Evolution of APAEP
The Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project was not formed on a particular day in the past. It was and continues to be an evolution fueled by a dedicated group of artists, writers and scholars who believe that knowledge and creative development can change someone’s life.
The first phase of what is now APAEP was called the Alabama Prison Arts Initiative, which was first funded by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2003. The Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University served as the fiscal agent for the small initiative.
In 2004, APAEP took its current name when it became a full-time program of Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities with an administrative position dedicated to the growth of the program. The goals of APAEP have always been to place rich creative and intellectual opportunities in Alabama’s prisons, a remarkably underserved population.
APAEP grew from one poet teaching in one prison, to a pool of more than 35 writers, artists, scholars and visiting writers teaching in twelve correctional facilities in Alabama. Course offerings have grown from poetry and creative writing to Southern literature, photography, African-American literature, Alabama history, drawing and other art classes.
On January 1, 2008, APAEP moved to the Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts. The move to this highly regarded academic department has served to strengthen APAEP in multiple capacities. With this move, graduate students and faculty at Auburn are now involved in significant research on the effects of APAEP programming, and are developing ways to work with more faculty at Auburn to share the rich educational resources of the university with this community in Alabama. In addition, APAEP is partnering with the College of Education to develop literacy training as a part of APAEP programming.
Representatives of APAEP continue to present at national and international conferences on this program, and have academic articles under review for publication.