The nGbK art association, which today has roughly 1000 members, was founded in 1969 expressly as a counter-model to other, more typically hierarchical institutions. The nGbK's working principle of grassroots democracy continues to this day: general meetings of members make decisions on the annual programme and all projects are carried out by members of the association who create project groups.

The nGbK presents exhibitions on contemporary art that take up current questions facing society, such as the future of labour, migration, xenophobia and gender-related themes. The association also focuses on art education and art in the public sphere, for example in Berlin U-Bahn stations.

A number of other events reflect and round out the programme. The nGbK is also a publisher of exhibition catalogues and theoretical writings.