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Article I. Aims of AICA

1. The objective of AICA (International Association of Art Critics) is to bring together art critics who wish to develop international cooperation in the field of art.

2. Its aims are, in particular :

a) to promote art criticism as a discipline and contribute to its methodology;
b) to protect the ethical and professional interests of art critics and cooperate in defending the rights of its members;
c) to ensure permanent links among members by encouraging international meetings;
d) to facilitate exchange of information in the domain of visual arts at an international level;
e) to contribute to mutual understanding of cultures;
f) to extend AICA’s cooperation with the developing countries.

3. AICA may cooperate with any organisation whose aims are essentially cultural.

4. The duration of AICA is not limited. Its Headquarters are in Paris

5. AICA may be dissolved by the General Assembly if three-quarters of the full-members of the Association are present.

Article II. Activities

1. The cultural activities of the Association are described in detail by the Congress held every two or three years.

2. AICA can initiate colloquia, seminars and any other activity aimed at the study of one or several themes. It can undertake surveys and research commissioned by national or international organisations. Activities of this nature are subject to the approval of the Bureau, approved by the Administrative Council.

Article III. Structure

1. The administrative structure of the Association is composed of the National Sections as well as a Free Section.

2. The National Sections establish their own statutes in accordance with the Statutes of AICA and have them approved by the Executive Comitee. Their activities should comply with the laws and customs of their respective countries.

3. The Free Section is composed of members who for valid reasons do not wish to or cannot be in one of the National Sections. The Executive of the Section is formed by the President of AICA, by the General Secretary and by the General Treasurer, ex officio.

4. The official languages of AICA are English, French and Spanish.

Article IV. Membership

1. The Association is composed of full members, associate members and benefactor members.

2. New members are elected every year during the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Administrative Council.

3. The choice of the associated members is reserved to the National Sections alone.

4. Membership is forfeited :

i) on resignation ;
ii) by non-payment of membership fees for two years ;
iii) if expelled by the Administrative Council, for serious reasons.

5. The General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Administrative Council, may appoint honorary members - eminent personalities who have assisted the Association on an international level or who have distinguished themselves in the service of art.

Article V. Administration

1. AICA organizes a General Assembly every year.

2. AICA is administered by the Administrative Council and by the Bureau.

Article VI. The General Assembly

1. The General Assembly is formed by the full members; only they have the right to vote.

2. The Assembly takes place every year at a time determined by the Administrative Council.

3. Following a request from at least five National Sections (including the Free Section), an Extraordinary General Assembly may be convened.

4. The General Assembly elects the President, the Vice-Presidents and members of the Administrative Council ensuring constant renewal of the two groups. It receives reports of the members of the Bureau on ethical and financial affairs of the Association, approves the accounts and proposed budgets, considers matters on the agenda presented by the Bureau, and names the honorary members.

5. On the recommendation of the Administrative Council, the General Assembly elects full members and honorary members and decides on expulsions.

6. On the recommendation of the Administrative Council, the General Assembly names the Secretary General, the General Treasurer and their respective assistants.

7. Its agenda is established by the Bureau and communicated to all full members two months before the General Assembly.

8. The Bureau of the General Assembly is the same as that of the Administrative Council.

9. Reports of the Secretary General and of the General Treasurer are communicated every year to all full members after the end of the financial year.

10. The General Assembly elects regional secretaries on the recommendation of the Administrative Council.

Article VII. Full members

1. Only full members enjoy the rights of the Association.

2. Proposals for full membership are presented by the presidents of the National Sections. Candidates for the Free Section are presented by two sponsor members of the Administrative Council.

3. To be eligible for full membership, the candidate must prove that he or she is actif continuesly in one or several of the following fields :

a) daily or periodical press, broadcasting or TV for at least three years;
b) publication of works in history and/or criticism;
c) teaching of art history or aesthetics and art at the university level;
d) curatorial work in museums;
e) organisation of exhibitions whose principal aim is not essentially commercial

4. All members admitted as full members must pay a fee equivalent to one year’s membership fee.

Article VIII. Associate Members

Associate members are admitted by the National Sections or in exceptional cases are admitted to the Free Section by the Administrative Council of AICA, on a simple majority ruling of members present or represented.

Article IX. Benefactor Members

By a simple majority of present or represented members of the Administrative Council, individual or corporate benefactor members may be elected for their material aid to AICA.

Article X. The Administrative Council

1. AICA is run by the Administrative Council, composed of :

a) members of the Bureau;
b) presidents of all National Sections ;
c) previous presidents of AICA ;
d) vice-president elected for the current period;
e) ten full members ;
f) presidents of commissions set up by the General Assembly.

2. The Administrative Council determines the broad outline of the cultural work of AICA.

3. The Administrative Council examines and studies all matters concerning the organisation, management and cultural work of AICA.

4. The Administrative Council meets at least once a year, during the General Assembly and whenever it is convened by the President or at the request of a quarter of its members. A quarter of its members must be present or represented to make a quorum.

5. The presidents of the National Sections may be represented in their absence.

6. The members of the Administrative Council may not receive any remuneration for their work on the Council.

Article XI. The Steering Committee

1. The Steering Committee is composed of the President, the Honorary Presidents, nine Vice-Presidents, the Secretary General, the Assistant to the Secretary General, the General Treasurer, The Assistant to the General Treasurer and the Regional Secretaries.

2. The President of AICA is also Chairman of the Steering Committee.

3. The Steering Committee is responsible for the work included in the programme of activities of AICA.

4. The Steering Committee meets when the President deems it necessary.

Article XII. The President

1. The President represents AICA.

2. The President convenes and chairs the General Assembly and the meetings of the Administrative Council and the Steering Committee.

3. The President may nominate one of the vice-presidents as a representative.

4. The President controls the expenses of AICA.

5. The President may be assisted by a consultative committee of full members of his/her own choice.

6. The President is elected by the General Assembly for a period of three years and may be re-elected only once.

Article XIII. Vice-Presidents

Vice-Presidents are elected by the General Assembly. One-third of them are replaced every year. A Vice-President may only be re-elected after a period of one year has elapsed since he/she last held the post.

Article XIV. The Secretary General

1.The Secretary General ensures the smooth running of the Association, as well as of its meetings. He or she is responsible for the execution of the decisions of the General Assembly or the Administrative Council and of the Steering Committee; is responsible for the internal organization of the administrave office of AICA; presents every year a report on activities to the General Assembly; replaces the President, as necessary at all several occasions and law cases. With the agreement of the General Treasurer, the Secretary General engages staff and makes payments. The Secretary General organizes the mmetings of the various boards and of the working groups, prepares the programme of the Congress and edits the minutes of the Administrative Council and of the General Assembly.

2. The Secretary General is elected for a term of four years, and may be re-elected.

3. The Assistant Secretary General may be elected in the same manner.

Article XV. The General Treasurer

1. The General Treasurer is the trustee of the Association's finances. He/she controls the funds and is responsible for keeping the accounts, receipts and expenses. He/she establishes the financial situation of the AICA. At each General Assembly, he/she presents the balance sheet for the year from 1 January to 31 December and submits a budget for the next year.

2. The General Treasurer is elected for a term of four years, and may be re-elected.

3. An assistant to the General Treasurer may be elected in the same manner.

Article XVI. The Bureau of AICA

1. The Bureau of AICA consists of the President, one Vice-President, General Secretary, General Treasurer, and their assistants. It meets whenever the President deems it necessary.

2. In the periods between two sessions of the General Assembly, the Administrative Council and the Steering Committee, the Bureau takes all the necessary decisions. These decisions must be submitted for ratification to the Administrative Council at the following session.

3. The work of members of the Bureau is not remunerated.

Article XVII. Regional Secretaries

The Regional Secretaries act as liaison officers with all the National Sections in their region. They should keep the Secretary General informed of their activities. They are elected for three years and may be re-elected.

Article XVIII. Voting

1. The decisions of the General Assembly, the Administrative Council and the Steering Committee are valid if approved by an absolute majority. The President has the decisive vote in case of a hung vote. A relative majority is admissible in the third round when voting for President, in the second round for vice-presidents, and the first round for members of the Administrative Council.

2. Voting is by secret ballot. Only members who have paid their fees have the right to vote.

3. Every full member is authorized to one vote and may vote by correspondance in the General Assembly.

4. Vote by proxy is authorized for the Administrative Council and for the Steering Committee. The vote may only be transferred to another member of the two afore-mentioned bodies, who may accept authorization for only one vote. Proxy voting is not allowed in the General Assembly.

Article XIX. The Congress

1. The Association organizes Congresses. During each Congress, the location for the next one is chosen. If there is no decision during the Congress, then the Steering Committee is entrusted with the task.

2. The country that hosts the Congress also provides the secretariat of the Congress, and its headquarters are in that country. The secretariat of the Congress is independent from the Steering Committee, but prepares for the Congress, in liaison with it. The Secretary General takes part in the activities of the Secretariat of the Congress.

Article XX. Resources

1. The resources of AICA consist of :

a) Admission fees and membership fees;
b) Membership fees for full members, associate members and benefactor members;
c) Contributions from the National Sections according to their means ;
d) Resources authorized by the law which AICA may raise in exceptional circumstances ;
e) Legal grants that AICA may receive.

2. Membership fees are send to the General Treasurer. The amount of the fees due are determined each year by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Administrative Council.

3. The resources that AICA may exceptionally be entitled to must receive the approval of the President, who is responsible vis à vis the Administrative Council.

4. Acceptance of grants must be approved by the Administrative Council.

Article XXI. Financial Control

1. The activities of AICA are supervised by one or two commissioners nominated by the General Assembly for a renewable term of three years.

2. He/she or they exercise(s) their right of control by going over the accounts and records, three months before the General Assembly. They submit their report to the Administrative Council who transmit it to the General Assembly. They are entitled to make proposals they consider to be in the interests of AICA.

Article XXII. Regulations

1. The details of the administration of AICA as well as unforeseen problems are allowed for in a regulation as decreed by the Administrative Council. This may be modified during the General Assembly.

2. Cases not foreseen either in the Statutes or in the Regulations will be governed by the legislation of the country currently hosting the Headquarters of AICA (the Office).

Article XXIII. The Statutes

1. The Statutes may be modified upon the proposal of the Administrative Council. The proposal must be submitted to the Steering Committee two months prior to the General Assembly. All modifications must be approved by two-thirds of the General Assembly.

2. The General Assembly may propose modifications to the present Statutes if a proposal is supported by two-thirds of the members present.

Dernière mise à jour: 22/03/2003