STATUTES

The use of the linguistic masculine form (i.e. in "chairman" and its respective pronoun "his") equally refer to both female and male individuals.

§ 1

Name, Headquarters, Fiscal Year

  1. The association is officially named the "International Association for Art, Creativity and Therapy (IAACT)"
    "Gesellschaft für Kunst, Gestaltung und Therapie e.V."
    "Association Internationale de l’Art-Therapie"
    "Associazione Internazionale per l’Espressione Artistica nella Terapia"
  2. The association's headquarters are based at Monte Verità, Ascona, Switzerland.
  3. The fiscal year is identical with the calendar year. The first fiscal year ended on 31 December, 1985.

§ 2

Purpose

The main purpose of the association is to promote the relationship and cooperation between artists, doctors, art-therapists, psychotherapists and other persons involved in therapeutic professions, especially those connected with rehabilitation, preventative medicine and health education. To achieve this goal, the association principally endeavors to promote artistic activities within the therapeutic fields, to support the foundation of respective education facilities and courses as well as to consolidate the knowledge and experience of professionals involved in these areas and to facilitate an open discussion between them. Furthermore, a systematic study of the therapeutic function of the arts is to be stimulated and ardently pursued.

On a national level, the association also aims to establish an open exchange of knowledge and experience among professionals in the art therapies, to promote and support the foundation of new institutions and training projects and to maintain a library of comprehensive information and documentation on significant institutions, organizations and education facilities in the sector. The association also seeks to stimulate and support the initiation of scientific and creative projects as well as the establishment of respective work groups by interested members.

The association pursues no ideological or political goals whatsoever and expressly disapproves of such intentions in its activities.

§ 3

Charitable Status

The International Association for Art, Creativity and Therapy exclusively pursues charitable goals in accordance with the legal stipulations for charitable societies.

The association is not governed by personal interest and pursues no commercial goals.

The association's resources may only be used for the purposes laid down in these statues. The members receive no financial contributions from the association.

No resources may be implemented for goals which are not in direct accordance with the purpose of the association. No single party shall be disproportionately favored in the implementation of the association's resources.

In the case of a liquidation of the association, the entire assets shall be donated to the International Red Cross.

§ 4

Membership

  1. Both natural and legal persons may become members of the association.
  2. Members must be both prepared to and in the position to actively participate in the realization of the association's goals.
  3. Honorary members and correspondent members may be elected on petition by the body of members or the board of directors.
  4. A legal person may apply for a cooperative membership as long as it will not contradict the goals of the association.
  5. Membership is granted through the approval of a member of the International Association for Art, Creativity and Therapy and based on a written petition from the applicant. The applicant is notified of the decision in written form. Denial of membership may be objected to by a member at the next general meeting, which makes its decision based on a simple majority.
  6. Cessation of Membership
  1. Death of the member
  2. The member petitions to the board of directors to leave the association, which goes into effect at the end of the fiscal year.
  3. Exclusion: the petition for exclusion of a member must be unanimously agreed upon by the board of directors and justified in a written declaration given to the member in question. The decision may be objected to within a month with the appeal for a vote at the next official general meeting, which decides with a simple majority.

§ 5

Organs

The association's organs are:

  1. The Body of Members
  2. The Board of Directors
  3. The Advisory Board

§ 6

The Body of Members

  1. At a general meeting, a simple majority of the members present is sufficient to finalize a resolution. A general meeting has a quorum if at least 10% of the total body of members is present. Decisions about the liquidation of the association or about amendments to these statutes require a 3/4 majority vote of those members present.
  2. All members have the right vote. Legal persons have one vote each. It is not possible to vote in proxy. If one of the members present at a meeting so requests, voting will be carried out by secret ballot.
  3. Official general meetings will be held, if possible, annually, or at the very least once every two years, most likely in conjunction with the presentation of the annual report. These meetings are convened by the chairman of the board or, in case he is unable, by his deputy.
  4. All members must be sent a written invitation at least 4 weeks before an official general meeting and informed at the same time of the meeting's agenda. The exact formalities of the invitation are decided upon by the body of members.
  5. The body of members has the following duties:
  1. election of the board of directors, at least every 4 years
  2. election of the treasurer, at least every 4 years
  3. acceptance of the board of directors' (and the treasurer's) annual report as well as the exoneration of the board of directors
  4. determination of the membership fee
  5. resolution on the liquidation of the association
  1. The board of directors can convene an extraordinary meeting of the body of members (and is required to do so if one tenth of the total body of members so requests in a written petition stating their intentions and reasons for calling the meeting). Such an invitation must be sent out at least one week before the meeting is to take place. In all other points, the stipulations in paragraph 4 apply.
  2. The chairman of a meeting is always the managing director of the board, or, in his absence, one of his deputies.
  3. The voting power of the body of members is limited to the subjects laid down in the meeting's agenda. By request of the body of members, the board of directors can add further points to the agenda.
  4. All resolutions are made by simple majority of the members present unless otherwiese stipulated in these statutes. If there is a tied vote, the chairman of board decides the vote. If the chairman himself is being elected and there is a tie, lots are drawn.
  5. A protocol is kept of the body of members' resolutions and must be signed by the secretary and the chairman of the board or his deputy.
  6. The election of honorary members (§ 4 par. 3) requires a 2/3 majority vote of those members present.

§ 7

Board of Directors

  1. The board of directors consists of the chairman, his two deputies, the secretary, the treasurer and no more than six other board members.
  2. The board of directors can define its own business agenda. Resolutions are made with a simple majority.
  3. The board of directors runs the daily business of the association and represents the association in the public. The board is responsible for the administration and implementation of the association's resources. All work by the board members is voluntary. Ensuing expenditures are reimbursed.
  4. The board of directors keeps exact books of the association's income and expenses. All payments require the signature of the treasurer and another member of the board. The treasurer reports the balance regularly to the board of directors and the body of members.

§ 8

The Advisory Board The board of directors calls experienced professionals from the fields of art, therapy, medicine and interdisciplinary areas to serve in the advisory board. The members of the advisory board fulfill an advisory function for the board of directors and have no vote of their own.

§ 9

Members' Rights

The members have the right:

  1. to exercise the rights expressed in these statutes, especially the right to file petitions
  2. to participate in association events at reduced rates
  3. to exercise the right to vote

§ 10

Fees

  1. Members must pay an annual membership fee. The exact sum is decided by the body of members. The fee is due at the beginning of each fiscal year.
  2. Honorary members pay no membership fee.
  3. A special fee is set for a cooperative membership.
  4. In certain cases, a written request may be made to the board of directors, which, depending on the reasons, can decide to lower a member's annual fee for a limited time.

§ 11

Statute Amendments

  1. Suggestions for statute amendments must be communicated to all members in the form of a formally correct invitation to a general meeting.
  2. To change statute amendments a 3/4 majority vote of those members present is required, if necessary, the board of directors must call for a vote by secret ballot.

§ 12

Liquidation

  1. The liquidation of the association is decided upon by the body of members. The invitation by the board of directors to the general meeting at which the liquidation should be resolved must be sent out at least 4 weeks beforehand. In all other points, the stipulations in paragraph 5 apply.
  2. The resolution to liquidate the association can only be decided upon when at least 2/3 of the total body of members is present. If the meeting is inquorate, within 2 months a second meeting must be convened. This meeting can pass a resolution regardless of the number of members present. The resolution to liquidate the association requires a 3/4 majority vote from those members present.
  3. If the association is liquidated or dissolved or if the present purpose of the association is adeemed, the entire assets of the association shall be donated to the International Red Cross.

 

Basel/Munich, 31 January, 2000
(Rev. Dieter Ritschl/Gottfried Waser/Board of Directors)