Outsider Art Finland
The number of people interested in outsider art is on the raise in Finland
The tradition of outsider art is still relatively young in our country. However, we excel at collaboration, mapping, and networking. Finland is home to hundreds of fascinating outsider art environments, private homes, and art studios. Welcome to explore these places and the new worlds found within them.
Outsider art primarily refers to art created outside the formally trained art world. In Finland, the most prominent forms of outsider art are ITE art (Finnish contemporary folk art), supported art, and art created by mental health rehabilitees.
Traditionally, outsider art has referred to the visual arts. However, in addition to visual artists, Finland boasts excellent outsider musicians, performance art, theater, and films that have toured internationally. In Finnish outsider art, we also harness the latest technology to captivate new audiences.
Outsider Art Festival & Pertin Valinta
The Outsider Art Festival (OAF) is held annually in August in Helsinki, Espoo, and online. The festival highlights the diversity of outsider art, offering a captivating array of music, visual arts, performing arts, films, and literature. OAF delivers bold, highly original festival experiences and explores the theme of being an outsider across multiple disciplines. OAF is a friend festival of the Helsinki Festival.
The festival is produced by Pertin Valinta. Founded by the punk band PKN, Pertin Valinta is an outsider art agency and production house that promotes the working conditions and status of Finnish outsider art both in Finland and internationally. Pertin Valinta is a social enterprise, and its profits are directed toward employing individuals with special needs.
International collaboration in the field of outsider art
The Outsider Art Festival (OAF) supports Finnish outsider artists in expanding their reach internationally and building networks with global partners. OAF is part of a broader collaborative network, the European Outsider Art Association (EOA). In collaboration with Pertin Valinta, OAF organizes pop-up events that showcase Finnish outsider art to international audiences. Learn more about our pop-up events in London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo via the links below.
OAF Tokyo Pop-Up 2025 EN | OAF