ICO HISTORY


HISTORY of  ICO

1962 Established JCA as a mutual aid organization for creators.
1974 Founded the Illustration Bank.
1975 Published the JCA/ICO ANNUAL series with globally renown artists. Distributed the books all over the world.
1976 Involved in the international morality promotion campaign "Rocky Project", representing all participating Japanese artists.
Discussion with famous Japanese artists and Rocky Project representatives.
1977 Rocky Project / Denmark Exhibition open.
(European tour exhibition held in each city)
 
 
1978 The ICO network founded in Europe. → photos
1978 ICO and French company "Mekyanoma” collaborated to open the "ICO Paris Exhibition” with sponsorship from publisher "BAT".
It was entitled "Japan's Illustration Art: ICO Paris Exhibition" in France.
Following, was the "All European Traveling Exhibition"
Held a Japanese illustration art "ICO Paris Exhibition" in France. There were crowds of guests.

1979 Commenced the US and Canadian ICO networks.
1980 ICO held a "Japanese Graphic Design Exhibition" in Taiwan (Taipei and Taiwan), sponsored by Taiwan Artist Association. → photos
1983〜85 Commenced publication of ICO's "noAH" for package designers and "IPE" for photographers.
1990 ICO expanded to 52 countries and 72 cities including the ICO network establishment of Southeast Asia, Middle East and Oceania countries.
1990 China exhibition:
Held a "Japanese Illustrator / Beijing Exhibition", sponsored by ICO and China Artists Association.
1990

ICO founded "Young ICO” to support art schools, sponsored by Asahi Newspaper company.
Over 560 art schools participated from around the world, including Japan.

1991 Young ICO's first publication “UNIVERSIART” was published. Over 100 famous art schools participated globally.
     
1991 Young ICO participated in the Hungary conference for the European Art University Association (ELIA). → photos 
1991 Invited to participate in the UK College of Art and Design Conference · (CHEAD) London conference at Royal Art Academy. → photos
1993 Establishment of Japan illustrator's (ISJ) meeting with a total of 220 members in total. → photos
1994〜5 ISJ's "International Illustration Exhibition” was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. → photos
1995 ICO published the handy artists index entitled “Link Art” to promote international artists. → photos
1995〜 Embarked on the "international artists' database” in order to adapt to the needs of the approaching cyber-business era.
1998 Developed MMAM, a joint project with the Nomura Research Institute.
And embarked on creator's international indexing.
→ photos
2002 Commenced compilation of the creators blue book WHO'S WHO in WORLD ART.
2013 ICO moved away from paper books to online art publication.

ICO has a rich history of publishing many genres of art, and the titles have been distributed to more than 80 countries around the world.

2010: due to the aging of each country's representative, ICO's 48 year relationship with the network has seen a pause in activity. Currently, warm mutual exchanges are still followed through.