AIAP

Aiap, Italian Association for Visual Communication, intends to encourage and spread the enhancement and development of the profession and culture of the graphic design. In fact, all those whose professional and study activities take place in the field of graphic design can be associated with it in different and distinct ways of joining. The AIAP membership categories reflect these two large areas of representation, on the one hand the strictly professional area (professional members, senior and junior), on the other the area of cultural and / or training interest in the field of the project graphic designer (student, associate and supporter members).

Born in 1945 in the FIP as ATAP (Association of Engineers and Artists Advertisers), the Aiap starts over the years a process of maturation of the membership form and definition of the professional field you want to represent. In 1955 becomes Aiap (acronym will remain unchanged over the years, and originally meant Italian Artists Promotional Association), distinct from the technical component of advertising. The debate on the profession that was born during those years has not yet radicalized the distinctions between design and advertising. Indeed nell'Aiap, then chaired by Franco Mosca, living attitudes and approaches to the craft is more artistic matrix, is more oriented to the design.

The most prominent signatures of billboardism and graphics are present in the association. Recall from the other carbons, Sepo, Charles Dradi, Boggeri, Pagot, Seneca, Head, Griggs, Tablecloth, Cremonesi, Fronzoni, Coppola, Castellano, Novarese, Benca. A first major change occurs in 1980, reflecting the development occurred in both professions related to the area of ​​persuasive communication, and visual communications.

Going beyond a purely "artistic" work of the moment, the internal debate all'Aiap is broadened and enriched, especially for the geographical spread of members and for the birth of professional pole no longer bound to the Milan area and the consequent influence of the culture functionalist. While maintaining the same acronym, the Aiap change its name to Creative visual communication, a term somewhat 'vague but less flattened on the component "painting" of the profession. The Charter of graphic design in 1994 in the National Assembly adopted a new statute is extraordinary that brings significant changes in organizational structure (categories of membership, type of professional partners, etc..) And that has led to the current name, even after of an intense internal debate that began around the themes proposed by the "Charter of Graphic Design".

The "Charter" was drafted in 1989 during the National Assembly Aiap held in Aosta, by a committee representative of the most committed of the field with over all'Aiap, the ADI (Industrial Design Association), the world of ' universities, Graphics magazines, promoted dall'Aiap and Lineagrafica.
The "Charter" has generated interest and debate both in Italy and abroad, has been signed by both professionals and scholars in the field has become an important reference point for initiatives to promote recognition of the professional designer graph is the slope of the society in general at the wide range of clients. Echoing some reflections of the "Charter", in 1993 the Association has adopted a new "code of ethics and ethical business conduct", which promotes greater awareness and attitudes of responsibility, especially with respect to the social, cultural and environmental graphic design and, more generally, communication.

The Aiap is present throughout Italy, currently about 800 professionals and associates of visual communication. Alongside a number of the Executive Committees and Working Groups working on a regional scale. It is one of the associations that have given birth in 1963 Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Association) and, and Adi Aipi, represents Italy in Bede (Bureau of European Designers Association). Since 1992 member of the Council of Professions Aiap not recognized, consisting of the CNEL (National Council of Economy and Labour), whose purpose is to monitor new professions and professional associations that represent them to reach a device under the law. The objective is the recognition of the professions of the field of communication, and compliance with environmental rules by incorporating the EEC regulations on the certification of professional activities not regulated by official lists, by individual associations.

The Aiap part because of its bylaws, rules for access and ethics consistent with the principles of Bede, among those organizations that already included in the database on the new professions of CNEL, will be officially recognized when they are in place for implementing provisions of the law transposing the EC directive.

The publishing activities AIAP: In addition to the Guide all'onorario, Aiap Aiap Public News / Graphic Design, a magazine that offers information on the activities of the association, but also insights into the culture of graphic design. Is sent to members, but is also distributed outside the Association.
This attention to publishing critical and defining the profession has always been pursued dall'Aiap. He has promoted, in fact, until 1992 Graphics, the first major journal of theory, history and methodology published in Italy, the magazine argued Aiap Calligraphy, instrument of renewal and provincialization the debate on writing and typography.

Currently, Aiap patrocinia and supports "the Scriptures" series of books dedicated to the Italian theoretical analysis and critique of the culture of graphic design. Aiap has also initiated a constant publication of catalogs and books of depth by setting up its own publishing industry: Aiap Editions, who now has a large catalog of unique and original publications.
Through the creation of an online bookstore, the site www.aiap.it, Aiap distributes and disseminates publications produced and sponsored and carries a wide area of ​​qualified short-run publishing. The Gallery Aiap and exhibitions in December 1992 with an exhibition of posters dedicated to Fronzoni AG opens the activity of "Aiap Gallery". Since then there have been many exhibitions and constant activity of research and documentation on the graphics gallery Aiap Italian and international.

Today the Gallery is the only space Aiap Italy permanently dedicated to the display of graphics. Over the years, several exhibitions presented and produced dall'Aiap have followed three lines of research: the critical documentation of historical figures of the graphics (Griggs, Provincial, Facetti, Mendell), reflections on the relevant thematic groups (the sign systems and information, publishing, visual identity) and the promotion of the latest trends in graphic design and the outcome of contests and invitational exhibitions. The gallery's activity is documented by the publication of exhibition catalogs and a dedicated area of ​​the website AIAP. This heightened activity in terms of promotion and dissemination of the culture of the project is a traditional prerogative AIAP, which has always maintained contacts and exchanges with major cultural institutions (Mois du graphisme Echirolles, the Biennale in Warsaw, Brno and Lahti).

The Aiap has also made its contribution, and has made direct promoter of important exhibitions held in Italy in recent years in the graphic, among these are: the review Propaganda and culture: a survey on the manifest public interest since the sixties today (Catholic, 1984); Draw the book. The editorial graphics in Italy since 1945 (Bologna 1989/1990); Scriptures. The forms of communication (Rome, 1997, and in many other Italian cities). Aiap Aiap and training is particularly interested in promoting vocational training is not merely technical, but cultural in the broadest sense and deep. Since 2000 he is member of the Aiap Polidesign consortium, sponsored by the Faculty of Design of Politecnico di Milano.
Just with Polidesign have begun in recent years, a series of initiatives to retrain in a perspective of lifelong learning and quality. The relationship with universities dall'Aiap is considered essential for the development of the discipline, to read the changes and new content development professionals, including in relation to the need for professional recognition and quality assurance.

The Aiap also orgnaizzato multiple rounds of meetings and seminars in various educational contexts Italian: Graphic Arts Technical Institute of Turin, Bodoni, ISIA of Urbino, the Department of Design at the University of Rome at the Accademia Albertina in Turin.