Not-for-profit arts organization

An organization usually in the form of a not-for-profit corporation, association or foundation formed with the purpose of developing, promoting and diffusing the work of artists in various visual art and performing art forms such as film, sculpture, dance, painting, multimedia. poetry and performance art . While many of these organizations such as museums and performing arts societies have existed for centuries in most western societies their development proliferated after World War II with the development of various government funding sources such as the Arts Council of Great Britain, the Canada Council, the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, all government agencies that grant monies to help promote the development of art and culture. In Canada a series of artist-run organizations known as The Parallel Galleries developed in various cities throughout Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia to encourage the exhibition of works by local Canadian artists to the local communities.