Art Enables is thrilled to present the 19th annual "Outside Forces," our beloved exhibition showcasing the power, originality, and imagination of self-taught artists from across the country. This year’s show brings together independent creators and artists from 25+ sister studios, each offering bold, inventive work that exists outside the bounds of mainstream art traditions.
From vibrant paintings to striking mixed-media pieces, "Outside Forces" is the perfect introduction to the world of outsider art, and a chance to start (or grow!) your own collection with affordable, one-of-a-kind works.
Join us for the Opening Reception
Saturday, September 6, 5–7 p.m.
Mingle with artists, explore the exhibition, and enjoy a festive evening of art and community in our gallery.
Art Enables is committed to providing access to everyone. If you require accommodation during your visit, please make a note in the RSVP or email us at info@art-enables.org.
Art Enables mission to amplify the creative careers of artists with disabilities is only possible because of the generous support of people like you! If you would like to support our work, please include a donation with your RSVP. A gift of any amount helps champion the work of our resident artists.
“OUTSIDE FORCES” | September 2 – October 25, 2025
Art Enables welcomes independent artists and those from sister studios around the country for our 19th annual exhibition of work by self-taught artists! The term “outsider art” may call to mind a number of concepts, many that have been historically debated. Defined in the strictest sense, it may include only artists who work in extreme isolation, have little to no contact with other artists and art institutions, and who may not even have a concept of their own work as art. Today, with outsider art gaining popularity and recognition, and under the ever-present influence of the internet, the term is often (sometimes controversially) used more broadly, focusing on self-taught artists. While an exact definition of outsider art can be difficult to pin down, one often feels they know it when they see it: inventive work of extreme individuality motivated by the artist’s own personal concepts and desires, rather than the expectations of the mainstream art world.
Art Enables embraces these more expansive parameters in “Outside Forces.” Featured artists include individuals who are emerging and self-taught, are from traditionally underrepresented communities, and those with disabilities. All have paved their own way in the formation of their work, representing personal experiences and interests in individual styles developed outside the conventions of mainstream art education and culture.
This exhibition began in 2006 as a way for DC-area groups working with self-taught artists to exhibit together. Over the last 19 years, the exhibition’s success has seen it grow to feature artists from across the nation alongside our resident artists. With a selection of affordable work in a wide array of styles, the show continues to be an excellent introduction to outsider art for those looking to start their own collection.
Participating Studios and Independent Artists: Art Enables, Art Explorers, Arts of Life, Center for Creative Works, Community Access Art Collective, Cornerstone Montgomery: Studio In-sight, Creative Growth, Creativity Explored, ECF Art Centers, Fresh Eye Arts, Imagine That!, Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, Make Studio, North Pole Studio, Progressive Art Studio Collective (PASC), Project Onward, Pure Vision Arts, SAGE Studio & Gallery, Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Spindleworks Art Center, Studio Route 29, Tierra del Sol Gallery, VaultArt Studio, VisAbility Art Lab, Visionaries + Voices, Rama AlFarkh, Hadi Asgharpour, Hana Ashrafi, Tammy Barnes, Laura Belle Brown, Sophie Bouwsma, DeVante Capers, Charlie French, Jonathan Fuentes, Maryam Jazini Dorcheh, Brian K. Johnson, Mina Mahmoudieh, Cazoshay Marie, Brooklyn Rando, Britnee Scott, Rebecca Scothorn, Estéban Whiteside
Header background artwork detail: Katrina Jackson (Arts of Life)