PREAMBLE
The Iraqi Artists Association (IAA) is a non-profit organization (501-C-3) dedicated to expanding opportunities and exposure for Iraqi artists from all religions and ethnic backgrounds* worldwide, while serving as a unifying center for community information and interaction. Through the arts, we seek to broaden an appreciation for Iraq's history and culture, and thus, foster understanding between the east and the west. With so many social, political and religious issues regarding Iraq and Iraqis happening on a daily basis, it has become absolutely essential to create an organization that addresses a neglected though highly compelling part of that world B art.
* IAA is open to all Iraqis whether they are Native Iraqis, Chaldeans (Chaldean Syriac Athurian-Assyrian) & Jewish of Babylon, or Arab, Kurds, Turkmemians, Menda’aians, Armenians, Shabak, Yazidis, and Mi’dans.

ARTICLE I: DEFINITIONS
a - IAA stands for Iraqi Artists Association
b - Artist: Any person who is engaged on a professional level in one or more of the arts areas such as visual arts, writer, film-maker, photographer, choreographer and composer.
c - Professional: Any artist recognized by a professional organization or who has studied and majored in visual art, or art in general, and some or all of his income is from his artistic work.
d - Iraqi: A native or inhabitant of Iraq, as well as those of Iraqi ancestry but living outside of Iraq
e - Board of Directors is the highest body representing the association. Its headquarters is Michigan.
f - Governing Committee is President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Director(s).
g - Division: A branch of IAA in the US except MI.
h - IAA Logo, comprises initials of the association in capital letters of modern font (Latin alphabets), mixed with a depiction of an ancient Iraqi writing (cuneiform).

ARTICLE II: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
1. Emphasize Collaboration and Coordination
1. Establish a community bridge to interface with event directors of cultural, educational and artistic institutions to coordinate events.
2. Update an inventory of spaces and facilities available for artistic and cultural activities
3. Develop an inventory of Iraqis and those of Iraqi ancestry but living outside of Iraq, who are mentioned in Article I (a).
4. Apply for grants to provide operating support for cultural, educational and artistic programs.
2. Improve Communication
1. Maintain a master calendar for events and programs for all Iraqis, including participating events proposed by other nationalities.
2. Coordinate and promote general cultural, educational and artistic Iraqi web-sites through a directory of links on our official website.
3. Publicize activities through other organizations.
4. Develop a collection of video and media productions that document IAA programs.
3. Promote IAA as an organization for creative Iraqi artists
1. Develop an image of IAA as a welcoming artistic community
2. Encourage visual artists, performing artists, and academics to produce work
3. Match artists with appropriate people/tools/workplace
4. Attract an audience to support the efforts of the artists
5. Offer assistance to similar organizations to develop new and more diverse audiences

ARTICLE III: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
IAA is comprised of lifetime honorary Chairman the pioneer artist Issa Hanna Dabish, officers, governing committee and organization's representatives as follows:
a - President: An elective guiding position.
b - Vice President (one or more persons): An elective guiding position.
c - Treasure: an elected guiding position.
d - Secretary: an elected guiding position.
d - Board of Directors: An elected CEO & Executive Director, Public Relations Director, Finance Director, Art and History Director, Creative Writings Director.

ARTICLE IV : FINANCIAL RESOURCES
1 - Annual membership fees of $20.
2 - Individual contribution from interested people.
3 - In-kind donations from prospective individuals as well as foundations and corporations.
4 - Grants and funds offered by private sector and governmental organizations.

ARTICLE V : MEETINGS AND VOTING
Meetings, throughout the preparatory years, are to be exclusive to the board of directors. For the second term, the board is to set forth procedures of convening meetings or calling for a general conference encompassing the board and committee's heads. At any rate, each member has only one vote when vote casting. However, the non-present member shall vote via writing mailed or e-mailed to the Secretary who is in charge of coordinating between the governing board, organizations and members.

ARTICLE VI : MEMBERSHIP, APPEALS, TERMINATION, AND INACTIVATION
a - Membership: Every person is eligible for membership in IAA provided that:
1 - He/She goes through the application process and fulfills the requirements as laid out by the Bylaws. His/Her application would be reviewed by the membership committee.
2 - He/She holds an academic degree or an accredited visual art license or a Liberal Arts Degree, or has majored in an area of visual art, arts, architecture, or has been practicing art professionally for at least five years. The last two provisions require recommendations from three members of IAA Board of Directors.
3 - Every person who is affiliated with an International or National professional art or writer organization, or has been practicing art [as defined in Article I (a)] professionally for at least five years and whose personal work has been shown at two accredited facilities and/or publications, or has three international or local contributions in galleries, film, the production of books, etc., with recommendations from three members of IAA Board of Directors.
4 - He/She has to affirm his/her belief in his/her destiny as an oriented artist and his / her obligation to the Iraqi nationality, language, culture and heritage.
5 - The partially or totally eligible artist has to pay a one time the membership processing fees of $25, besides his/hers commitment to IAA's by-laws and the resolutions of the board of directors.
b - Appeals: Any applicant denied admission to IAA may reapply (in writing) for membership provided his/her appeal petition is accompanied with a letter signed by the head of membership committee within 30 days of his/her denial.
c - Membership Termination or Inactivation: A membership of Board of Directors or Governing Committee is terminated or inactivated if:
1 - He/She causes material or moral damages to the association, or he/she is not in compliance with item (3) in article (VI) or in case of his/her request for resignation.
2 - A member is considered inactive for one year due to absence and not attending IAA's meetings for three consecutive times with no justifiable excuse. Meetings will occur monthly or as voted by the Board of Directors. However, the absentee might submit a written excuse to the General Secretary within the first week of absence.

ARTICLE VII : BOARD OF ADVISORS
A board of advisors is to exist continually consisting of appropriate individuals from the community, the business sector and other relevant population categories. These individuals are to be appointed by the Board of Directors and the Governing Committee.

ARTICLE VIII: ELECTIONS
Elections are to be conducted a month prior to the end of each 3-year term. Results shall be announced a week prior to the end of the term. Newly elected members shall assume office within the first ten days of commencing the new term.

ARTICLE IX: DISSOLUTION
IAA may be dissolved in a general conference by a two-thirds vote of members. Non-present members' votes are also counted from mailed and e-mailed forms. Upon the dissolution of IAA, all the property and assets shall be distributed to the members under the supervision of the founding committee. All suggestions to ensure proper procedures are accepted afterwards.

FOUNDERS
Weam Namou - Professional Writer
Amer Hanna Fatuhi - Visual Artist & Historian