The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi (Urdu: آرٹس کونسل آف پاکستان کراچی), also known as the Karachi Arts Council (Urdu: آرٹس کونسل کراچی کی) is a government owned organization for promotion of the Arts in Pakistan. The Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi is arguably the largest council made for the purpose of promoting arts and culture in Pakistan, and perhaps the busiest in terms of organising events on a yearly basis. Given the kind of sociopolitical turn that the country has taken with reference to religious extremism, it makes the council all the more significant an institution to uphold and foster the traditions of the arts that aim to give society a balanced approach to life. According to history of Arts Council Karachi, sometime in 1948, a group of arts enthusiasts gathered and formed themselves into a society under the name of Karachi Fine Arts Society. The Society did a great deal of initial pioneering work to encourage and promote art s and culture. It held exhibitions and promoted activities relating to theatre.
The funds of the society were contributed personally by the members themselves. They had no permanent building of their own. Their meeting was therefore held at the residence of the office bearers. Art exhibition were held in rented space in private houses. Six Year later in 1954, the Karachi Fine Arts Society was reorganized into a body called the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi. This was registered with the registrar of societies, Karachi, under Act XX1 of 1860. (The Registration Certificate was issued on 10 May 1955). After its formation, the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi stepped up activities in the field of arts and culture. It also sponsored production of plays and musical programs. Since the Arts Council did not have premises of its own, it could not accomplish as much as it wished to do. A determined effort was made to have a building of the Arts Council. A fund raising campaign was launched and appeals were made to the public and the government for providing funds for the building. The plans envisaged space for exhibition halls, auditorium and administration office.