Arts
Image from Mozilla museum: Mozilla as an Artist

The ODP Arts category contains English language sites about art, or "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others." This includes the "liberal arts," concerned with skill of expression in language, speech, and reasoning, and the "fine arts," concerned with affecting aesthetics directly, and especially affecting the sense of beauty. (Quotes and paraphrases from Britannica.com)

Art is an abstract and subjective quality: It can be studied, but cannot be objectively measured, counted, weighed, or absolutely compared; it can only appeal to the viewers or audience's personal senses.

  • Sites primarily about arts or artists (actors, painters, musicians, etc.) should be listed in the appropriate Arts category.
  • Sites primarily devoted to selling products, even artwork or artists'' products, should be listed in Shopping.
  • Businesses that serve the arts communities without directly creating art themselves - agents, casting companies, financiers - are listed under the appropriate category of Business.
  • Sites about art that is produced or viewed through computers are listed under Arts while sites about computer tools or data formats that can be used either for art or non-artistic work should be listed under Computers.
  • Activities that entertain their participants more than the audience belong in Recreation.
  • The study of non-artistic communication is listed under Science: Social Sciences.
  • Non English language sites belong in World.

Animation

Sites primarily related to mainstream television and film animation.
Before submitting any sites to the Animation category, please take the time to browse through the subcategories to make sure your site is included in a category appropriate for the content of your site.

  • We will not accept any sites submitted to the Animation category which even remotely contain either softcore or hardcore pornography - this includes any adult Anime/Hentai sites. Sites of that nature should be submitted only to the Adult: Arts: Animation category.

  • If you are a dealer in animation collectibles, ranging from animation cels to cartoon memorabilia and related merchandise, please submit your site to the Shopping category.

  • If you have a site pertaining to animated cartoons, animated series or other animated TV programs that you would like to submit, the Cartoons category is the proper place to submit them.

    • Architecture

    The art or science of planning and building structures.
    Please do not submit the commercial sites of architects here. They should be submitted to Business: Construction and Maintenance: Design: Architects.

    This category is for sites in the English language. Please submit sites in other languages to the appropriate category in World.

    Please do not submit sites selling garden sculpture or home ornaments here. Look for the relevant category under Shopping.

    Art History

    The Art History category covers all types of art: painting, sculpture, architecture, etc. All time periods and movements are obviously covered as well.
    Before submitting any sites to this category, please take the time to browse through the subcategories to make sure your site is included in the appropriate category.

    Sites, or pages, that are listed here should have historical value. Contemporary artist sites must be submitted to the appropriate subcategory in the Arts: Visual Arts category.

    We do not accept sites whose primary focus is to sell works by any specific artists, or related merchandise. Such sites should be submitted appropriately to Shopping: Visual Arts or one of its subcategories.

    If your site is not in English, please submit it to the proper category in World.

    Awards

    General arts and entertainment award sites with multiple award content can be listed here, but the category is primarily for @links to awards categories in other areas of Arts.
    Please submit only sites dealing with awards for categories that fall under the Arts'' genre. Examples may include animation, performing arts, literature, movies, music, television, theatre, or visual arts such as painting or sculpture. If your site contains information on two or more of the examples noted above, please submit here. If your site is specifically about one of the examples noted above, please submit to that category by using the @ links shown.
    This site is NOT for the person who has won the award, but for the award itself.

    Non-English sites should be submitted to the appropriate language under World.

    Bodyart

    This category is for decorative body modifications of all kinds, such as tattooing, body piercing, body painting, traditional Indian mehndi (painted henna designs on the hands and feet) and decorative scarification and branding. Some sites may also discuss other temporary forms of body decoration such as extreme hair colors and irregular suntans. Bodyart covers a span from pure decoration to a deeply religious ritual rite of passage, from the modern fashion statement to a spiritual return to the thought patterns of our more primitive ancestors.
    For listing sites pertaining to decorative body modifications of all kinds; body piercing, body painting, mehndi and decorative scarification and branding. Some sites may also discuss other temporary forms of body decoration such as extreme hair colors and irregular suntans.

    Sub categories exist for sites related specifically to tattooing, piercing, bodypainting, and mehndi.

    Chats and Forums

    Message boards or discussion forums where one can interact with other people interested in art topics by posting and replying to messages, on your own time.

    Classical Studies

    Classics is the study and appreciation of the culture and wisdom of antiquity, in language, literature, philosophy, history, and related humanities. This category includes links to resources and organizations of classicists, English translations of works in ancient Greek and Latin, and crosslinks to related ODP subjects.
    This category is suitable for personal pages of professional classicists, instructors, students, and hobbyists alike.

    Comics

    Sites in this category should be chiefly devoted to a single comic strip title. They may include the strip itself online, or information about it, or both.

    Sites about a specific comic book title (that is, comics that appear in larger, multiple-page installments) should be submitted instead to Arts: Comics: Titles (if the book exists in a printed form) or Arts: Comics: Online: Comic Books (if it only exists online).

    Sites that present a list of comic strips from other sites should be submitted to the Directories subcategory.

    Contests

    This category, Arts: Contests, serves as an @link farm for contest categories located throughout the Arts branch.

    Costumes

    This area is mainly intended to be a directory to the 50+ costume categories spread throughout ODP. Please make every effort to find the correct, most specific category for your site rather than submitting here.

    Crafts

    This category is for sites about crafting and those that display crafters' work.
    Only noncommercial websites will be listed here.

    Sites that focus on selling crafts should be submitted to the appropriate subcategory of Shopping: Crafts.

    Sites focusing primarily on craftwork businesses should be submitted to the appropriate subcategory of Business: Consumer Goods and Services or Business: Wholesale Trade.

    Noncommercial craft sites should be submitted to the most appropriate subcategory of Arts: Crafts.

    Cultures and Groups

    Arts and Entertainment resources specific to a cultural, ethnic, gender or social group.

    Design

    Information on the general theory and philosophy of the design process.

    Please Read this Before Submitting Your Site

    This category is not for websites having to do with the business of design. These sites should be submitted to the design category in Business.

    This category is for non-commercial sites that provide information on the general theory and philosophy of the design process. Commercial designers should submit to the most appropriate category under Business.

    If you feel your site is relevant to this category, please submit to the most appropriate subcategory listed here.

    Note: Sites must be in English. Sites in languages other than English should be submitted to the appropriate language in World.

    Nota: Nota: Los sitios deben estar en inglés. Los sitios en español deben enviarse a su categoría apropiada dentro de World/Español.

    Note: Les sites doivent être en anglais. Les sites en français devraient être proposés dans la catégorie appropriée de World/Français.

    Anmerkung: Hier bitte nur englische Sites anmelden. Deutschsprachige Sites bitte in der passenden Kategorie unter World/Deutsch anmelden.

    Opmerking: Sites dienen in het Engels te zijn. Sites in het Nederlands moeten worden aangemeld in World/Nederlands.

    Nota: I siti devono essere in inglese. Siti in lingue diverse dall''inglese devono essere dottoposti nella sottocategoria linguistica corrispondente di World/Italiano.

    Nota: Os locais devem estar em inglês. Os locais nas línguas à excepção do inglês devem ser submetidos a World/ Português .

    Not: Sitelerin Y´ngilizce olmasy´ gerekmektedir. Türkçe olarak hazy´rlanmy siteler World/Türkçe.

    Digital

    Since the 1960s, computers have been used to create, enhance, or alter art in various ways. With the increasing availability of affordable multimedia equipment computers have become one of the most accessible mediums for art.
    The Internet has developed as the most challenging aspect for this community, and art is thriving on the Net, both in conceptual form and in web-based graphics and animations.
    We know `Digital Arts' is a sketchy term and possibly not the best. But today this seems to be understood by the artists working with digital support. Here we have defined Digital Arts as [Art + Computer + Interactivity + Multimedia].
    This category comprises artistic works that need a digital media or support to express its essence. Two ways artistic digital works are generally identified are through their multi-media and interactive content.

    Before submitting a site in Arts/Digital please consider these categories:

    Directories

    For the purpose of this category, directories are a compilation of websites containing comprehensive indexes or lists of general art resources, galleries, individual artists and related information. The directory should be well established and well populated with listings. Please do not suggest "new" undeveloped directories.

    This category is for websites containing a comprehensive guide or list of web sites and/or art related resources. This category is not for websites of individual artists or galleries. If the directory is focused on a particular area, please select the appropriate subcategory, i.e. Artist_Listings or Artists''_Resources.

    If the primary focus of the website is to sell artwork, please locate the most appropriate category in Shopping/Visual_Arts. Also, sites listed here must be available in the English language. Non English sites should be suggested to the most appropriate category in World.

    Education

    Information on learning opportunities in multiple disciplines of the arts. These include Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Music, Literary Arts, Design, Art History, Architecture and education for those who wish to become art teachers.

    Note: Sites must be in English. Sites in languages other than English should be suggested to the appropriate language under World.

    Nota: Nota: Los sitios deben estar en inglés. Los sitios en español deben enviarse a su categoría apropiada dentro de World/Español.

    Note: Les sites doivent être en anglais. Les sites en français devraient être proposés dans la catégorie appropriée de World/Français.

    Anmerkung: Hier bitte nur englische Sites anmelden. Deutschsprachige Sites bitte in der passenden Kategorie unter World/Deutsch anmelden.

    Nota: I siti devono essere in inglese. Siti in lingue diverse dall'inglese devono essere dottoposti nella sottocategoria linguistica corrispondente di World/Italiano.

    Nota: Os locais devem estar em inglês. Os locais nas línguas à excepção do inglês devem ser submetidos a World/Português.

    This category contains information on resources for those seeking to learn an art as well as those seeking to teach the arts.

    Information suggested must include two or more of the following: Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Music, Literary Arts, Design, Art History, Architecture and education for those who wish to become art teachers.

    If your website contains information to only onearts area, please suggest to the subcategory that most closely resembles your specific discipline.

    Following these guidelines will help to prevent delays in having the site reviewed.

    Entertainment

    The Entertainment category is for sites that span more than one major medium, such as movies and television, or music and theater.
    Please suggest only sites that focus on more than one major entertainment medium, such as movies and television. Sites that focus on a single medium, such as music, should be submitted to the category for that medium.

    Events

    This category, Arts: Events, serves as an @link farm for event categories located throughout the Arts branch. Categories and sites may include, but not limited to:
    • Events
    • Shows
    • Competitions
    • Conferences
    • Conventions
    • Exhibitions
    • Festivals
    • Seminars and Workshops
    Please only submit sites that strictly adhere to the guidelines below.

    If a site focuses on consumer information about a show which is in a specific local or regional, it should be submitted to the appropriate Regional category in the Arts and Entertainment subcategory.

    Please note that organizations serve as an excellent resource and often sponsor several art events.

    Genres

    Genre is defined as a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content. Sites listed in the this category cover multiply types of media and artistic styles. For example, sites about Sci Fi in literature, TV, film and visual arts are listed here. Sites discussing a genre limited to a single media or style should be listed under the specific media/type category. For example Sci Fi movies are categorized under Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies.

    Do not list a site in this category if it would fit in a more narrowly defined subcategory.

    Graphic Design

    Graphic design relates to the process whereby text, photos, illustrations and/or other graphic elements are presented in a way which communicates a message. It has to do with form and function in executing a concept.

    Please Read This First! Submissions must provide information on graphic design in the English language. Foreign language sites should be submitted to the most appropriate category in World

    Submitting sites which are "under construction" or are "future site of..." will delay your listing in this category. Your site must be complete with all links working in order to be accepted.

    Sites for downloadable fonts, wallpaper, clip-art or other resources should be submitted to the most applicable category in Computers/.

    Commercial graphic designers should submit their sites to the most appropriate category Business/Business_Services/Design/Graphic_Design/Designers/ or Business/Publishing_and_Printing/Publishing/Services/Design/

    Web Designers should submit their sites to the most appropriate category under Computers/Internet/Commercial_Services/Web_Design_and_Development/.

    Following this guidelines will help you get your site listed more quickly.

    Humanities

    This category lists academic and research resources for the study of the human condition, excluding the physical sciences.
    Please locate the most specific category and then submit your sites for review.

    Illustration

    Sites related to the art of illustration. Includes illustrators' sites, portfolios, stock sources, historic illustration and other resources.
    If you are an illustrator with a dominant style or specialty, please go into the subcategory that most closely matches it, and submit from there.

    Your site should primarily be oriented towards illustration for use in publications, advertising or other media, rather than pure self-expression or consumer sales of artwork. Those sites should be placed in other categories, such as Visual Arts or Shopping/Fine Arts.

    Literature

    Arts/Literature includes links to websites dealing with a wide range of subjects and interests which span the entire length and breadth of the literary arts: webpages devoted to specific, recognized authors, sites on book-collecting, sites covering specific genres and types of literature, and even online editions of specific works by numerous recognized authors and poets of the past as well as no few of the present.
    Websites for publishers should be submitted to an appropriate category of Business/Industries/Publishing -- they will not be listed here.

    Websites selling books or publications should be submitted to an appropriate category of Shopping/Publications -- they will not be listed here.

    Websites concerned with writing that has not appeared in print should be submitted to an appropriate category of Arts/Online_Writing -- they will not be listed here.

    Magazines and E-zines

    Please note that this category is for online publications that cover several types of arts.

    It is not for general print publication or ones that specialize in one art form.

    Sites that are published on a regular schedule, which accept submissions, or have the works of several authors can be submitted to here - provided they deal with more than one art form.

    There are a large number of magazine and e-zine categories in ODP dealing exclusively with single-topic art forms. Please select the most appropriate when submitting a site.

    Print publications that cover multiple arts should be submitted to Arts: Magazines and E-Zines: Magazines.

    Online publications that cover fashion should be submitted to Arts: Magazines and E-Zines: Fashion.

    Published writing not in magazine or e-zine format should be submitted to Arts: Literature.

    Books for sale should be submitted to Shopping: Publications: Books.

    Sites with information for writers should be submitted to Arts: Writers Resources.

    If your site is not primarily writing, and contains other information about you or your hobbies, please submit it to Society: People: Personal Homepages.

    Please note that editors get many submissions every day. By submitting your site to the appropriate category you make it easier for your site to be listed on the ODP.

    Movies

    This category is for information on anything about movies, the motion-picture medium, or the film industry, including actors, actresses, filmmakers, and individual films.
    Before submitting any sites to the Arts/Movies category, please take the time to browse through the subcategories to make sure your site is included in a category appropriate for the content of your site.

    Please submit only sites dealing with movies or the film industry in this category.

    Sites that primarily offer items for sale should be listed in Shopping: Entertainment: Television and Movies. Sites that are not in English, should be listed in the appropriate language in World. Sites with explicit adult content, including advertisement or links, will not be accepted here and should be submitted to Adult.

    Please read the category description here and in the subcategories for assistance with proper placement of sites.

    Music

    Music is an art form consisting of sound and silence expressed through time. Elements of sound as used in music are pitch (including melody and harmony), rhythm (including tempo and meter), structure, and sonic qualities of timbre, articulation, dynamics, and texture. This category categorizes sites by musical style and instrument, as well as by topics such as bands and artists, composers, theory and history.
    Please submit your site to the most specific subcategory that describes its primary focus, and do not submit to the main Music category. See Bands_and_Artists categories under individual styles in addition to the main Bands_and_Artists subcategory. Sites selling recordings should be submitted to the appropriate subcategory of Shopping/Music.

    News and Media

    News, books and other information sources about the arts in general. Sites specific to one art form should be submitted to that category. Non-English-language sites should be submitted only within World.

    Online Writing

    This category is for Writing that exists exclusively online. It includes both Fiction and Non-Fiction Writing, as well as E-zines.
    Published writing should be submitted to Literature .

    Books for sale should be submitted to Shopping .

    Sites with information for writers should be submitted to Writers Resources .

    Sites that are published on a regular schedule, which accept submissions, or have the works of several authors should be submitted to E-zines .

    If your site is not primarily writing, and contains other information about you or your hobbies, please submit it to Personal Homepages .

    Please note that editors get many submissions every day. By submitting your site to the appropriate category you make it easier for your site to be listed on the ODP.

    Organizations

    Information on international associations, collectives or groups whose primary purpose is to advocate, support, disseminate information on, or in some way further the Arts.
    Note: Sites must be in English. To ensure speedy processing of your site, sites in languages other than English must be submitted to World.

    Organizations must be international in scope and service, and serve the performing, visual and literary arts. All other organizations must be submitted to the appropriate Regional subcategory or - if the organization is specific to one discipline, please submit to the appropriate subcategory.

    People

    This category lists notable people involved in or associated with the various arts. Most people are listed in a category for their professional field. Only people who are noted for their attainment in more than one area of the arts are listed in Arts/People (other listings here are links to other categories in Arts).
    Please do NOT submit sites to this category. If the person already is represented by a category, submit to that category. If the person does not have a category, submit to the category for the person''s profession.

    This category provides an alphabetical listing of arts people and a collection of links to relevant people or professions in the various Arts related categories. No submissions will be accepted.

    Performing Arts

    Arts, such as dance, drama, and music, that are performed before an audience. Performing arts are often those in which an individual interprets work created by others.
    Submit sites related to the subject only. Please submit sites about mime or juggling to the appropriate category.

    Periods and Movements

    For genres, eras, styles, periods, or movements that cover multiple different types of art, including music, literature, drama, poetry, architecture, and visual arts.
    Sites submitted to this category should be about the period in general, not specifically about music, architecture, et. al.

    Personal Pages

    Collection of web pages about an individual or group and their interests. Please select the most relevant subcategory.
    This category houses links to Art related topics for personal pages. Most sites will belong in a subcategory. Only sites covering a broad range of Arts genres will be listed here. Please select the subcategory that best describes the subject/content of your personal pages.

    Photography

    Arts/Photography is:
    • for sites featuring photographers (amateurs, semi-professionals, and professionals) or photography studios and their work, abilities, and artistic skills.
    • for sites providing information about photographic equipment, techniques, and services.
    Arts/Photography is NOT:
    • for sites selling equipment, products, or prints online.
    • for sites where professional and commercial photographers offer their photographic services for hire to clients.
    • for sites featuring photographic services which are available online (retouching, image manipulation, scanning, photofinishing, photo labs etc.)

    Please read these guidelines carefully. Following them and the specific subcategory guidelines will allow us to review your site as quickly as possible.

    Please find the single most appropriate category for your site, following the instructions given below.

    The primary focus of your site has to be on Photography. It should be evident that you consider yourself to be a photographer. Collections of snapshots, or sites featuring images of poor technical quality will NOT be listed anywhere in Arts/Photography.

    If the identity of the photographer or studio is secondary or of no importance, and the intent of your site is simply to show pictures of a particular topic, please submit your site to that topic''s category, and NOT to Arts/Photography.For example, if you have a site with lots of photographs of cars and the identity of the photographer(s) is unknown or of no importance, then please submit your site to a suitable category in Recreation/Autos.

    Please submit sites showing photographic work which is not for sale online to an appropriate subcategory of Arts/Photography/Photographers or Arts/Photography/Techniques_and_Styles.

    Please submit all for-hire services such as i.e. wedding, portrait, commercial-advertising, aerial, architectural or fashion photography sites to the proper subcategory of Business/Arts_and_Entertainment/Photography/Photographers.

    If you are selling photographic equipment or products, please submit your site to Shopping/Photography.

    If your primary focus is on selling prints online, please submit your site to Shopping/Visual_Arts/Photography.

    If the primary focus of your site is selling licensed or royalty free photographs from your archives, please submit to Business/Arts_and_Entertainment/Photography/Stock.

    All sites featuring photographic services which are available online such as retouching, image manipulation, restoration, custom printing, scanning, and photofinishing are listed in Shopping/Photography/Services.

    If the text on your site is not in English, please submit your link to the photography category in the proper language in World. For example, Spanish language sites should be submitted to World/Español/Artes/Fotografía.

    Some photography sites may qualify for a second listing in the Regional branch of the ODP.

    Thank you.

    Radio

    This category is for Radio and radio-related web sites only. No sites are listed in the main category - please select an appropriate subcategory for your site.
    Sites about the recreational use of radios including amateur, citizen band, and shortwave radios and scanners should be submitted to the appropriate category of Recreation: Radio.

    Regional

    This category serves as a routing point made of shortcuts to the various and numerous regionally-specific categories on the Arts in general at the Open Directory Project.
    A note to submitters: no indvidual sites will actually be listed in this category or its subcategories.

    Listings for sites dealing with regionally-specific subjects should be submitted for review to appropriate, region-specific categories under Regional, which can be easily-accessed from within Arts: Regional.

    Television

    This category is for information on anything about television and the television medium.
    Before submitting any sites to this category, please take the time to browse through the subcategories to make sure your site is included in the appropriate category.

    If your site is not in English, please submit it to the proper category in World.

    Video

    Sites relating to the production of videotaped films, including methods of production, and education in making videos.
    Please only submit sites which are directories of video-making resources, source material, clips, etc.

    Generic video clip sites will not be accepted. For example, a directory site which allows users to upload videos and rank clips, but offers little else, will not be accepted. Sites must be unique or contain significant original content.

    Some video directories are more suited to other areas, for example:

    Humour: /Recreation/Humor/Audio_and_Video_Clips/ Video blogs: /Computers/Internet/On_the_Web/Weblogs/Video_Blogs/

    Visual Arts

    This category is for listings of websites for the visual arts.
    • If your site primarily offers original works for sale, please submit it to appropriate category in Shopping/Visual_Arts

    Weblogs

    Weblogs are listed by the topic of the site. Do not submit or list sites here which have a topic focus or niche. Look for the most suitable category existing in Dmoz before you submit a weblog here. This category is for weblogs about the arts in general. There should not be a focus on any one kind or style of art. Or, weblogs which discuss several kinds of medium/ art for which a category does not already exist in the directory. Any blog with a focus on any one kind of art should NOT be submitted here.
    Weblogs are listed by the topic of the site. Do not submit or list sites here which have a topic focus or niche. Look for the most suitable category existing in Dmoz before you submit a weblog here. This category is for weblogs about the arts in general. There should not be a focus on any one kind or style of art. Or, weblogs which discuss several kinds of medium/ art for which a category does not already exist in the directory. Any blog with a focus on any one kind of art should NOT be submitted here.

    Web Rings

    This category is for the main page of a web rings that offer listings relevant to a broad area of Arts.

    Writers Resources

    The Arts: Writers Resources category is for sites with resources and information about the art, craft and/or business of writing. This category includes, writing exercises, events, market listings, workshops, organizations, chat, publications, webrings, style guides and software. Here you will find information for fiction and non-fiction writers as well as young writers, songwriters, screenwriters and poets. Also freelancing and small/ self publishing. Please submit any original poetry, fiction and non-fiction to Arts: Online Writing. Editing and proofreading services should be submitted to Business:...Editing and Proofreading. Individual writers and their services should be submitted to Business:...Writing. Business services should be submitted to Business: Publishing and Printing: Publishing: Services.
    Welcome to Writers Resources: the art, craft and/ or business of writing. DO NOT submit publishers, agents, writing or editing services to Writers Resources.

    Please submit any original poetry, fiction and non-fiction to Arts: Online Writing.

    Editing and proofreading services should be submitted to Business/.../Editing_and_Proofreading.

    Individual writers and their services should be submitted to Business/.../Writing.

    Business services should be submitted to Business/Publishing_and_Printing/Publishing/Services.

    Related categories
    Business Arts and Entertainment
    Kids and Teens Arts