One of the most influential ideas in the sociology of art, the concept of an art world provides the basis for a sociological orientation for understanding the arts, in contrast to artist-centered approaches favored in other disciplines. Art worlds have both social and cultural components. The concept of an art world implies that art is a collective activity, rather than the product of solitary genius. The cultural bases for cooperation among actors in art worlds are shared commitments to artistic conventions that define what is considered to be art in a specific period and how it should be produced.