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25 June 2026

IOV World Opens New Membership Office in Castrovillari, Strengthening Services for Members Worldwide

News from IOV world

Castrovillari, Italy – 22 June 2026

The International Organization of Folk Art (IOV World) is pleased to announce the official inauguration of the new IOV World Membership Office in Castrovillari, Province of Cosenza, Italy, on 22 June 2026.

Representing the IOV World Executive Committee, Secretary General Fabrizio Cattaneo and Vice President Günther Lippitz attended the inauguration ceremony, marking an important step in strengthening administrative services and communication with IOV members around the world.

The decision to establish the Membership Office in Castrovillari reflects IOV World’s appreciation for the region’s long-standing commitment to folk culture, traditional craftsmanship, and the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage. The city has demonstrated a strong dedication to preserving cultural traditions and promoting community participation in cultural life.

The IOV World delegation was warmly welcomed by Professor Eugenio Iannelli, President of Pollino Pro Loco; Dr. Gerardo Bonifati, President of FITP; Professor Anna De Gaio, Mayor of Castrovillari; Marcello Perrone, Vice President of IOV Italy; together with representatives of local cultural institutions and IOV members.

The new Membership Office will serve as a central point of contact for membership administration, subscription requests, and member support services. Under the supervision of Vice President Günther Lippitz and with the operational coordination of Alessia Riccio, the office will begin responding to inquiries from IOV members worldwide through the official e-mail address: office@iov.world

The opening of this office forms part of the ongoing efforts of the IOV World Executive Committee to strengthen organizational services, improve communication with National Sections and members, and support the continued development of the global IOV network.

IOV World expresses its gratitude to the local authorities, Pollino Pro Loco, FITP, and all partners who contributed to this initiative. Through strengthened international cooperation and dedicated membership services, IOV World continues its mission of safeguarding, promoting, and transmitting folk culture and intangible cultural heritage for future generations.

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IOV is a membership organization open to organizations and individuals regardless of race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, physical impairment, national or ethnic origin, or age. Upon submission of a membership application and the first year’s fees, provisional membership is granted.

Full membership is conferred following the annual meeting of the board of directors, after which members will receive a membership card and certificate. Members of IOV are automatically enrolled as members of their IOV National Sections. 

All members of IOV have a right to:

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• A membership directory, updated annually.

• Opportunities to attend and participate in national conferences, the annual IOV National Sections Meeting, international events, festivals and conferences either free of charge or at a substantially reduced cost.

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• Access new avenues that may help them publish research and scholarly papers by web site or book.

• Reduced rates on IOV and some UNESCO publications.

In addition, your confirmed membership makes you part of a worldwide network of more members in many countries.

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• Contact with people and organizations with common interests and professional pursuits, thus providing opportunities for exchanges of information.

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• Promoting the festivals in the WEB-festival calendar of IOV.

• Recommendation of Folk Art groups to Festival organizers.

• Assistance for festival organizers to find ‘last-minute groups’ in case of a canceling.

• Promoting the Folk Art Groups with their specific National Folk Art programs at our WEB-site.

• Possibility for publishing articles about ICH at the WEB-site.

• Possibility for introducing intangible heritage activities at the WEB-site.

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Bank Name: Käerntner Sparkasse
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We encourage young people up to 35 years of age to actively participate in research, protection and conservation of popular culture and heritage. Students (with legal Student-card) have a discount of 50% Youth members till the age of 35 have a discount of 50%

21 July 2020

Individual Member

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21 July 2020

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IOV Senators are people with a special sensitivity to the research, protection and conservation of popular culture and heritage, and by participating with their financial support they will have particular privileges and honors of philanthropy.

21 July 2020

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Small folk art groups, instrumental or vocal ensembles with 8 members or less

21 July 2020

Larger Group

Folk art groups with more than 8 members, organizations, associations, clubs, dance groups

21 July 2020

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Craftsmen, artists, traditional crafts, cooks of ancient flavors, ethnic crafts, players of ancient traditional games, experts in traditional games, lovers of battles and historical reenactments, sorcerers and experts in empirical medicine and medicinal herbs, actively participate in the research, protection and conservation of culture and popular heritage.

21 July 2020

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24 July 2020

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In case you want to registrate as a new member of IOV you can follow the next procedure.

If you want to become a member of IOV, click here and you will you see a registration form which you must fill out and at the end click on SUBMIT.
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In case there is a National section of IOV in your country, please contact them.
You can find the contact-information of National sections here.
You are invited to introduce yourself to the National Section of your country and from there you will be guided in the procedure for official registration and payment of fees.

In case there is NO National Section in your country or if you want to have a direct registration as a new member, we offer also the possibility for registration by using the Registration form on this website.

Calculation of your membership fees will be done on base of the GDP table and this means that for a great number of countries there is a high discount.

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Residents of a country with a Gross National Product (GNP) lower then 1000 have a discount of 75%
Residents of a country with a Gross National Product (GNP) between 1000 and 15000 have a discount of 50%
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    Minimum requirements festival

    Festivals and groups must communicate promptly and professionally.
    Exchanging of all necessary information is the base for a professional organization.

    If possible, an application form should be used by the groups.
    Festival organizers offer such form after a request by groups or have it on the website of the festival.
    The application form has to be clear and must provide all the necessary information about the festival to interested groups.
    Festival organizers must be given a good view of the complete genre of performances by the use of video-information (YouTube-links), pictures, and a list of festivals where they recently have performed.

    * The kind of accommodations (e.g. hostel, hotel, school or host-family), meals, number of performances, duration of the performances, venues, technical abilities of venues.
    * The exact date of arrival for groups and the exact date of departure of the groups.
    * Exact information about the traveling situation during the festival dates. (pick-up from the airport and the return to the airport). The use of transport during the festival days.
    * The possibility of using recorded music during performances. (Yes or No).
    * The offer of pocket-money or other cost-compensations. (Yes or No)
    * The general program of the festival, including the spending of free time and sight-seeing.

    In IOV-festivals normally it’s not usual to ask for money to invited groups.
    In case the groups have to pay for participation, this has to be clarified by the festival organizers from the beginning of communications.

    * The composition of the group. (e.g. average ages of the participants, number of dancers (male/female), musicians, leaders, choreographer(s), translators, drivers).
    * The musical instruments that are used and the need for amplification.
    * The need to ask for VISA for traveling to the country of the festival. (Visa expenses are always in charge of the group).
    * Medical insurance for all group members must be taken out by the group.
    * Information about eventually other festivals where they are going to participate during the same tour.

    * The festival organizer has to communicate clearly about invitations to groups.
    * Selected groups will receive an official invitation for the announced festival. The invitation to groups will be sent at least 120 days before the start of the festival.
    * In unforeseen situations and necessary postponing of a festival it’s necessary to communicate clearly between organizers and groups.
    * The festival organizer will send to the invited groups a clear overview of the preliminary program of the complete festival.
    * The festival organizer has to explain the exact location and expected time of arrival.
    * After the first arrival of groups at the festival location, the organizer will explain to the members of the group about the rules during the festival.
    * The staff of the festival and representatives will be introduced to the group (e.g. guides, translators).
    * A schedule of the performances, locations, and duration will be given to the group leader.
    * The definitive program of the festival will be explained to the members of the group.
    * Information about the availability of first aid will be given to all members.
    * Information about time and locations for rehearsals will be given to the group leader.
    * Information about the use of dressing-rooms, maintenance of costumes, make-up for artists will be given to the group leader.
    * dimensions and surface of stages and technical equipment as amplification, lightning, stage monitors, dress-changes, stage attributes (chairs for musicians, etc.).

    In general, these must be clean, comfortable, quiet, safe, and secure.
    * Accommodations may be hotel, dormitory, school, hostel, or private home.
    * Pictures to be sent by the festival to the group if requested.
    * Bathroom with shower should be provided commensurate with the number of persons to be served.
    * locked sleeping rooms, and cleaned daily.
    * Hot and cold running water.
    * Drinking water provided.
    * Mirror for make-up/shaving.
    * Sufficient electrical outlets.
    * Comfortable beds with sufficient bedding and pillow.
    * Sufficient space for suitcases, hanging clothing, and costumes.
    * Seasonal heat/air-conditioning/ventilation.
    * On-site assistant or guide.
    * Area for socializing outside sleeping quarters

    * The guests should not have to purchase their food.
    * Meals must be provided (3 per day).
    * Food must be sufficient, nourishing, and tasty.
    * Enough drinking water at all accommodations. (including venues of performances)

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    Membership fees should be paid in local currency to the Chair of your National Section. Where no national section exists, fees should be paid directly to the Treasurer. See options 2, 3,or 4.

    You can pay for your membership fees via Paypal. The safer, easier way to pay online!


    Or transfer your membership fee to PayPal at the email address: treasureriov@gmail.com

    Bank Name: Käerntner Sparkasse

    Neuer Platz 14
    9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
    Austria

    The Account: Internationale Organisation fuer Volkskunst

    IBAN: AT90 2070 6047 0014 5313
    BIC/SWIFT: KSPKAT2KXXX

     

    Send the receipt of the transaction to this mailbox

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