Established in 1995, Contemporary Art Organisations Australia (CAOA) is a national network of fifteen public, independent, non-collecting contemporary art organisations from all Australian states and territories that advocates for the small-to-medium contemporary visual arts sector in Australia.

Members of CAO are all free and accessible to the public, and are primarily supported through public operational funding. By supporting the development and dissemination of new work and setting best practice standards for the sector, the CAOA network actively delivers a high return on public funding for artists and audiences.

As a network, CAOA offers a forum for collaboration across the country – for knowledge sharing, peer support, and for the strategic development of ideas within the broader visual arts sector. Individually, CAOA organisations facilitate production, exhibition, and interpretation of work by living artists.