Welcome to the 303illmagination website and the vision of Joshua Swetky. My mission and vision for the website is quite simple, to highlight prisoners and their art to change the narrative of how the world sees the incarcerated and to raise awareness for various causes such as art therapy for mental health, suicide prevention and drug abuse, and especially reaching out and helping troubled youth choose a different path.

I aim to achieve these things through the creation of art.  I have come to understand intimately the power of art as therapy. It’s a vehicle, a universal language to connect and bring people together. Arts ability to transcend racial boundaries, gang affiliations, and even class lines gives it the reach and amazing ability to touch people and bring them together in a way nothing else can. It’s truly extraordinary! 

Pairing these with unique stories and platforms and prisoners stories who are striving to give back to society and who have overcome and survived such adversities and who alone are constantly trying to implement change in the Colorado Department of Corrections to bring about positive change to our own lives and lives of the entire populace.This is in itself an undeniable and unquestionable powerful and inspiring story. These stories have the ability to make a lasting impact upon the lives of everyone who hears them and who help spread it. It’s my belief that we as prisoners on a level five prison yard are more than our pasts, more than the sum of our mistakes. We are valuable assets to the community in our walking talking proof of what we are promoting. As such, we have a unique voice and understanding and perspective to share with others in the depths of their personal hell, since we too have walked through these fires of hell. My hope is to spread insight and overcome some of these shared demons found down these dark twisted roads by giving our voice and experiences credibility that so often is missing from others textbook style approach in attempting to help. In this manner prisoner art can do two things, giving back to our communities and society at large by sharing, reaching out, raising awareness, and warning of the hidden pitfalls that swallow and destroy our youth. 

Art is a craft that can become a legitimate trade and tool to help integrate back into society by giving a healthy way to express ourselves and possibly gain financial freedom. Setting up a portfolio and establishing the art allows for a better chance to re-integrate back into the world and assists in the healing process by learning to share and grow and adapt and gain personal confidence and validation at the same time. 303illmagination has already participated with multiple nonprofits and art galleries, the Justice Art Coalition and their writing program, Let’s Get Free, Pictora in London as well as art shows Cottonwood Art Center, Denver University Chained Voices, Ink From the Pen magazine, Beat Within, Fortune Society, Fine Arts America, Minute Before Six, Certain Day calendar, Bard University, Utah University of Arts to name a few. Our plan is sell, donate and auction off our art, splitting the proceeds with interested nonprofits. We wanted to think outside the box and travel beyond prison fences, breaking down barriers and touching the hearts of everyday people. We hope to join forces and tackle projects and missions that we can jointly believe in and support. This outreach is limited due in scope since we are learning as we go. Our aim is to build a team of dedicated people who give freely their time and energy, who have insight, connections, and skills that I lack and haven’t learned how to apply yet. We hope to connect through social media the same vision and goals, sharing the mission of prison reform, substance abuse along with mental health awareness. We have learned the best way to lift others up is to showcase their strengths instead of micromanaging or becoming territorial. We learn from our mistakes and from observing others and reading and especially listening. We are driven by our hearts as a guide to our true calling and potential. It takes a lot for a stranger to reach out and connect with an incarcerated individual, a profile or a photo and little else are not necessarily ideal tools to utilize in meeting a person behind bars. Our pasts are checkered and layered in drugs and harm. But let’s hope this message is received and gives us the chance for some hands-on involvement with social media giving everyone more skills to work with and interact on a deeper in-depth level.

We can attest to our growth since 2020 when we found God and started this venture. We promise to stay consistent, be transparent, and operate with a team to bring about change. We’re not perfect and have no set path paved, but God willing and with your help, we can make a positive impact. The story deserves a second look and offers great promise. We hope this inspires you to assist us in bringing change to a broken system. Please lend help, shed light, offer advice, and expend energy to this much-needed mission. All feedback is welcome and encouraged and very much appreciated. Thank you for your time and follow us on all social platforms. 

Thank you, 

Joshua Swetky