Founded in 2002 as a charity (no. 1094936) and not-for-profit limited company, it builds on a lineage of its predecessor organisations (The London Filmmakers Co-operative, London Video Arts and The Lux Centre), which stretches back to the 1960s. LUX is the only organisation of its kind in the UK; it represents the country’s only significant collection of artists’ film and video and is the largest distributor of such work in Europe. LUX works with hundreds of institutions worldwide including museums, galleries, festivals and educational establishments, as well as directly with the public and artists.

The organisation’s main activities are the support and promotion of artists working with the moving image and the exploration of ideas around this area of practice. Specifically this includes: collection – managing care of and access to its film and video collection; distribution – acting as an agent for artists who work with the moving image; public exhibition (screenings, gallery exhibitions, touring shows), both independently and in partnership with other organisations; education (workshops and talks); publishing (books, DVDs, websites); commissioning both new art works and writing; research support for artists, curators, researchers and students; professional development support for artists/aspirant artists and arts professionals; and the development of public research resources to improve understanding of artists’ film and video.