Brolly Arts was founded in 1995 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to fill a niche in a burgeoning arts community. Director and founder Amy McDonald Sanyer recognized a need for an organization that would support and enhance existing arts organizations and independent artists by creating forums for collaboration and experimentation.

The term "brolly" is British slang for umbrella, an appropriate name for an organization that has strived for inclusiveness since its inception. Through workshops, performances, installations, and commissions, Brolly Arts promotes the visual and performing arts, including dance, music, theater, literature, photography, and much more. Brolly Arts strives to provide professional development for artists, create collaborative opportunities for artists from a variety of disciplines, offer creative and educational experiences to the community, maintain overall excellence, and pay artists living wages. In meeting its goals, Brolly Arts contributes to the community's cultural vibrancy and artistic diversity.

Over the years, Brolly Arts has directly served nearly 300 artists working in a variety of disciplines. Participating artists include the Ahn Trio, Mary Johnston-Coursey, Kenji Bunch, Eric Stern, Stephen Koester, Bonnies Sucec, Susan Beck, Tristan Moore, Ford Evans, Stephen Brown, Jan Ekert, Della Davidson, Tina Mantel, and Charlotte Boye-Christensen.

Brolly Arts also enjoys collaborations and partnerships with organizations such as Dance Theater Coalition, Utah Humanities Council, Salt Lake County Fine Arts Division, Utah Arts Council, and The Salt Lake Art Center.

Supporters of Brolly Arts include Salt Lake County Zoo Arts and Parks (ZAP) Program, The Utah Arts Council, Salt Lake City Arts Council, and the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation.