Introduction
Since people in any business cannot act individually in policymaking and macro planning, guild associations became a solution for the integration of decision making in every business.
Iranian Theater Forum (ITF), similar to other organizations and guild associations, was founded to facilitate collaboration among those involved in theater and integrate guild activities in the field.
In every business, guild associations work as a forum for employers and members so that they can easily benefit from the facilities provided for them by the associations.
According to the ITF statute, this organization is to support theater and artists involved in it with the help of its members, and to promote the culture and art of the society.
History
The Artistic Cultural Institute of Iranian Theater Forum was established in the winter of 2020 by a number of theater artists and officials of the time. It was when Dr. Hossein Salimi was the time president of the Performing Arts Center
Dr. Salimi, Dr. Majid Sharif Khodaei (the then president of the Supervision and Evaluation Council of the center), Laleh Taghian (head of Namayesh Publication and editor-in-chief of Namayesh monthly), Hassan Gharaei (the then head of financial affairs of the center), Iraj Rad (theater actor, director and instructor), Atila Pesyani (theater actor and director and playwright) and Dr. Mahmoud Azizi (theater actor, instructor, researcher and director) gathered together at the Performing Arts Center and founded this guild.
The founding members of Iranian Theater Forum for preparing the statute included: 1. Majid Sharif Khodaei 2. Iraj Rad 3. Asghar Hemmat 4. Atila Pesyani 5. Hassan Garaei
After temporary recruitment of the Iranian Theater Forum, in a general assembly held to ratify the statute and elect the interim board of directors, the founding members passed on the activities of the guild to the board of directors. According to the resolutions of the general assembly, the interim board had six months to correct the defects of the statute and after holding an extraordinary general meeting, the statute would be ratified by the members of the Iranian Theater Forum.
The interim board held the extraordinary general meeting in September 2000 and after the Iranian Theater Forum statute was approved by the majority of members present in the session, the first election for the board of directors was held and the following members were chosen for two years. Iraj Rad, Atila Pesyani, Asghar Hemmat, Dr. Mohammadreza Khaki, Behzad Farahani, Behrouz Gharibpour, Roya Teymourian, Davoud Fathalibeigi, Dr. Farshid Ebrahimian and Davood Arya were respectively selected as the seven members of the board, two alternate members of the board, inspector and the alternate inspector.
After getting permission from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the board of directors registered the Iranian Theater Forum in the Company Registration Office. Then they did the preparations for eight theater guild associations of actors, directors, playwrights, critics, writers, puppeteers, set and clothes designers, art and technical designers and staff, and street theater. The associations were established by a number of their members.
According to Iraj Rad, vice president of Iranian Theater Forum, establishment of 11 associations were envisaged in the statute of Iranian Theater Forum, most of which started working after preparing their own statute, holding a general assembly and electing the board of directors. Currently, Iranian Theater Forum has 17 associations.
ITF Member Associations and Centers
ITF Directors Center
ITF Playwrights Center
ITF Actors Association
ITF Performance Artists Association
ITF Puppeteers Association
ITF Children and Young Adults Association
ITF Poster Designers Association
ITF Set and Costume Designers
ITF Photographers Association
ITF Make-up Designers and Artists Association
ITF Instructors Association
ITF Critics, Writers and Researchers Association
ITF Music Association
ITF Technicians and Artistic Staff Center
ITF Street Theater Center
ITF Directors’ Assistants Center (being established)
ITF Producers Association (being established)
ITF Public Relations and Advertising Center (being established)
ITF Branches
- Kashan Theater Forum
- Khoy Theater Forum
- Shiraz Theater Forum
- Mashhad Theater Forum