Since the 1950s, the Yorkton Arts Council hosted and organized visual art exhibits in various locations in Yorkton. With the construction of the Godfrey Dean Centre came two galleries and office space on the second floor of the building, adjacent to the historic Land Titles Building on Smith Street. Through most of the 1990s, the galleries were managed by the Yorkton Arts Council, its volunteer board visual arts committee, and part-time staff.

In November of 2002, the members of the Yorkton Arts Council approved the decision to establish the gallery as a separate organization, following the direction taken by other public art galleries in the province. In 2002 the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery Inc. was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. Following conclusion of an agreement with the Yorkton Arts Council regarding the sharing of resources and the division of assets, Godfrey Dean Art Gallery formally assumed responsibility for visual art education and programming in the gallery on February 15, 2003.

The Gallery is governed by a board of directors which establishes policy and priorities for the organization, and which is responsible for ensuring its financial viability. The programming, which includes both education and exhibits, is the responsibility of staff.

The public programming at The Godfrey Dean Art Gallery responds to the cultural diversity of the Yorkton community. As the only professionally-operated public art gallery within a 150 km radius of Yorkton, The Dean curates, exhibits and promotes the work of local, provincial and national contemporary artists.

Through workshops and diverse public programming, The Godfrey Dean Art Gallery strives to fulfill its mandate to educate, entice and challenge our region within the realm of visual literacy.

Always embracing change, the Dean opens exhibits in both galleries about every six weeks. It also opens its doors to the cultural and artistic programming of local organizations and schools, and welcomes performers, poets and musicians to contribute to the artistic climate of the gallery. The Godfrey Dean Art Gallery itself is an exhibit of imaginative thinking in a contemporary rural society.