Art in Institutions: The Emergence of (Disabled) Outsiders

Abstract

In this article, we use a disability studies lens to examine ways in which the artworks of disabled people¹ are bonded in a common sociopolitical experience. We analyze the history surrounding institutional art and the emergence of community art centers at the time of deinstitutionalization in the late 20th century. As a result of this synchronicity, art centers were able to offer the Arts as a means of communication, as well as to assist disabled people in making smooth transitions into their communities. We suggest that the innovative communication techniques developed in these centers could be adopted within all art programs and inclusive classrooms that serve severely disabled students, particularly learners with communication impairments. The article presents the House of Artists, The Community Growth Art Center, and the Grass Roots Art and Community Effort as strong examples of art education sites that transcend traditional “outsider” stereotypes by diligently striving to understand how and what disabled people communicate in the visual arts.