Main results for the last 20 years Regional Public Organizaion
“IRIDA” Creative Association of Women Artists

Registered in conformity with the law on December 26, 1989 in Moscow

Constitutor: Novosti Press Agency
Supporters: Union of Journalists of Moscow; Moscow Union of Artists; Moscow Children`s Fund
The Soviet Women`s Committee.

In the 1980-ies a group of enthusiastic women artists of Moscow envolved in arranging art exhibitions on the occasion of the International Women`s Day – the 8th of March was not taken by surprize when ‘the time of changes” came to Soviet Russia. They decided to set up their own organization in order to live in the atmosphere of art not only in festive days but permanently to work together, to help each other, to hold art shows, to promote achievements in their creative work, to discover new names in art, to establish contacts with women artists of other countries and to expand cultural exchanges. They called their new-born association “Irida” – by the name deriving from Iris, the Greek mythological goddess of rainbow.
From the very beginning IRIDA included in its programs not only professional but socially meaningful goals, such as rendering charity to artists in need, support of young mothers, help and care to aged colleagues, upbringing of children in the sphere of culture and art.

The main results of IRIDA`s work for the last 20 years

E X H I B I T I O N S

From 1988 through 2009 there were over 200 general and goup exhibitions and creative contests organized by IRIDA in Moscow and other cities of Russia. The IRIDA`s members also took part in projects implemented by the Artists` Unions of Moscow and St.Petersburg as well as in national and jubilee programs of Moscow Government.

P R O J E C T S

Since 1993 the annual project “Spring Salon” – exhibition and creative contest of women artists has been held regularly. Establishers: IRIDA and the Union of Russia`s Women. Supporter – the Union of Artists of Moscow. Patronage – the Russian Academy of Arts. The Jury (Board of Adjudicators) of the contests is annually headed by President, Vice-President or members of the Pesidium of the Russian Academy of Arts.
Ther aim of “Spring Salons” is to discover new names of talented women artists and to promote their creative achievements.
From 1993 to 2009 over 2500 women artists from Moscow, regions of Russia and foreign countries took part in “Spring Salons”. There were made known more than 50 laureates of contests, over 300 winners of prizes instituted by the Jury, state and public organizations.

International projects:

1993-1997. The international project “Kultur Forum Europa”(KFE) and the program “Women bring culture to Europe” were implemented. The program was worked out by Dr.Angela Merkel, then a minister of Bundestag for youth and women`s affairs , the President of KFE project was Ditter Topp (Germany).
1993 – A joint exhibition of Helga Tieman, potraits (Cologne, Germany) and Natalia Grinyova
- sculpture (Moscow, Russia) was held in APN Cultural Center in Moscow.
1994 – Participation of IRIDA in the European exhibition of women artists in Cologne
1994 – The exhibition of 9 women atists of IRIDA in “Am Buttermarkt Gallery” in Cologne
1995, 1996, 1997 – Paticipation of German women artists in the “Spring Salons”.
1997 – A joint exhibition of Clementina Klein (Germany), Victoria Voevodina and Liubov Savelieva (both Russian artists) in “Special Gift” Gallery of the Union of Russia`s Women.

2005-2007 Participation in the international program “Art for Peace in Europe and in the whole world. St.Anastasia – hope for peace” including exhibitions in Serbia, (Beograd), Croatia (Zader) and Italy (Mondovi).

2008-2009 The program “Two Rainbows” implemented in Degu,the Republic of Korea and in Moscow. Cultural exchange and exhibitions of IRIDA` members and the Association of 100 women artists of the Republic of Korea.

1997-2007 EUROTOURS – travelling exhibitions of women artists through countries of Europe with participation of authors of art works. The aim – to make Russian atists acquainted with treasures of world culture and art in museums of Europe, to establish first-hand contacts with foreign colleagues and visitors.

IRIDA`s exhibitions held abroad:
Germany – 1990, 1993, 1994
France- 1991,1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
Belgium 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999
USA 1993, 2003, 2004
Egypt 1995, 1996
England 1996
Austria 1999
Serbia 2006
Italy 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009
R.of Korea – 2008
Poland 2008

International project “Connection with Market”. A joint two-year training courses “Aid to Artisans” ( the USA) and “Alliance of Russian and American women”.
The main goal of the project – development of international cooperation of women enterprizers with aim of rendering assistance to masters of cottage industry.
IRIDA set up an export center in Moscow for the purpose of shipping hand-made art souvenirs to the ”Volga River Trading Company”( USA).
IRIDA`s Home. Opening a socially oriented Center for training unemployed women in the art of making souvenir items at home.This project was included in the program of Moscow Government as a winner of contest of the socially most meaningful projects.
2004-2005 Participation in the international fair of Christmas gifts in Milan, Italy.
2005-2007 Participation in the international fair of Folk Art in Krakow, Poland.

The Programm of 1994-96 timed to the Fourth International Women`s Conference in Pekin. Women and Art. Problems of creative work and survival. Participation in Round Table discussions at IRIDA`s Home, in Central House of Writers, the Union of Russia`s Women and a joint action with Independent Women`s Forum “Art versus Violence”.


Jubilee programs

1996-97 Participation in celebration of the 850th anniversary of Moscow. A series of exhibitions dedicated to the capital of Russia held in Paris, Brusseles, Moscow,. IRIDA`s project was included in the program of Moscow Government as a part of festive events.

1998-1999 A series of functions devoted to A.S.Pushkin`s bicentennial celebration.
IRIDA`s program was again incorporated into the program of Moscow Government. A series of art exhibitions was organized on the occasion in Moscow, Brusseles, Viena, Paris.
2000 - A path to Church: on the border line of two milleniums. IRIDA`s exhibitions in Moscow, Rome, Antwerp.

2006-2008 – The 175th anniversary of the great Russian painter I.I.Shishkin. Plein-air painting, art exhibitions in Elabuga, Kazan, Bryansk.

2009 – The Bicentennial of N.V.Gogol. IRIDA`s art exhibitions in the Central House of Journalists in Moscow and in Rome, Italy.

2008-2009 The Year of Family, the Year of Youth. IRIDA`s exhibitions in Moscow and in the Russian Center of science and culture in Warsaw, Poland.

Professional creative programs

1997-2009 – Out of door painting sessions and exhibitions in Russian regional towns, including Pereslavl Zalesskiy, Velikiy Novgorod, Nizhniy Novgorod, Staritsa , Kazan (dedicated to 1000th anniversary of the city), Elabuga, Tyva area (on the occasion of 10th anniversary of the Union of Women of Tyva), Bryansk, Konstantinovo, Velikiy Ustiug and Crimea (Gurzuf, Hersones).

The program “Women artists for children.” Work of Children`s Jury at the “Spring Salons”,
Exhibitions of illustrators of children`s books and works of women artists –creators of animated cartoons.
Contests of children`s postcards titled “My postcard to the President of Russia”(2001) and
“A postcard to Mayor of Moscow”(2002).Activities of children`s art studios at IRIDA`s Home. Cheritable New Year Tree celebrations with destribution of gifts, spring shows of children`s drawings, concerts for the youngsters. Costs of all above mentioned events was covered from IRIDA`s budjet.

CHARITABLE ACTIONS

Transfer of money
collected from the sale of paintings to the address of cheritable funds: “Children of Armena”, “Protection of Ecology”, “Aid to Orphans”, “Saving teenagers from alcoholism and drug-addiction”, “Help to young students` families of the Moscow University”.
IRIDA also participated in cheritable activities of Moscow Fund of Culture and the Union of Russia`s Women.
Donations of paintings and books.
A good number of art works and publications were donated by IRIDA to Disableds and Old People`s Homes, to the Fund “The Bell of Chernobyl”, to schools, kindergartens, a prize fund “People for People” of the Union of Journalists, a special rehabilitation center for children in Kyzyl (Tyva), to the towns of Staritsa and Kashira and to the Serbskiy Institute of Psychiatry for decorating wards intended for sick children – victims of Beslan tragedy.