With a rich history that spans over thirty years, ARCs have had a significant impact on the cultural ecology of Canada and around the world. Generally, these centres exhibit contemporary art that parallels the larger public institutions and private commercial galleries, thereby offering an alternative to artists in determining how their work is represented. The majority of Canada's internationally recognized contemporary artists, curators and cultural practitioners have emerged from the artist-run centre movement. [definition adapted from the Pacific Association of Artist-Run Centres' website, www.paarc.ca]
ARCs emerged in the early 1970s in several Canadian cities. These venues, also called Parallel Galleries, developed as a response to a lack of appropriate exhibition spaces for artists whose priorities were non-commercial, and/or who were not established enough in their careers to be showing in institutional or public galleries. Today a network of over 100 exhibition and production centres spans the country and continues to provide support and invaluable exposure opportunities for contemporary artists. http://www.arccc-cccaa.org/
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