Call for visual art and poems from artists on both sides of the prison walls
This year’s theme:
Defy the Design
defiance: bold resistance to an opposing force of authority
We often hear that our systems are broken. In reality, our systems were designed to oppress, silence, and enact violence. In order to get free, we must actively defy the designs that work to keep us away from our liberation. And part of that defiance includes creating new designs of our own.
Submission deadline:
Visual art submission deadline: June 30, 2026
Poetry submission deadline (open to poets in prison): May 31, 2026
The show will run in October 2026 at Sibyl’s Shrine in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Let’s Get Free invites you to explore the theme “Defy the Design” for our 8th art show, opening in October 2026. The theme can be interpreted in these ways and many more:
- In what ways can we maintain and grow connection, despite the ways we are meant to be isolated?
- How do we build political power across difference and distance?
- How do we refuse while inside the belly of the beast?
- What is a different way of being in community where our dreams become possible?
- How do you hold your humanity intact while forces around you try to ground it down?
“Defy the Design” asks: what are ways, big and small, that we shift the way things are done to make liberation more possible?
LET’S GET FREE’S ART SHOW IS A FUNDRAISER. By submitting art to the show you are consenting for your art to be auctioned and sold to raise money to support Let’s Get Free. By submitting your creation, you are consenting to allow us to use it to raise awareness on different platforms. We will credit you and share whatever we create with you! Any art that is not auctioned will be saved and sold in our “cash and carry” store the following year.
Let’s Get Free’s art show is a contest for artists in prison. We consider all art from people outside of prison to be an offering of solidarity in support of the movement to end mass incarceration. Poetry submissions are only open to poets in prison.
Send art and poems to:
Let’s Get Free Art Show
460 Melwood Ave #300
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
to drop off your art, contact us at artshow@letsgetfree.info, and we will share the drop off location
“Defy the Design” Submission Guidelines
We love receiving artwork connected to the theme. HOWEVER, if the theme doesn’t inspire you – PLEASE – GO ROGUE AND SEND ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE 🙂
VISUAL ART: If you are a non-incarcerated artist (ie an artist in solidarity), please submit this form for each piece you would like to donate. All mediums welcome, no size restrictions. Illustrations, collage, paintings, sculpture, charcoal, textiles, cross stitch, sculpture, blankets, you tell us…. You can submit as much visual art as you like. We can’t accept digital-only submissions from Artists in Solidarity; if your art is digital but you are not currently incarcerated, please send us a physical copy of your art to be a part of the show.
POETRY: Open only to people in prison. Please submit only one poem. Because of the volume of contributions and our limited capacity, we’re only able to accept one poem submission per person. If you submit more than one poem, we will pick one randomly as your submission. Poems must be 2 pages or less. Due to space limitations we can’t accept poems longer than 2 pages. Thanks for understanding!
When submitting your poem, please let us know if you are open to your poem being used in collaboration with a visual artist – we are exploring ideas of teaming up visual artists and poets for this show. Let us know if you’d be interested!
Send Poetry to: For people in PA prisons: if you are connected with one of these Let’s Get Free volunteers through Connect Network (Anne Braden, Claudia Jones, or John Brown) we prefer that you send your poem to them digitally through Connect Network. If that’s not an option for you, that’s okay – please send your poem to: Let’s Get Free ℅ ART SHOW, 460 Melwood Ave #300, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213 – If you do not put ART SHOW on the envelope we may confuse it with a Daughter’s Submission and it won’t be counted in the Poetry Contest. Supporters on the outside can also submit poems by email at artshow@letsgetfree.info
Prizes for Artists/Poets in Prison
This year, our contests and prizes are only open to people in PA prisons. People from out of state prisons are still welcome to submit, but will not be eligible for the contest or prizes. Prize categories may change slightly. More categories may be added depending on our resources.
Visual Art Prizes
Piece that embodies the theme: $100
Outstanding first time submission: $100
Unique use of materials: $100
Exceptional textile: $100
Piece that moves our movement: $100
Poetry Prizes
Poem that embodies the theme: $100
Piece that moves our movement: $100
Poem that reveals/speaks the truth/takes the wool off our eyes: $100
Scholarships for Art Supplies
If you are incarcerated and participated in our contest in any of our previous art shows, you are eligible for an art supply scholarship if that will enable you to participate in this year’s show. Please email for more details. There are a limited number of scholarships, with priority given to women and trans prisoners.
Shipping scholarships
If you need financial support to ship your piece, let us know.
Questions:
email us at artshow@letsgetfree.info
write to us at Let’s Get Free ℅ ART SHOW, 460 Melwood Ave #300, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213
Note: A BIG THANK YOU to Pierre Pinson for the idea for this show’s theme!
The show benefits Let’s Get Free: The Women & Trans Prisoner Defense Committee