To be an active member of DCA, it is necessary to meet all the criteria below:

1. The organisation should have an artistic project whose main activity is the production and dissemination of contemporary art works and exhibitions;
2. The organisation should develop an artistic and cultural programme throughout the year in the field of contemporary art;
3. The artistic director representative of the organisation within the association should be recognised as an expert in the professional field of contemporary art and its exhibition. They must be an intellectual personality recognised by their peers. Their employment contract or any other official document of the organisation, such as the management plan or the internal regulations, must clearly stipulate that they are fully responsible for the programming of the art centre;
4. The organisation should be registered and identified as an artistic reference point in the professional field of contemporary art on a regional, national and international scale;
5. The organisation should perform a mediation work for contemporary art aimed at diverse audiences;
6. The organisation (public or private non-profit legal entity) should have an autonomous budget dedicated to the art centre’s activities;
7. The organisation should have a hired professional staff dedicated to the activity of the art centre;
8. The organisation should have satisfactory conditions of safety and comfort for the reception of audiences and artists;
9. The organisation and its activities should have a minimum of three years of existence.

All applications for membership should be made by the Head of the organisation wishing to become a member of DCA. It requires the sponsorship of three active DCA members, one of whom should be a member of the association’s Board.

The application file should include the following documents:

• the cover letter stating the reasons for the application, mentioning the names of the 3 sponsors;
• the completed data sheet;
• the artistic and cultural project and programming details;
• the previous year’s activity report;
• the organisation’s statutes.

Examples of publications issued by the organisation and other documents that may reflect the activity can be optionally attached.

The complete application should be sent by e-mail to Marie Chênel, DCA’s General Secretary:

m.chenel@dca-art.com

And by post to the following address:

DCA — Association française de développement des centres d’art contemporain

Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild

11 rue Berryer
75008 Paris

A copy of the application (printed and/or digital) must be sent in parallel to each sponsor.

The DCA Board shall meet to consider the application for membership submitted by the sponsors and shall decide on the eligibility of the application in accordance with the criteria outlined in the internal regulations.

• A positive decision by the Board is subject to approval by the General Assembly.
• If the application is rejected by the Board or the General Assembly, the applicant will receive a letter explaining the reasons and advising them to look for other networks. The applicant will be able to reapply within a minimum of 2 years from the date of its first application.
• If the application is approved at the General Assembly, the applicant organisation becomes a DCA member, and the head of the organisation is invited to present themselves to the membership at the next DCA General Assembly.

DCA membership implies acceptance of the association’s statutes and rules of procedure, as well as a personal and effective commitment by the member to the association’s activities. DCA membership implies the payment of an annual membership fee. The scale of membership fees, voted by the General Assembly in 2019, is based on the organisations’ financial capacity.