ABOUT The IAA-USA

AIAP-IAA (Europe) began in Paris in 1954. The objectives of AIAP-IAA are to stimulate international cooperation among artists of all countries, nations and peoples, and to improve the economic and social position of artists at the national and international levels as well as to defend their material and moral rights. 

IAA-USA National Chapter began in Los Angeles in 2017 and is officially accepted by AIAP-IAA. Nationally, Los Angeles-headquartered IAA-USA operates as the central entity governing all U.S. activities of the Association. We are in partnership with UNESCO and work hand-in-hand with AIAP-IAA (International Association of Art/ Association Internationale des Arts Plastiques) based in France.

Our Vision: 

To stimulate international cooperation among artists of all countries, nations and peoples, and to improve the economic and social position of artists at the national and international levels as well as to defend their material and moral rights.

Our Mission:

The mission of IAA-USA to expand the range of opportunities to all artists, regardless of race, religion, or sex, to engage in arts production and exhibition both in the US and internationally. 

Our Objectives:

To bring professional artists residing in the United States together to exhibit, collaborate and learn in a culturally accepting and diverse manner.

To support member artists by offering resources and services such as seminars, exhibition opportunities, international exchange opportunities and to celebrate and promote UNESCO’S declaration of World Art Day on April 15th with nationwide events.

History of AIAP-IAA

The origins of AIAP-IAA (International Association of Art, in English) can be traced to the Third General Conference of UNESCO, held at Beirut, Lebanon, in 1948. The Director–General was charged with enquiring into 'ways in which artists might serve the aims of UNESCO', and to discover what obstacles of a social, economic, or political order lay in the path of artists in the practice of their art. He was charged, too, with recommending measures by which artists’ working conditions could be improved and their freedom assured.

The UNESCO Conference, at its sixth Session, in 1951, empowered the Director-General to organize an International Conference of artists to study the actual conditions of artists’ freedom in various countries and to enquire into the means to associate them more closely with UNESCO’s work. Accordingly, in 1952, at a conference of artists held in Venice, 23 governments and 48 associations of artists in 19 countries, declared themselves in favour of the formation of an international association of painters, sculptors and engravers. A provisional council was formed under the chairmanship of Gino Severini (Italy), and a secretariat was opened in UNESCO House in Paris.

In 1954, in Venice, the General Assembly of the fully constituted Association was summoned for the first time and declared the basic aims of AIAP-IAA. At this first Assembly, 18 countries (with National Committees already formed) took part, with observers from another 22 countries. Artists like Miró, Braque, Delaunay, Pasmore, Hartung, Laurencin, Matta, Lurçat, Masson, Vasarely, Moore, Soto, Cesar, Calder, and many others left their print at AIAP-IAA.

Since its creation, UNESCO gave to AIAP-IAA the status of UNESCO partnership NGO with the status of consultative Association.

THE IAA/AIAP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

• Kwang Soo Lee, Korea, president

• Maria Moroz, Poland, vice-president

• Vahida Ramujkic, Serbia, treasurer

• Marta Yglesias Piza, Costa Rica, coordinator of Latin America

• and the Caribbean

• Sofia de la Fuente, Sweden, coordinator of Europe

• Ryoji Ikeda, Japan, coordinator of Asia and Pacific

• Kathe Madrigal, USA, President of USA regional Chapter

• Stacie McCormick, UK, member

• Marcel Noack, Germany, member

• Igors Dobicins, Latvia, member

• Graciela Ferreiro Robles, Mexico, member

Click above to meet the Board!

Click on picture for WAD celebration news around the world!