ArtServe is an initiative of the Methodist Church Music Society (MCMS) which was formed in 1935 to support Methodist musicians and the use of all types of music in worship.

MCMS was also a member of the former Creative Arts Forum, a group established to support and develop the use of all forms of creativity within the Methodist Church. When the funding for this work was stopped several years ago, MCMS and others were concerned about this decision and wanted to form a new organisation to fill the gap. After a couple of abortive attempts it was decided that the way forward was for MCMS to set up something new, and hence the birth of ArtServe.

Initially ArtServe ran alongside MCMS but  work is now under way to transfer all MCMS activities and assets into ArtServe. MCMS will cease to exist as a separate organisation by the end of 2010.