- contact @ aict-iatc.org
Membership of IATC is normally obtained through the Association’s network of national sections, made up of local associations of theatre critics. A section should have at least ten members (five in the case of countries with less than one million inhabitants). A country may have more than one critics’ association affiliated as an IATC section, though the country itself will have only one vote at IATC Congresses. It is also possible to set up a regional section, made up of critics from neighbouring countries.
For an association of theatre critics to be recognised as an IATC section, its head should send a letter of application to the general secretary of IATC, together with a list of their group’s members. Membership requests have to be approved by the Association’s Executive Committee.
Your IATC card is valuable!
Dear Colleague,
You should by now have received your membership card from your national section, or direct from IATC if you are an individual member. This acts as a Press card and carries with it tangible benefits in certain countries. It allows free admission to a large number of theatres, museums, and cultural events, such as Book Fairs, major art exhibitions, even historic monuments. On occasion, you will be offered a reduced rate rather than free admission. Even if they do not make use of it in their own country, where they may already be known, many IATC members profit from the card when they are travelling abroad. The card is evidence that you are a practising critic and a member of an international organisation affiliated to UNESCO. Carry it with you always, think about making use of it, and please do nothing to bring it into disrespect.
Membership of IATC is normally obtained through the Association’s network of national sections, made up of local associations of theatre critics. A section should have at least ten members (five in the case of countries with less than one million inhabitants). A country may have more than one critics’ association affiliated as an IATC section, though the country itself will have only one vote at IATC Congresses. It is also possible to set up a regional section, made up of critics from neighbouring countries.
For an association of theatre critics to be recognised as an IATC section, its head should send a letter of application to the general secretary of IATC, together with a list of their group’s members. Membership requests have to be approved by the Association’s Executive Committee. The annual subscription for a national section is based on membership, as follows:
5-20 members: 100 euros
21-50 members: 160 euros
51-100 members: 200 euros
101-200 members: 275 euros
201 members and above: 310 euros
It is possible to join the Association as an individual member, but only when there is no national section in your country. Individual membership costs 50 euros a year. Associate membership (with no press card) remains at 30 euros.
For further information on the advantages of IATC membership, and the organisation’s varied activities, you are encouraged to look at the pages of this website, in particular the articles of association, which are to be found in the Statutes section.
Articles of Association
as adopted at the Montevideo General Assembly, 21 March 1994
Updated in Turin, 10 March, 2006, Belgrade 29 September, 2016, St Petersburg, 15 November 2018
1. The International Association of Theatre Critics (IATC) is a Non Governmental Organization benefitting under statute B of UNESCO.
2. The purpose of the IATC is to bring together theatre critics in order to promote international cooperation.
3. Its principal aims are to foster theatre criticism as a discipline and to contribute to the development of its methodological bases; to protect the ethical and professional interests of theatre critics and to promote the common rights of all its members; and to contribute to reciprocal awareness and understanding between cultures by encouraging international meetings and exchanges in the field of theatre in general.
4. It may cooperate with any other bodies having essentially the same aims.
5. The IATC is established for an unlimited period of time. Its place of incorporation is Paris. Its administrative offices are as designated by the President and General Secretary.
6. Its official languages are English and French.
1. The IATC consists of Member Associations (and their members) and of Individual Members, Honorary Members and Patron Members.
2. Member Associations are established National or Regional Associations of theatre critics. To be eligible, a Member Association must have at least ten members, or five members in the case of a country having a population of less than one million inhabitants. Member Associations have their own regulations according to the laws and customs of their respective countries or regions, providing that they remain in accord with these Articles.
a. A National Association is either a recognized association of a nation’s theatre critics, or the theatre critics, theoreticians and researchers, included in a national association of critics of several disciplines. If a nation has two or more distinct or competing associations of theatre critics which wish to join the IATC, they may make joint application to the IATC, which will treat them as a de facto National Association. Associations which feel a previously accepted National Association does not represent them may apply for redress. A National Association accepted to membership is designated a “National Section” of the IATC.
b. A Regional Association is comprised of theatre critics from two or more nations which have no national associations. A nation with at least ten theatre critics – or five, in the case of a country having a population of less than one million inhabitants — should form its own National Association rather than be part of a Regional Association.
3.
a. Individuals who are citizens of countries with no National Association may become Individual Members. Candidates must prove they have been continuously active in one of the following fields: in the daily or periodical press or on radio or television for at least three years as critics of theatre, or by publication of historical, aesthetic, sociological or critical works on theatre.
b. The Association may at its discretion admit members of other international theatre organisations as Associate Members. They would be approved for membership on the same criteria as Individual Members and have the same rights, except the right to hold an IATC Press card.
4. The Executive Committee must approve all new Member Associations and Individual Members. Each Member Association or Individual Member is required to pay annual membership dues set by the General Assembly. The membership of Member Associations or Individual Members ceases in the event of resignation, of non payment of dues, or of expulsion for grave causes as determined by a majority vote of the General Assembly.
5. Persons or corporate bodies contributing material support to the IATC may become Patron Members. They are elected by the General Assembly.
6. Persons of eminence who have given the IATC assistance on the intemational level or who have distinguished themselves in service to the theatre may become Honorary Members. They are elected by the General Assembly. Further, on the proposal of the Executive Committee, the General Assembly may confer on members of any kind such honorary titles as it chooses.
1. The General Assembly is composed of the delegates of the Member Associations. Each Member Association is allowed a maximum of two delegates, except that a Member Association elected to the Executive Committee also has an additional delegate. The choice of individual delegates is left to each Member Association. At least one delegate from one half the qualifying Member Associations must be present to form a quorum. IATC officers and honorary officers are individual non voting delegates. Individual Members, Honorary Members, Patron Members and individual non delegate members of Member Associations may attend but may not vote.
2. The General Assembly meets every two years on a date and in a place specified by the Executive Committee.
Candidacies will only be considered if they are received by the General Secretary no later than two weeks before the General Assembly. They must contain a short statement (no longer than two paragraphs), with the reasons for the candidacy, written in at least one of the two official languages of the Association. The General Secretary will circulate statements of candidacy to the sections in advance of the General Assembly. (2016)
On a request of a majority of the Member Associations, the General Assembly may be convened in extraordinary session. A minimum of two months notice is required for the call to any General Assembly.
3. The General Assembly elects the President and General Secretary and also elects 10 Member Associations to the Executive Committee. The President and General Secretary must be members of Member Associations; the President’s Member Association may not also be a member of the Executive Committee.
4. The General Assembly hears reports from the President, General Secretary and General Treasurer on the general status, the administration and the financial management of the IATC. It also hears the report of the auditors. It approves the financial statements for the preceding period, approves the prospective budget for the ensuing period, appoints the auditors, elects Honorary Members and Patron Members, and discusses all questions put before it by the Executive Committee. An agenda must be submitted to the Member Associations two months before each General Assembly.
5. Only the delegates of Member Associations which have paid their dues may vote. Each Member Association has one vote. Questions are decided by an absolute majority of votes cast. A simple majority is acceptable after the third ballot. Elections are by secret ballot. Amendments to these Articles of Association require a two thirds vote of a General Assembly in extraordinary session.
6. The official languages of the General Assembly are English, French and that of the host country.
1. The IATC is administered by an Executive Committee composed of 10 Member Associations elected by each General Assembly. Each Member Association may choose its individual representative to the Executive Committee according to its own internal rules. Although consistency of representatives is valuable, a deputy should be sent when necessary, so that each seat is filled. A deputy can only be from the Section that he or she represents. (2018) IATC honorary officers are entitled to attend Executive Committee meetings in a non voting capacity.
a. A Member Association may not be elected to the Executive Committee unless it has been a member of the IATC since the previous General Assembly. If a Member Association is deemed to have abandoned its Executive Committee seat, or if it declares its inability to serve or leaves the IATC, the Executive Committee may choose another Member Association to replace it, taking into account the vote at the previous General Assembly.
b. The Executive Committee deals with all matters concerning the organization, management and conduct of the IATC. It admits Member Associations and Individual Members to the IATC. It may appoint whatever individuals to assist it as it chooses.
c. The Executive Committee meets at least twice each year and also whenever convened by the President or upon request of one half its members.
d. Proxy votes are not permitted at Executive Committee meetings. One half its members constitutes a quorum. Decisions must be made by an absolute majority of the votes cast. The President votes only to resolve ties.
e. The Executive Committee elects the IATC’s Vice Presidents from among its own members. It elects the General Treasurer and it may elect assistants to the General Secretary and General Treasurer and such other officers, assistants or associates as it chooses; all these may participate in Executive Committee meetings but cannot vote.
2. The President is elected by the General Assembly. He may be reelected for no more than two additional terms. He represents the IATC in all legal and civil matters. He convenes and presides over the meetings of the General Assembly and Executive Committee. He may designate one of the Vice Presidents to take over his duties temporarily. He has responsibility for the expenditures of the IATC.
a. If the President is unable to fulfill his duties, the General Secretary may replace him until the next meeting of the Executive Committee. At that meeting, the President’s incapacity having been affirmed by a two thirds vote, the Executive Committee elects one of the Vice Presidents to serve as President until the next General Assembly.
3. The General Secretary is elected by the General Assembly. He administers decisions made by the General Assembly and Executive Committee and reports to each General Assembly on the affairs of the IATC. If necessary, he may take the President’s place in legal and civil matters. He maintains minutes of the meetings of the General Assembly and Executive Committee, submits them for Executive Committee approval and distributes them as instructed.
a. If the General Secretary is unable to fulfill his duties, he may be replaced by vote of the Executive Committee until the next General Assembly.
4. The General Treasurer is elected by the Executive Committee. He administers the financial assets of the IATC and maintains appropriate accounts and records. At each General Assembly, he presents a financial statement for the preceding period and a prospective budget for the ensuing period. He may be assisted by such other officers as the Executive Committee appoints.
5. The financial accounts of the IATC are examined by two Auditors appointed by each General Assembly and eligible for reappointment. The Auditors inspect the books and other justifying documents and submit their report to the General Assembly, making any proposals they judge in the best interests of the IATC.
6. The Cabinet of the Executive Committee consists of the President, General Secretary, General Treasurer and their appointed assistants. The Cabinet may meet or consult whenever the President or General Secretary determines. Between Executive Committee meetings, the Cabinet manages the IATC.
7. Officers and Executive Committee members receive no remuneration from IATC for their services.
1. The IATC holds a General Assembly every two years.
2. The IATC may take the responsibility for congresses, symposia, seminars, research projects, publications or any other activities having as their object the study of a theme or the development of understanding relevant to theatre criticism and theatre in general.
3. The IATC has the authority to create study groups on a temporary or permanent basis. It may carry out research or other enquiries at the request of other national or international organizations.
The financial resources of the IATC consist of:
1. Membership dues, which are paid directly to the General Treasurer. Membership dues are determined by the General Assembly, except that the Executive Committee may adjust dues in unusual circumstances, such as, but not limited to, the combining of several associations into a de facto National Association.
2. Any funds which the IATC can raise through special activities. These activities must be approved by the President, who accounts for them to the Executive Committee.
3. Subsidies, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, for which those made responsible will be accountable
1. Details of management and all matters not specified in these Articles are the responsibility of the Executive Committee.
1. These Articles shall be in force as soon as adopted by a two thirds vote of the General Assembly.
2. These Articles may be amended on a motion proposed by either the General Assembly or Executive Committee, circulated to the Member Associations two months in advance of a General Assembly, and passed by a two thirds vote of that General Assembly in an extraordinary session called for this purpose.
The dissolution of the IATC shall be decided by a vote of three fourths of the Member Associations. Any remaining contributed funds shall be disbursed according to the original conditions of gift and the IATC’s surviving assets shall be remitted to UNESCO.
{the end}
Theatre is among the most interactive of the performing arts. As privileged spectators, theatre critics share with audiences and performers the same time and space, the same individual and collective stimuli, the same immediate and long-term experiences. As working theatre commentators, we seek in our individual ways to articulate these interactions as a frame for discussion and as a meaningful part of the interpretation and significance of theatrical performance. The International Association of Theatre Critics therefore urges its members worldwide to accept as an agreed starting point the core professional guidelines articulated in this document.
(IATC – February 2010)