Outsider Collective is a non-profit arts community founded by artists and professionals whose main goal is to create a community of artists while enhancing the lives of those living with differing abilities. Our mission is to direct, encourage, promote, and stimulate the practice and appreciation of the arts amongst individuals of all abilities who are in search of an arts based community to belong to. Our focus is on “Outsider Artists” to come together to create, belong, and connect.
The OC strives to bring quality art programming, art exhibitions and shows, art classes/workshops and community gatherings to assist and support local efforts which enable all members of the community to be involved. Our brand new studio is located within the Hope Artiste’s Village in Pawtucket, RI. We are surrounded by so many gifted artists and entrepreneurs there, and the Wintertime Farmer’s Market is right outside our door. We feel very lucky to be able to occupy this studio and soon will have many different events to share with you all.
We provide a safe clean space to make art and receive instruction to grow as self employed creative artists. By coming here you join a community of professional artists who work together to nurture creative growth for one another.
We have limited capacity to adhere to Covid-19 social distancing guidelines, so if you would like to visit please contact outsidercollective401@gmail.com. It is $15 per 2 hour a visit for non members.
Rhode Island has a rich arts scene, with many people trying to find their home and where they belong within it. Outsider Collective was born from a place of wanting to create a community space for people who had trouble accessing an arts community or felt otherwise excluded from joining one. There are artists all over Rhode Island who have unbelievable skill that face road blocks making it difficult to get their artwork out there, and we hope to give all those artists a home to belong to.
A resident of Rhode Island for ten years, Carrie has been part of the Rhode Island Non Profit world for five years. Even though Carrie comes from a classically trained metal smithing background, exposing the art and raw talent of Outsiders its her main passion. She believes that all artists regardless of their background or training deserve a community to be a part of.
Carrie is the Arts Program Director at RHD-RI where she met Jess Lee. Through their work together it became abundantly clear that the artists of RHD needed a venue and a community space to connect with the rest of the world to show their talents.
Rhode Island native and Pawtucket resident, Jess Lee has been honing her skills as an Outsider Artist for many years. Black ink illustrative work with spiritual symbolism is what she prefers to create, and is a RI licensed tattoo artist. What she loves more than art is helping encourage and support other Outsider Artists. Her passion is to promote the artwork of the community she serves and assist artists in becoming gainfully self-employed.
She is currently the Community Program Director at RHD-RI, an arts based day program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, where she met Carrie Hyde, RHD-RI’s Art Director. Collectively, they came up with the idea of forming Outsider Collective as a way to create a unique and inclusive type of artist community in the heart of Pawtucket, RI.
Does your company or agency want to be a part of, or help out the Outsider Collective? Please contact us at outsidercollective401@gmail.com