales, librarianship, philanthropy, therapeutic interventions through the arts and art making, efforts to advance or standardize archival practices, teacher training in the arts, the publication of books about artists and their works, and recording and distribution of their music. The field includes government and foundation funded programs and research on arts in corrections and legislation to support tuition for students inside correctional institutions.

The open source International Journal for Creativity Inside (IJCI), published by Florida State University and the Creative Prisons Project in Chicago, is leading the effort to expand the field of AIC. IJCI features works by scholars, practitioners, and students engaged in arts-in-correction, bringing together disciplines including the arts, librarianship, the law, clinicians, and corrections to advance understanding of and to celebrate developments in this field. Its mission, in brief, is to highlight, support, and expand the value of creativity in carceral systems to people in prison and to society. Toward this end, IJCI advances knowledge and public discourse on the role of creativity in carceral institutions globally by publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarly research and practice-based explorations along with curated, insightful perspectives, creative works, and reviews of book, films, performances, and exhibits related to artistic, literary, and other creative endeavors within carceral settings. IJCI is freely available online, and its operations are sustained through volunteer editors. The expanding editorial board will include university faculty, artists and scholars, corrections professionals, and people with lived experience in carceral facilities.

The Journal invites submissions from educators, researchers, clinicians, artists, art historians, librarians, corrections professionals, students, lawyers, policymakers, people who are currently or formerly incarcerated, and others, in any of the following topics from any country worldwide:

  • National descriptive surveys of AIC programs to provide a baseline of activity, examples of current programs to inspire further AIC engagement, and a basis for international comparative analysis.
  • Case studies of specific AIC programs, including pedagogy and evaluation components.
  • Evaluations of program outcomes, including methodologies.
  • Descriptions of programs to train AIC teachers.
  • Research and practice-based reports on various therapeutic arts/arts therapies programs and interventions.
  • Experiential narratives as incarcerated or formerly incarcerated creators, including how such engagement contributed to well-being within and beyond prison.
  • Descriptions of working relationships with correctional superintendents and staff, including examples of agreements, if possible.
  • Reviews of books, public exhibitions, performances, or films and visitor reactions.
  • Research on the behavioral outcomes of AIC program participants.
  • Research on the linkage between AIC programing and desistance and recidivism outcomes following community re-entry.
  • The role of foundations in promoting AIC programs.
  • The role of libraries in supporting AIC programs.
  • The role of copyright protection in AIC activities.
  • Supplementing AIC programs with poverty-reduction and/or re-entry educational programing.
  • Barriers to AIC programing.
  • Comparisons of AIC programs undertaken in federal versus state facilities.
  • Other timely papers that advance the mission of the IJCI.

Papers may be theoretical, practice-based, or empirical research papers that develop or test, if appropriate, hypotheses using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, or perspectives on policy and practice to spark insight and discourse. Personal ethnographies that add to knowledge about personal transformation through AIC are encouraged, as are collaborations with incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people and professionals in the corrections/criminal justice field. Examples of creative works, used with permission, are welcome for consideration. Copyright to published content will remain with the authors.

If you are interested in submitting a paper proposal on any of the above topics or one that you propose, please email at any time a 600-word abstract, outline of contents, methodology, and fit with the journal, along with a brief biographical statement less than 100 words to Dr. David Gussak, dgussak@fsu.edu. By mail, please use the following address:

Dr. David Gussak

Florida State University-Dept of Art Ed

3029 WJB/143 Honors Way

Tallahassee FL 32306-1232

If you are interested in submitting original, creative audio, visual, or written material for consideration in the journal, please submit a recording, image, or sample with your proposal, along with a brief biographical statement.