COLLECTING OUTSIDER ART


Online resource about collecting Outsider art and Folk art. Simply, “Outsider Art” is art made by people who are “outside” the loose system of professional art schools, galleries, distributors, and collectors. The art is usually quite original — often with a raw, earthy beauty or power.


It was the British art historian Roger Cardinal, according to multiple sources, who originally began using the term “Outsider Art.” The term is used as the American equivalent of the French term “Brut” art, which was coined by the French painter and sculptor Jean Dubuffet, after he was “attracted particularly” by the drawings of mental patients that he saw in Switzerland in 1945, according to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) website (citing Oxford University Press).


Outsider Art has grown to include artists working on their own, often self-taught and working day jobs, not seeing themselves primarily as artists, living in rural areas or anywhere outside of the gallery system.


The term has also taken on more meaning in the last few decades, as large art retrospectives have become more popular, vaulting certain artists or schools of art into the pantheon of the celebrated — with ancillary merchandising bonanzas.


Outsider Art, then, is made by people who have not achieved fame or fortune or been anointed as “the artist to watch” or “up-and-coming” or “established” by the powers that be — namely, gallery owners, collectors, and journalists. The question always lurks, of course, as to what happens when Outsider artists are “discovered” and their work begins to sell, gaining gallery shows and financial success. Even if the art remains the same, can they then be considered to be Outsider artists?


Here you'll find valuable resources to help you start or grow your collection, along with galleries specializing in Outsider and Folk art where you can explore and discover artists. Think of this guide as a starting point for your journey into the world of collecting Outsider art.






Galleries Specializing in Outsider and Folk Art

Here's a selection of well-informed art galleries:




Art Fairs

Outsider Art Fair
New York — Winter 2026
https://www.outsiderartfair.com/


Articles About Collecting Outsider and Folk Art



Museums Specializing in Outsider and Folk Art



Books on Outsider and Folk Art

For the most recent books, check with a local bookstore or one of the Art Bookstores around the country. Powell's Books in Portland, OR is a great source for new and used art books. Your local library can also be a resource for research and discovering art books.



Magazines About Outsider Art and Art in General



Outsider Art Resources



Blogs About Outsider Art





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