Visiting Arts exists to strengthen and enrich international awareness and understanding through arts and cultural exchange. It works with all regions of the UK, with all parts of the world and with a wide range of art forms. Visiting Arts is a national (non-governmental) agency which works to ensure that a diverse range of high-quality international art is available to audiences throughout the UK. Its broad range of activities and services include information, advisory work, training, funding and project development.

Visiting Arts was formed in 1977 as a joint venture of the Arts Council of Great Britain, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the British Council and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. In April 2001 it became an educational charity legally independent of the British Council. Visiting Arts is funded by the Arts Council England, the Scottish Arts Council, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Arts Council of Wales, the British Council, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It gives approximately £300,000 in grants annually and is the creator of the Cultural Profiles project.

The Chairman of Visiting Arts is Robert Palmer.