Judith Tannenbaum

Judith Letting Go

By Mark Dowie

For the entire six months that Mark Dowie became friends with Judith Tannenbaum, they both knew she was going to die. This forthcoming book is ultimately about the lost human art of releasing everything that matters to the living in preparation for the inevitable. It is a rare lesson offered by a poet who somehow taught herself, and then the author, how to let go.

By Heart: Poetry, Prison, and Two Lives

By Judith Tannenbaum and Spoon Jackson

In this beautifully crafted exploration, part memoir, part essay, Tannenbaum and Jackson consider art, education, prison, possibility, and which children our world nurtures and which it shuns. At the book’s core are two stories that speak for human imagination, spirit, and expression.

The Book of Judith

Edited by Spoon Jackson, Mark Foss, and Sara Press

The book presents different aspects of Judith through a collection of original poetry, prose, essays, illustrations, and fiction from 33 contributors who knew her. Each piece of writing spotlights a voice that Judith’s teachings once touched, and these combined memories help form a clearer picture of her legacy.

Read more here.

That’s a Pretty Thing to Call It

Edited by Leigh Sugar

Poetry and prose by artists, writers, and activists who’ve taught workshops in U.S. criminal legal institutions,  including acclaimed writers Ellen Bass, Joshua Bennett, and Jill McDounough. These educators demonstrate a diverse range of experiences. All author royalties from this book will be donated to Dances for Solidarity, a project that brings arts opportunities to people incarcerated in solitary confinement.

Judith Tannenbaum Teaching Artist Fellowship

The Judith Tannenbaum Teaching Artist Fellowship was created in 2020 in partnership with Chapter 510. The fellowship provides time for reflection and creativity offering a stipend, housing, and studio space at a refuge in Point Reyes Station, California.

Koestler Awards

Judith Tannenbaum Outstanding Debut Award

The Judith Tannenbaum Award is awarded to a first time poetry entrant from a UK prison. It is awarded through Koestler Arts the UK’s best-known prison arts charity which encourages people in the criminal justice system to change their lives by participating in the arts

Change the Story Change the World Podcast

In this podcast episode, The Book of Judith: Prison Truth Through Fiction, Bill Cleveland discusses how artists are prepared to teach in prisons. He tells the amazing story of how poet/teacher Judith Tannenbaum’s crafted the story of a fictional prison to reveal the often confounding reality of prison life.

Prison Poetry Workshops Podcast

This podcast episode is centered around Judith Tannenbaum, and provides commentary while exploring the history and stories connected to art in prison systems.