St. John's Art Club was founded in 1940, under the name Art Students Club, by Mrs. A.C. (Muriel) Hunter. Its mandate was to promote local artists and their art. Activities included exhibitions of local and imported art, sketching and art discussion groups, sponsorship of local art students, the maintenance of a member-borrowing library of art books, and illustrated lectures. One exhibition featured 73 painting by U.S. servicemen stationed in Newfoundland.
The Club's name was changed in 1945 to St. John's Art Club. In 1950, the group presented recommendations to a Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences (Massey Commission). The last general meeting was held in 1973; in 1976, the Executive voted to close the Club bank account and donate the balance to the A.C. Hunter scholarship.