Membership

The Federation of Visual Artists in Suriname (FVAS) welcomes members in the following categories:
- Members 
- Junior members 
- Honorary members 
- Associate members 
- Donors 

Members are visual artists who are pursuing their artistic career in an active and productive way, participating in solo exhibitions or group exhibitions. 

Junior members are people who plan to become a visual artist in the near future, for example art students. 

Honorary members are chosen by the board, and at least two third of the votes of members attending the meeting, because of their exceptional contributions to the field of visual arts in Suriname, over a long period of time. 

Associate members are those individuals or organizations who are not visual artists but who want to play an active role to support and promote visual arts in Suriname, such as educational institutions, art promoters, art galleries and art writers. 

Donors are those who support the federation only through funding, and have been approved of as such by the board. 

Only members have the right to vote. Junior members, honorary members, associate members and donors have an advisory role. 

One can apply for for membership, as well as for junior and associate membership by filling in a form which can be obtained by contacting the FVAS. 

The FVAS regulations and the FVAS by-laws are only available in Dutch and can be obtained upon contacting the FVAS.

History FVAS 

In December 1997, at the end of the annual SURIFESTA festival, 16 Surinamese visual artists decided to participate in an art manifestation during this end of the year festival. The art manifestation became a big success and the group decided to establish the Federation of Visual Artists in Suriname (FVAS). On October 17, 1998, the FVAS was founded by six visual artists who became the first members of the board.
Glenn Fung Loy, Chairman 
Kit-Ling Tjon Pian Gi, Secretary 
Paul Irodikromo, Treasurer 
Anand Binda, Member 
George Ramjiawansingh, Member 
Ardie Setropawiro, Member 
Soon after the foundation Anita Hartmann joined the board as a member. The FVAS was approved by law on October 25, 1999. In 2005 Rinaldo Klas became the next chairman. George Struikelblok was appointed in 2013 as his successor. 

From occasional group projects to much more … 
Through the Federation of Visual Artists in Suriname (FVAS) approximately 40 members, living and working in Suriname, have joined forces. Most of these members are visual artists, but there are also a few art promoters and art lovers who have subscribed as associate members. What started out as individual artists who worked in group projects on an occasional basis, developed to the FVAS organizing community art projects, mostly with an educational scope. And furthermore: international projects. An example of a project in which all of this came together – international and national exchange, community art and education - is the project in and with Pikin Slee, Sipaliwini, Suriname, in 2015.  

Highlights
Since its foundation in 1998, the FVAS has been involved in many projects. Please find an overview of all major activities in the schedule below. Ever since the first SURIFESTA in 1997, visual artists participated together in this end of the year festival. Sometimes with an exhibition or a manifestation, but the participation could also include a national project. 

In 2000 the FVAS had their first exchange program with an exhibition and dance, in Port of Spain, Trinidad. A small catalogue was published. 
Another exchange program followed in 2002: ‘Without Boundaries’, in which FVAS worked together with Eject. In Eject, Ellen Ligteringen brought together artists from Suriname, the Netherlands, Columbia, Germany and The Czech Republic. A manuscript about this exchange program was published in 2002. 
In 2006 the FVAS organized a seminar in co-operation with the Director of the Rijksacademie, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Professor Janwillem Schrofer. 
Also in 2006, the FVAS organized the workshop ‘Vrije Grafische Technieken’ (Workshop in Graphic Art), in co-operation with the Amsterdams Grafisch Atelier (AGA) (Studio for Graphic Art in Amsterdam). In 2007, the exchange program Paramaribo – Rotterdam, ArtRoPa, was launched. 
Two educational projects for art and environment were done in the period 2006-2008, main sponsors IDB and UNESCO, both in Suriname. The exhibition Colourful Friendship, Queens Gallery, Barbados resulted in an exhibition booklet, in 2010. From a more recent date is the SURIFESTA project in 2014: 'Giant Painting'. 30 Visual Artists make a giant painting for the Departure Hall, Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, Suriname. And 2015 was the year of the ‘Pikin Slee – Paramaribo – Nederland Connection' project. An art project with exchange between artists from Pikin Slee – Paramaribo – the Netherlands. Educational program for art and environment at the elementary school. Workshop for the women's group Fiti A Wan. Workshop for the Totomboti Group. Sponsors: GEF Small Grant Programme and the Dutch Embassy, Suriname. 
In 2017 a group of FVAS members participated in the art exhibition Suriname ART EXPO 2017 in Guyana. 

Overview FVAS activities

Next to a number of smaller national art projects, mostly during the SURIFESTA events, the Federation of Visual Artists in Suriname (FVAS) organized several larger national projects, more often than not educational art projects. In the diagram below all major FVAS activities have been listed.