The International Association of Art Critics (AICA), is a NGO, founded in 1950 under the patronage of UNESCO, whose objective it is to support art criticism in all its forms, worldwide and to keep pace with its changing disciplines.
AICA's head office, located in Paris, represents and promotes the activities of the Association's 4,200 members, grouped into 62 different Sections, throughout the world. The Association overheads are entirely financed by the subscriptions of its Ordinary Members, Honorary Members and Patrons.

The main objectives of AICA have change little over the years. However, they were redefined in November 2003, to emphasise further the global reach of the Association, its cross-cultural ambitions and its interdisciplinary approach. As currently stated, AICA's main objectives are :
- to promote art criticism as a discipline and contribute to its methodology
- to protect the ethical and professionnal interests of its Members and co-operate in defending their rights
- to maintain an active international network for its Members, with the aid of available technologies and encouragement of face-to-face encounters
- to contribute to mutual understanding of visual arts and aesthetics in all cultures
- to stimulate professional relationship across political, geographical, ethnic, economic and religious boundaries
- to defend impartially freedom of expression and thought and oppose arbitrary censorship.