A Powerful Day at Minneapolis College Library with Art from the Inside

On Thursday, September 25th, we had the privilege of joining the Minneapolis College Library for the unveiling of their newly acquired Art from the Inside collection.

Featured artists include:

Apotheosis

Jaik Elliott

Roberto Lopez Rios

Mexican

Shyan Johannesen

Toby Earl

Daniel Gonzales

Matthew Dolven

Noella May

James Jemming

Thomas Lapham

Guests were warmly welcomed by Julie Hayes, library faculty, who shared how the library first learned about Art from the Inside and came to include this remarkable collection in their holdings.

We were honored to share more about AFTI’s journey and how our exhibits continue to expand across Minnesota, our advocacy for supportive arts programming at the legislature, and the launch of programs within the Department of Corrections that bring healing and creative fellowship to justice-impacted artists.

The heart of the afternoon was a panel discussion with artists Apotheosis, Jaik Elliott, Roberto Lopez Rios, and Shyan Johannesen. Their words were as powerful as their artwork, as they spoke about:

• The inspiration behind their pieces for the historic Justice Re-Formed exhibit at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office

• What it meant to have their voices and creativity showcased in such a public and meaningful way

• The role art continues to play in their lives today

This unveiling was a celebration of resilience, transformation, and the power of art to shift perspectives.

We are deeply grateful to Minneapolis College Library for recognizing the importance of these voices, to the artists for their courage and creativity, and to you, our community, for continuing to support this work.

In community,
Antonio and Jessica Espinosa and the AFTI Team