International Association of Art


International Association of Art is an international, non-governmental association of fine art and one of the NGOs in official partnership with UNESCO.

History

The establishment of the International Association of Art dates back to an initiative launched in 1948 in Beirut's Third General Conference of UNESCO to set up a permanent forum of international visual artists to support UNESCO's goals. The sixth UNESCO conference in 1951 commissioned its Secretary-General to convene an international congress of artists, which was finally held in Venice in 1952. The 23 national governments represented there and 48 artists' associations from 19 countries agreed on the goal of founding an international umbrella organization for sculptors, painters and engravers. Chaired by the Italian painter Gino Severini, a Transitional Council has been set up and a secretariat in Paris. Finally, in 1954, the founding assembly of the IAA / AIAP was held in Venice, attended by already formed national committees from 18 countries as full members, as well as observers from another 22 countries. Since then membership has grown to over 90 National Committees worldwide, divided into five world regions. Since its foundation, the IAA / AIAP has had the official status of a consultative organization of UNESCO.