The editors of decentre make a concerted effort to explore artist-run centres (ARCs) in their current form, inviting artists and organizers to reflect on where "the real strength of artist-run culture" lies and whether the concept of ARCs has in fact "outlived its usefulness." The book is timely because the tensions and possibilities in artist-led projects, closely linked to forces that mark our historical moment, need to be collectively addressed. They have resulted, as Sadira Rodrigues writes, in an identity crisis in ARCs. Will it become, or should it be pushed into, a full-blown crisis beyond the usual miasma?

The book is comprised of 103 different assessments, a large and deliberately arbitrary number.