Photo credit: Tuum Media
Ritual4Return
For years, we have had the privilege of working alongside artists while they are incarcerated. Now, as more of the artists we know and support return home, we are deepening our commitment to the journey that continues beyond the prison walls.
We are excited to share that Art from the Inside is now a National Affiliate of Ritual4Return (R4R) and has launched Ritual4Return: Twin Cities, our inaugural cohort.
Ritual4Return is a process through which groups of returning neighbors create and perform a homecoming rite of passage to mark the transition from incarceration to freedom, regardless of how long they’ve been home. It is a demanding journey that invites participants to engage intellectually, physically, emotionally, and spiritually with their experiences of incarceration. The process offers an opportunity, in the presence and with the support of community, to acknowledge the impact of incarceration, work through those experiences, and move toward a new chapter.
Ritual4Return was first developed by Dr. Kevin Bott in 2006 with a cohort of returned neighbors in Manhattan, and he has been offering programs in Newark, NJ twice a year (with the exception of the pandemic) since 2019. Past participants attest to the singular power of this experience, and R4R now has emerging chapters in Camden, NJ; Boston, MA; and Honolulu, HI. Of these, R4R: Twin Cities / Art from the Inside is the first National Affiliate to host a full cohort program outside NJ, thanks to generous funding through the MN Humanities Center.
The Twin Cities cohort began in September and will culminate with a one-time performance of the ritual in December. We are honored to be walking alongside this group of returning neighbors as they undertake this powerful process together. This inaugural Twin Cities cohort is being led by an experienced Minnesota-based team: Isabel Nelson, Director; Adana Patrice, Drama Therapist; and C. Fausto Cabrera, Peer Facilitator. Together, they bring a combination of artistic, therapeutic, and lived experience perspectives to guide participants through this powerful process.
At Art from the Inside, this work feels deeply connected to what we have been building. Our mission has always been about creating opportunities for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people to express themselves through art, experience transformation, and share their stories with the broader community.
Photo credit: Tuum Media
Save the Date: December 12
On December 12, 2026, the Twin Cities cohort will share a public presentation of their Ritual4Return homecoming ritual.
Please save the date - we would love to have our Art from the Inside community there.
Help Us Build Future Cohorts
Launching Ritual4Return in the Twin Cities is an important new step for Art from the Inside, but this is just the beginning of this chapter.
We want to make Ritual4Return available to more returning neighbors in the years ahead. If so, please review and fill out application/interest form for the spring cohort (deadline of December 20).
Your support can help make that possible.
A donation to Art from the Inside helps us sustain programs like Ritual4Return and build the organizational capacity needed to offer meaningful arts opportunities to people both inside prison and as they return home. If you believe that people deserve the opportunity to heal, reconnect, create, and imagine a new future after incarceration, we invite you to invest in this work.
DONATE TO SUPPORT RITUAL4RETURN AND FUTURE COHORTS
If you prefer, you may also make a donation by check to Art form the Inside. We are a registered 501c3 and your donation may be tax deductible.
Art From the Inside MN
P.O. Box 28552
Oakdale, MN 55128-0552
We are honored to bring Ritual4Return to the Twin Cities and to be part of a national network using ritual and community to recognize the profound journey from incarceration to freedom.
The Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 cohorts of Ritual4Return: Twin Cities are funded in part by Minnesota Humanities Center with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.
WAYS TO GIVE:
OUR PARTNERS:
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the wonderful supporters who have featured and contributed to Art from the Inside. We welcome you to join us in our journey towards making a positive impact on our community. If you are interested in collaborating with AFTI, please contact us to learn more about how you can get involved.
Minnesota State Arts Board
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
