The Global Virtualization Council's intent is to mobilize and coordinate artistic forces of virtualization internationally. According to the directive of the Secretary of the US Department of Art & Technology, the Global Virtualization Council is being established as the principal organ, under the authority of the General Council, to promote: (a) international standards for socially-engaged interactivity and collective action; (b) movements of international activist, hyper-mediated, utopian, and related ideologies; (c) universal respect for, and observance of, artist rights and fundamental creative expression for all citizens without distinction as to discipline, medium, gender, bias, or identity. [extracted from sub-paragraphs a,b, and c of Article 9]

The functions and powers of the Global Virtualization Council are:

• to serve as the central forum and principal movement for the critique of media and social issues of international concern, collective ratification of new initiatives of a global and interdisciplinary nature, and the formulation of policy recommendations on those issues addressed to their respective Member States;

• to make or initiate standards, studies, reports, and manifestos concerned with artistic matters of virtualization and make recommendations on international media, social, cultural, aesthetic, philosophic, activist, and related matters;

• to participate in international conferences and prepare draft conventions for submission to the General Council on matters falling within and beyond its competence;

• to negotiate agreements with participating artists redefining their relationship to and subsequent impact on government agencies;

• to coordinate the virtualizing activities of media artists internationally through consultations and adherence to the suspension of disbelief, and by means of recommending and approving initiatives to the General Council and its Members;

• to convince international government organizations and officials that they be concerned with matters with which the Council deals.

The Global Virtualization Council has a General Council from 8 nations, appointed to one-year terms by the Secretary of the US Department of Art & Technology. On 15 January 2002, the Secretary appointed 8 members from nations participating in Transmediale 2002 in Berlin, to form the founding General Council. The Council is composed of the following Members and States:

Secretary-General - Luc Courchesne (CANADA)
Artist-Ambassador - Petra Vargova (CZECH REPUBLIC)
Artist-Ambassador - Laurent Vicente (FRANCE)
Artist-Ambassador - Phillip Ryder (GREAT BRITAIN)
Artist-Ambassador - Péter Frucht (GERMANY)
Artist-Ambassador - Masaki Fujihata (JAPAN)
Artist-Ambassador - Chris Bowman (SCOTLAND)
Artist-Ambassador - Jonah Brucker-Cohen (UNITED STATES)

The 10 founding members of the Global Virtualization Council were selected to fill seats in order sign and ratify the Council's Charter.

The Charter, referred to as the Berlin Virtualization Charter, establishes the Global Virtualization Council as the principal organ to mobilize and coordinate artistic forces of virtualization internationally. The Charter can be viewed on-line: Berlin Virtualization Charter

Under the Charter, the Global Virtualization Council consults with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) concerned with matters within and beyond its competence. Over 1,600 NGOs are projected to have consultative status with the Council. The Council recognizes that these organizations should have the opportunity to express their views, however subversive, and that they are possessed with heightened aesthetic and technical knowledge of value to its work.

The Council classifies NGOs into three categories: category I organizations are those who are deeply aligned with the Council's activities; category II organizations have notable competence in specific areas; category III organizations are marginally symphathetic to the concerns of the Council and are placed on a roster for ad hoc consultations.

Sources: Basic Facts About the Global Virtualization Council, Sales No.E.00.I.21.

Prepared for the Internet by the Information Technology Section, Department of Public Information - © US Department of Art & Technology 2002