Community Alert: Burke Museum Censors Incarcerated Artists
Solidarity Art Collective has been collaborating with the Burke Museum at the UW to plan a month-long rotating exhibit of culturally-inspired work by eight incarcerated artists, who are Indigenous, Black, and people of color, which was scheduled to run from July 30 to August 27. After nearly nine months of relationship building, planning, and round-the-clock work to produce some of the best artwork the collective has seen thus far, this opportunity was taken from us.
On the morning of July 30, hours before the exhibit was set to begin, leadership at the Burke decided that artists with certain criminal charges would not be permitted to display their work at the museum. We were completely blindsided by this news. Even though the artists had produced an impressive body of new work specifically referencing items in the Burke Museum’s collections, we made the immediate decision to pull out of the show and discontinue our relationship with the museum. It’s all of us or none of us.
This exhibit was intended to highlight the rehabilitative power of cultural preservation in prisons and the far-reaching damage caused by the censorship of cultural expression. What should have been a joyful celebration of healing and resilience among BIPOC artists now stands as yet another example of a powerful institution silencing and inflicting harm upon underrepresented communities. By using its authority to determine whose voices are worthy of inclusion in the historical narrative, the Burke is upholding the time-honored colonial tradition of BIPOC erasure in museums.
As a collective community of incarcerated artists, we are used to our voices being censored and silenced, especially those of us from communities of color, since we face cultural suppression routinely in prison. However, we won't let these challenges divide us: we will always move in solidarity with each other. We will always support each other, and we will always protect each other against any and all injustices. We will not be erased. We will not allow the biases and ignorance of a small but powerful few stop us from exploring our cultures and sharing our work with those who understand art is about community.
We are calling for support and solidarity from the outside to help us find a venue to showcase this work and continue uplifting the artists on the inside. SAC artists will be speaking out about this incident and our broader struggle for liberation. Let’s show the world that artwork by incarcerated people belongs in museums, art galleries, and all renowned cultural institutions. Follow us. Join us!
If you know of a space that would like to host this exhibit, email us at solidarityartcollective@gmail.com
Don’t Let Them Erase Us / Lawrence “L” Jenkins / 2026/ Coffee on paper
The words “don’t let them erase us!” in brown ink, all capitals, with the word “them” upside down. The piece is signed with an L.