Tasks and Goals
The VDMFK organizational structure
The Association is run as a “democratic co-operative’. All the member artists have a voice in how it is run and it is owned by all of them.
Not all artists wish to be directly involved in the management of the business and such an arrangement would be impractical anyway for reasons of geography and health, so they elect by postal ballot delegates to represent their interests.
The management procedures are governed by the statutes, which require that a Delegates Convention be held at least once every three years. In practice, this has taken place much more frequently.
For electoral purposes, the Association divides the world into four regions: Europe, Africa and the Middle East; the Americas; the Far East; Australasia and Oceania. Each region deputes at least one delegate.
How do we, the artists, benefit?
The artists mainly benefit from the financial objectives of the Association. Scholarship holders receive a scholarship which is to help them improve their standard of painting by providing funds for materials, tuition etc. This increases the change of being promoted to Associate Member. As a student improves, the scholarship is increased.
If a scholarship holder meets the requirements of the association, he /she will be proposed for associate membership.
This means that the member will receive a monthly income for life regardless of whether increasing disability makes it impossible for him or her to continue providing pictures that the Association can market.
This removes the greatest anxiety to haunt the handicapped artist – the fear of losing one’s ability to paint through deteriorating health as the cost of independence for the disabled is high.
The Association offers members and students the opportunity to gather, correspond and learn from each other. Members and students are able to meet at the many conferences, exhibitions and other events, and firm friendships.