China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC), established in July 1949, is a non-governmental organization composed of nationwide associations of writers and artists, federations of literary and art circles in the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government and those in state-level industrial sectors.

China Federation of Literary and Art Circles takes it its task to unite artists and writers all over the country, train literary and art talents, promote the development and prosperity of the cause of literature and arts.

CFLAC practices a group membership. It now consists of fifty-two group members. CFLAC undertakes liaison, coordination and service work among various group members and helps them with matters that need overall arrangement.

The supreme organs of CFLAC are its national congress and the national committee it elects. The National Committee elects a president, a number of vice presidents and presidium members to form the Presidium, under which there is a secretariat in charge of the day-to-day operations. If necessary, subsidiary organs may be established. CFLAC national congress is held every five years.

CFLAC gives professional guidance to its group members by sponsoring performances, exhibitions, artistic creations, theoretical researches, academic symposia and forums, personnel training and external exchanges. It funds and supports artists and writers through publishing books and video-audio works, establishing awards, organizing art exchanges, etc. It reflects the viewpoints and requirements of the group members, artists and writers, safeguards their legitimate rights and interests.

CFLAC and its national associations publish over thirty literary and artistic magazines and newspapers, including China Arts Gazette, and operate seven publishing houses for books and audio-video products and a film and television center. The local federations and associations also have their own literary and artistic publications.

CFLAC carries out extensive external exchanges and actively encourages and organizes its group members to do so. Each year, it receives hundreds of foreign writers' and artists' delegations. At the same time, it organizes and sends an increasing number of Chinese writers and artists to foreign lands, where they carry on lively and vigorous exchanges in various forms with their foreign counterparts, thus furthering mutual friendship and cooperation between Chinese and foreign literary and art circles.

The funding of CFLAC comes from state allocations, membership dues and donations from the public.