Eastern State Announces ReVision: Art and Justice, a New Artist Residency and Exhibition Series

PHILADELPHIA, PA (December 8, 2025) — Eastern State is proud to announce ReVision: Art and Justice, a new multi-year artist residency and exhibition series that will spotlight justice-impacted artists and expand how visitors experience contemporary art, history, and dialogue at the historic site.

Over the next three years, Eastern State will welcome three artists-in-residence. Each residency will span eight months and culminate in major installations debuting in fall 2026, summer 2027, and spring 2028. Artists will work closely with Eastern State’s staff, collaborate with community partners, engage visitors through public programs, and share their process through behind-the-scenes digital storytelling.

The series strengthens Eastern State’s commitment to centering lived experience and broadening public understanding of the ongoing impact of incarceration. Recent projects — such as Mark Menjivar’s DLP Mirror and Mark Loughney’s Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration — illustrate the power of long-form artistic collaboration at Eastern State and set the stage for this expanded series.

ReVision: Art and Justice at Eastern State has received a $360,000 grant from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, which today announced 44 new awards to support the Philadelphia region's organizations and artists.

“Eastern State Penitentiary was founded on a radical belief in human dignity and our capacity for change, and this program carries that legacy forward in a meaningful way,” said Dr. Kerry Sautner, President & CEO. “ReVision: Art and Justice amplifies the voices of artists directly impacted by the justice system and strengthens our commitment to inspiring a more just future. We are deeply grateful to The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage for supporting this work.”

Lauren Zalut, Senior Director of Learning & Engagement at Eastern State, added: “Art has the power to connect people and spark conversations beyond the limits of words alone. This residency model creates space for justice-impacted artists to lead, teach, and reshape public understanding of incarceration in America.”

More details about participating artists, installation timelines, and public programming will be shared as the series unfolds.

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Media Contact
Abby Kleman
Cashman & Associates
[email protected]
M: 302-668-4781

About Eastern State
Eastern State preserves America’s first penitentiary, advancing public understanding of the criminal justice system and its impact on the lives of those affected by it, to inspire a more just future. For more information, visit EasternState.org and follow Eastern State on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube.

About The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage is a multidisciplinary grantmaker and hub for knowledge-sharing, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, dedicated to fostering a vibrant cultural community in Greater Philadelphia. The Center invests in ambitious, imaginative, and catalytic work that showcases the region’s cultural vitality and enhances public life, and engages in an exchange of ideas concerning artistic and interpretive practice with a broad network of cultural practitioners and leaders.