Artspeak is a non-profit artist-run centre, established in 1986 and is a registered charitable organization. Their early association with Kootenay School of Writing served to situate Artspeak within a unique interdisciplinary community of writers, poets, critics and visual artists. Artspeak is operated by a group of artists from the visual and language arts who share concerns in relation to the theory and practice of contemporary art. The mandate of the gallery is to exhibit contemporary art and to encourage a dialogue between visual art and writing. Of particular interest is work that crosses the boundaries between the two disciplines, exploring their common areas of praxis - a distinct aspect of the history of cultural practice in this region.

Throughout their history, Artspeak has played a significant role in addressing the historical, social, and intellectual conditions of contemporary visual and language arts production from the West Coast. They aim to support the practices of emerging and established artists and writers from this region and beyond by providing opportunities to exhibit, publish, and present new work to audiences that are increasingly receptive to contemporary art and ideas. Artspeak actively contributes to the cultural community through our commitment to artists producing challenging, innovative work in diverse media, our affiliation with like- minded groups and organizations, and the public interest they generate in contemporary art.