diff --git a/src/backends/meta-backend-private.h b/src/backends/meta-backend-private.h
index ce703dfa3..f85ef1b60 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-backend-private.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-backend-private.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ struct _MetaBackendClass
 
   MetaMonitorManager * (* create_monitor_manager) (MetaBackend *backend,
                                                    GError     **error);
+  MetaColorManager * (* create_color_manager) (MetaBackend *backend);
   MetaCursorRenderer * (* get_cursor_renderer) (MetaBackend        *backend,
                                                 ClutterInputDevice *device);
   MetaCursorTracker * (* create_cursor_tracker) (MetaBackend *backend);
@@ -130,6 +131,8 @@ MetaIdleMonitor * meta_backend_get_idle_monitor (MetaBackend        *backend,
 
 MetaIdleManager * meta_backend_get_idle_manager (MetaBackend *backend);
 
+MetaColorManager * meta_backend_get_color_manager (MetaBackend *backend);
+
 META_EXPORT_TEST
 MetaOrientationManager * meta_backend_get_orientation_manager (MetaBackend *backend);
 META_EXPORT_TEST
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-backend-types.h b/src/backends/meta-backend-types.h
index 9f4341bb0..7b404060d 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-backend-types.h
+++ b/src/backends/meta-backend-types.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 
 typedef struct _MetaBackend MetaBackend;
 
+typedef struct _MetaColorManager MetaColorManager;
+
 typedef struct _MetaMonitorManager MetaMonitorManager;
 
 typedef struct _MetaMonitorConfigManager MetaMonitorConfigManager;
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-backend.c b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
index 165a1fe4d..db3f75ae6 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-backend.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-backend.c
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ struct _MetaBackendPrivate
   MetaInputMapper *input_mapper;
   MetaIdleManager *idle_manager;
   MetaRenderer *renderer;
+  MetaColorManager *color_manager;
 #ifdef HAVE_EGL
   MetaEgl *egl;
 #endif
@@ -222,6 +223,7 @@ meta_backend_dispose (GObject *object)
 
   g_clear_pointer (&priv->cursor_tracker, meta_cursor_tracker_destroy);
   g_clear_object (&priv->current_device);
+  g_clear_object (&priv->color_manager);
   g_clear_object (&priv->monitor_manager);
   g_clear_object (&priv->orientation_manager);
 #ifdef HAVE_REMOTE_DESKTOP
@@ -954,6 +956,12 @@ meta_backend_create_monitor_manager (MetaBackend *backend,
                                                                    error);
 }
 
+static MetaColorManager *
+meta_backend_create_color_manager (MetaBackend *backend)
+{
+  return META_BACKEND_GET_CLASS (backend)->create_color_manager (backend);
+}
+
 static MetaRenderer *
 meta_backend_create_renderer (MetaBackend *backend,
                               GError     **error)
@@ -1194,6 +1202,8 @@ meta_backend_initable_init (GInitable     *initable,
   if (!priv->monitor_manager)
     return FALSE;
 
+  priv->color_manager = meta_backend_create_color_manager (backend);
+
   priv->renderer = meta_backend_create_renderer (backend, error);
   if (!priv->renderer)
     return FALSE;
@@ -1283,6 +1293,17 @@ meta_backend_get_monitor_manager (MetaBackend *backend)
   return priv->monitor_manager;
 }
 
+/**
+ * meta_backend_get_color_manager: (skip)
+ */
+MetaColorManager *
+meta_backend_get_color_manager (MetaBackend *backend)
+{
+  MetaBackendPrivate *priv = meta_backend_get_instance_private (backend);
+
+  return priv->color_manager;
+}
+
 /**
  * meta_backend_get_orientation_manager: (skip)
  */
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-color-manager-private.h b/src/backends/meta-color-manager-private.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2e656ae41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backends/meta-color-manager-private.h
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2021 Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#ifndef META_COLOR_MANAGER_PRIVATE_H
+#define META_COLOR_MANAGER_PRIVATE_H
+
+#include "backends/meta-color-manager.h"
+
+struct _MetaColorManagerClass
+{
+  GObjectClass parent_class;
+};
+
+#endif /* META_COLOR_MANAGER_PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c b/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3e9fdcfca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backends/meta-color-manager.c
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2021 Jeremy Cline
+ * Copyright (C) 2021 Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * SECTION:meta-color-manager
+ * @title: MetaColorManager
+ * @short_description: Interfaces for managing color-related properties like
+ *   color look-up tables and color spaces.
+ *
+ * Each MetaBackend has a MetaColorManager which includes interfaces for querying
+ * and altering the color-related properties for displays associated with that
+ * backend.
+ *
+ * These tasks include configuring the hardware's lookup tables (LUTs) used to
+ * apply or remove transfer functions (traditionally called "gamma"), set up
+ * color space conversions (CSCs), and for determining or setting the output
+ * color space and transfer function.
+ *
+ * Mutter itself does not store and manage device ICC profiles; this task is
+ * handled by [colord](https://www.freedesktop.org/software/colord/). Colord
+ * maintains a database of devices (displays, printers, etc) and color profiles,
+ * including the default output profile for a device. Users configure colord
+ * with their preferred color profile for a device via an external application
+ * like GNOME Control Center or the colormgr CLI.
+ *
+ * Colord defines [a specification for device and profile names](
+ * https://github.com/hughsie/colord/blob/1.4.5/doc/device-and-profile-naming-spec.txt)
+ * which is used to map Colord's devices to Mutter's #MetaMonitor.
+ */
+
+#include "config.h"
+
+#include "backends/meta-color-manager-private.h"
+
+#include "backends/meta-backend-types.h"
+#include "backends/meta-monitor.h"
+
+enum
+{
+  PROP_0,
+
+  PROP_BACKEND,
+
+  N_PROPS
+};
+
+static GParamSpec *obj_props[N_PROPS];
+
+typedef struct _MetaColorManagerPrivate
+{
+  MetaBackend *backend;
+} MetaColorManagerPrivate;
+
+G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_PRIVATE (MetaColorManager, meta_color_manager, G_TYPE_OBJECT)
+
+static void
+meta_color_manager_set_property (GObject      *object,
+                                 guint         prop_id,
+                                 const GValue *value,
+                                 GParamSpec   *pspec)
+{
+  MetaColorManager *color_manager = META_COLOR_MANAGER (object);
+  MetaColorManagerPrivate *priv =
+    meta_color_manager_get_instance_private (color_manager);
+
+  switch (prop_id)
+    {
+    case PROP_BACKEND:
+      priv->backend = g_value_get_object (value);
+      break;
+    default:
+      G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
+      break;
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+meta_color_manager_get_property (GObject    *object,
+                                 guint       prop_id,
+                                 GValue     *value,
+                                 GParamSpec *pspec)
+{
+  MetaColorManager *color_manager = META_COLOR_MANAGER (object);
+  MetaColorManagerPrivate *priv =
+    meta_color_manager_get_instance_private (color_manager);
+
+  switch (prop_id)
+    {
+    case PROP_BACKEND:
+      g_value_set_object (value, priv->backend);
+      break;
+    default:
+      G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
+      break;
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+meta_color_manager_class_init (MetaColorManagerClass *klass)
+{
+  GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
+
+  object_class->set_property = meta_color_manager_set_property;
+  object_class->get_property = meta_color_manager_get_property;
+
+  obj_props[PROP_BACKEND] =
+    g_param_spec_object ("backend",
+                         "backend",
+                         "MetaBackend",
+                         META_TYPE_BACKEND,
+                         G_PARAM_READWRITE |
+                         G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY |
+                         G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
+  g_object_class_install_properties (object_class, N_PROPS, obj_props);
+}
+
+static void
+meta_color_manager_init (MetaColorManager *color_manager)
+{
+}
+
+MetaBackend *
+meta_color_manager_get_backend (MetaColorManager *color_manager)
+{
+  MetaColorManagerPrivate *priv =
+    meta_color_manager_get_instance_private (color_manager);
+
+  return priv->backend;
+}
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-color-manager.h b/src/backends/meta-color-manager.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8053a6b2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backends/meta-color-manager.h
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2021 Jeremy Cline
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#ifndef META_COLOR_MANAGER_H
+#define META_COLOR_MANAGER_H
+
+#include <glib-object.h>
+
+#include "backends/meta-backend-types.h"
+
+#define META_TYPE_COLOR_MANAGER (meta_color_manager_get_type ())
+G_DECLARE_DERIVABLE_TYPE (MetaColorManager, meta_color_manager,
+                          META, COLOR_MANAGER,
+                          GObject)
+
+MetaBackend *
+meta_color_manager_get_backend (MetaColorManager *color_manager);
+
+#endif /* META_COLOR_MANAGER_H */
diff --git a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
index ffbf0b252..86eccec2b 100644
--- a/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
+++ b/src/backends/native/meta-backend-native.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
+#include "backends/meta-color-manager.h"
 #include "backends/meta-cursor-tracker-private.h"
 #include "backends/meta-idle-manager.h"
 #include "backends/meta-keymap-utils.h"
@@ -279,6 +280,14 @@ meta_backend_native_create_monitor_manager (MetaBackend *backend,
   return manager;
 }
 
+static MetaColorManager *
+meta_backend_native_create_color_manager (MetaBackend *backend)
+{
+  return g_object_new (META_TYPE_COLOR_MANAGER,
+                       "backend", backend,
+                       NULL);
+}
+
 static MetaCursorRenderer *
 meta_backend_native_get_cursor_renderer (MetaBackend        *backend,
                                          ClutterInputDevice *device)
@@ -714,6 +723,7 @@ meta_backend_native_class_init (MetaBackendNativeClass *klass)
   backend_class->get_capabilities = meta_backend_native_get_capabilities;
 
   backend_class->create_monitor_manager = meta_backend_native_create_monitor_manager;
+  backend_class->create_color_manager = meta_backend_native_create_color_manager;
   backend_class->get_cursor_renderer = meta_backend_native_get_cursor_renderer;
   backend_class->create_renderer = meta_backend_native_create_renderer;
   backend_class->get_input_settings = meta_backend_native_get_input_settings;
diff --git a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
index da14cd73a..4d4a5da9c 100644
--- a/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
+++ b/src/backends/x11/meta-backend-x11.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <xkbcommon/xkbcommon-x11.h>
 
+#include "backends/meta-color-manager.h"
 #include "backends/meta-idle-monitor-private.h"
 #include "backends/meta-keymap-utils.h"
 #include "backends/meta-stage-private.h"
@@ -595,6 +596,14 @@ meta_backend_x11_create_clutter_backend (MetaBackend *backend)
   return CLUTTER_BACKEND (meta_clutter_backend_x11_new (backend));
 }
 
+static MetaColorManager *
+meta_backend_x11_create_color_manager (MetaBackend *backend)
+{
+  return g_object_new (META_TYPE_COLOR_MANAGER,
+                       "backend", backend,
+                       NULL);
+}
+
 static ClutterSeat *
 meta_backend_x11_create_default_seat (MetaBackend  *backend,
                                       GError      **error)
@@ -953,6 +962,7 @@ meta_backend_x11_class_init (MetaBackendX11Class *klass)
   object_class->dispose = meta_backend_x11_dispose;
   object_class->finalize = meta_backend_x11_finalize;
   backend_class->create_clutter_backend = meta_backend_x11_create_clutter_backend;
+  backend_class->create_color_manager = meta_backend_x11_create_color_manager;
   backend_class->create_default_seat = meta_backend_x11_create_default_seat;
   backend_class->post_init = meta_backend_x11_post_init;
   backend_class->grab_device = meta_backend_x11_grab_device;
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 49a28137b..6a88f5d5c 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -181,6 +181,9 @@ mutter_sources = [
   'backends/meta-backend-private.h',
   'backends/meta-barrier.c',
   'backends/meta-barrier-private.h',
+  'backends/meta-color-manager.c',
+  'backends/meta-color-manager.h',
+  'backends/meta-color-manager-private.h',
   'backends/meta-crtc-mode.c',
   'backends/meta-crtc-mode.h',
   'backends/meta-crtc.c',