Thank you for OAF 2026!
What a wonderful Outsider Art Festival in Helsinki and Espoo! A huge thank you to the artists, partners, teams, volunteers and, of course, our audiences. This year’s theme, HOPE, took many forms throughout August, from shared drumming to moving poetry and encounters through art. Revisit the festival through our photo collection here. Below, the festival […]
OAF X Autism Foundation Finland: Hope is made together
At OAF, partnership means making things together: a partner does not stand beside us offering support, but takes part in deciding what the festival shows. Autism Foundation Finland (Autismisäätiö) has been a partner of Outsider Art Festival for years, and the collaboration has never been limited to one exhibition or one summer. The Foundation has […]
OAF HOPE TALKS
At OAF, hope means action: the chance to take part, to have a say, and to build the future together. At OAF, hope means that outsider artists are not merely the objects of activity, but makers, decision-makers, curators, performers and trailblazers. Our work is guided by the principle of the international disability movement: Nothing about […]
OAF takes over the Night of the Arts – join the art walk
On the Night of the Arts, Thursday 20 August 2026, the OAF programme runs at four venues from Hakaniemi to Töölönlahti. Entry to all events is free, and you are welcome to drop in wherever and whenever you like during the evening. The theme is hope: what gives us hope right now, and what might […]
What could the world look like? The Forest of Hope exhibition at Pertin Valinta X Tiketti Gallery, 20–30 August
The Forest of Hope exhibition asks two questions. What does the world look like from an outsider artist’s perspective? And what could it look like? The exhibition is on display at Pertin Valinta X Tiketti Gallery from 20 to 30 August 2026, as part of the Outsider Art Festival’s visual arts programme. The artists The […]
OAF x EMMA brings awards, hope, throat singing and LaserDisc karaoke to Espoo
The OAF x Espoo opening takes place at EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art on Friday, 21 August, from 3 to 7 pm. The free afternoon at Exhibition Centre WeeGee brings together a discussion on inclusive curating, awards, art performances, sensory-friendly guided tours and works from the TOIVO art project. Awards and encounters The […]
What is literature outside the established literary scene? OAF’s literature evening at Lavaklubi, 20 August
The question could be answered with an essay. On the Night of the Arts, 20 August, it is answered from the stage. At the National Theatre’s Lavaklubi: a poetry performance by DuvTeatern’s Ragnar Bengtström, the OAF Poetry Stage with six OAF poets and a guest poet from WSOY, and a gig by the band Nykypost. […]
A tribute to park drummer Jarmo — same park, different stage
Drums have been played in Hesperia Park for years. Park drummer Jarmo has kept his regular spot there so long that he is a familiar sight to countless passers-by. His instruments are the park’s metal waste bins, from which he conjures an irresistible groove — in the early years with sticks gathered from the ground, […]
OAF on Radio Helsinki: the festival can be heard in nine cities this August
Outsider Art Festival events take place in Helsinki and Espoo, but one part of the programme reaches across Finland. OAF festival broadcasts air on Tuesdays in August on Radio Helsinki as part of Pertin valinnat — in Helsinki and also in Turku, Tampere, Oulu, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Lahti and Pori. The first special broadcast airs […]
Accessibility is Priority Number One for Outsider Art Festival
OAF places a special emphasis on event accessibility. OAF has an inclusive strategy, and the program is curated inclusively through a collaboration between art field insiders and outsiders. OAF gives a voice to outsider artists from various fields of art. Through an open call, we have artists participating from all over Finland as well as […]