AICA-USA

AICA-USA is the US section of the International Association of Art Critics (Association Internationale des Critiques d’Art, AICA). AICA-USA promotes critical discourse in the visual arts, elevating the values of art criticism as a discipline, acting on behalf of the physical and moral defense of works of art, and defending freedom of expression. The main objectives of AICA are: • to promote art criticism as a discipline and contribute to its methodology; • to protect the ethical and professional interests of its membership and defend their rights; • to encourage professional relationships within its active international member network; • to contribute to mutual understanding of visual aesthetics across cultural boundaries; • to defend impartially freedom of expression and thought and oppose arbitrary censorship. Headquartered in New York, AICA-US’s membership is comprised of distinguished critics, curators, scholars, and art historians working throughout the United States. AICA members are issued a membership card recognized for entrance to museums around the world. They are informed of relevant activities in a biannual newsletter and are invited to the annual AICA International Congress, held every year in a different member nation. AICA-USA organizes several annual events, including a distinguished critic lecture at the New School in New York, a panel discussion about art criticism topics at the College Art Association (CAA) convention, an annual awards ceremony honoring exhibitions in museums and commercial galleries, and tours to artists’ studios in emerging art neighborhoods. AICA-USA partners with Cue and Warhol Foundations to operate mentorship programs for young critics. An active Professional Issues Committee concerns itself with working conditions for art critics, and an Advocacy Committee investigates issues of concern to the profession and advises the board and the membership on actions to take.