More than half of the 40 Federal correctional facilities have art teachers; the National Endowment for the Arts has funded a project of national scope called the Artist-in-Residence Program in which 9 prisons per year share a grant. In 1975, Minnesota became the first State to hire a full-time arts coordinator for its corrections department. Other arts programs in prison settings have been funded by Law Enforcement Assistance Grants, independent organizations such as the floating Foundation for Photography (in New York City), and statewide arts councils. Persons who work successfully in a prison art program must possess professionalism, independence and flexibility, an ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds and goals, a strong personality, enthusiasm, and the ability to teach. The University of Kentucky has developed a master's degree program for art education in the area of community arts, which includes training for work with prisoners. Internships have been set up so that prospective prison teachers can experience the limitations of the prison setting. The paper discusses difficulties of teaching art in prison, curriculum and methods of teaching, public relations for the prison art program, the prisoner as a career artist, and the future of prison art programs. Ten references are given.