Independent artist-run centres: An empirical analysis of the montreal non-profit visual arts field

Canadian independent artist-run centres provide an interesting case study of the potential role and relevance of non-profit institutions in the contemporary arts field. Predominantly established during the 1970s, they have been founded by artist collectives typically operating within urban contexts, with the aim of providing new opportunities to cope with the physical, economic and cultural constraints that generally impede the professional development of artists. A remarkable urban environment in which it is possible to find, and study, a large number of such organizations is the city of Montreal, in the Quebec Province of Canada, which constitutes an excellent reference to track the onset and the evolution of independent artist-run spaces, and to understand why, how and to what extent they are currently experiencing new pressures and challenges, both on the internal and external sides. This article offers an empirical study of these organizations with reference to their organizational, managerial and strategic vision, and to co-operative interaction and network building practices. It contributes to the field of research on cultural management through its study of the effects of management systems on the strategic action of independent visual arts organizations.