ICA and Classical America Forge Formal Affiliation in Fall of 2002
In the fall of 2002, the Institute of Classical Architecture and Classical America joined forces to combine and consolidate programs, resources, and operations. As a result, the organization is called The Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America (ICA&CA) and it continues to bring expanded offerings to its collective membership body as well as to the general public.
Since 1992, The Institute of Classical Architecture built its growth and development on the 30-plus years of important groundwork laid by Henry Hope Reed and Classical America. Collaborations on events and programs between the ICA and CA prior to the conglomeration established a positive rapport between the two organizations and underscored the advantages of a formalized joining of forces. Therefore, in the spring of 2002, the Boards of Classical America and the ICA each agreed to create a formal alliance.
The Boards of each organization agreed that combining talents and resources more effectively insured the continuity of both organizations’ missions. The affiliation brought an expanded range of programs to each organization’s constituency, including educational programs, travel programs, a scholarly annual journal, public lectures (in New York and around the country), travel fellowships for students, an awards program to recognize distinguished achievement in classical art, architecture, urbanism and design, and an important book publication program to celebrate classical art and architecture. Memberships in CA and the ICA were honored by the new organization through the term of each membership, and new members and renewing members join thereafter as members of ICA&CA. Similarly, local chapters of Classical America (in Philadelphia, Charlotte, and Charleston) became chapters of ICA&CA and serve as examples for further chapter development ahead nationwide.
The new organization was led initially by a combined Board of Directors totaling twenty-one and a restructured administrative staff. Gil Schafer, the former President of the ICA, resigned from his position in fall 2002 to return to architectural practice, but continued to serve as the new Board’s Chairman until October 2006. Arthur Ross, former Honorary Chair of Classical America’s Board, served as the organization’s Honorary Chair until his death in 2007.
Aida della Longa, the ICA’s Executive Director (1999-2002) was replaced by Henrika Taylor as Managing Director in December 2002. And after a search, Paul Gunther joined the staff as President in April 2003.
At Classical America’s Arthur Ross Awards dinner in May 2002, the then ICA President, Gil Schafer, summed up the sentiment of both organizations, and his words continue to ring true today: “The possibilities of this new affiliation are tremendously exciting, because it allows each of us to strengthen our individual missions in a collective effort. I believe that together we will have a broader influence in architectural education and culture in our country and around the world by being able to more effectively celebrate both the history and the future of classicism as a living language for artistic expression and the making of good buildings.”
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