International Theatre Institute of the United States.

The International Theatre Institute (ITI) is a non-governmental organization that was created by theatre professionals in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) to promote the international exchange of knowledge and practice in theatre arts. Such artists as Lillian Hellman and Archibald MacLeish of the U.S., Jean-Louis Barrault of France, and Tyrone Guthrie and J.B. Priestley of the U.K. took part in its formation. It was felt that the theatre needed an official voice after World War II, as artists "could and should communicate across borders even when their governments [might] not." Its Charter was adopted in 1948, its functioning is patterned after that of Unesco: the Institute is composed of National Centers, (it began with 8 and had 90 by 2005). The first Secretary General was Maurice Kurtz, a theatre lecturer and original member of the Unesco secretariat. The founding Director of the U.S. National Center was theatre writer and editor Rosamond Gilder

The International Theatre Institute / Martha W. Coigney Collection comprises records documenting the workings of the ITI institution from its inception to the present, and items describing international theatre activity during the latter half of the 20th century. It is named after Ms. Coigney in honor of her thirty-five years of service to the organization (as ITI / U.S. Director, President of ITI Worldwide, and President Emeritus).

The ITI is a non-governmental organization that was created by theatre professionals in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) to promote the international exchange of knowledge and practice in theatre arts. Such artists as Lillian Hellman and Archibald MacLeish of the U.S., Jean-Louis Barrault of France, and Tyrone Guthrie and J.B. Priestley of the U.K. took part in its formation. It was felt that the theatre needed an official voice after World War II, as artists "could and should communicate across borders even when their governments [might] not."

The Institute's Charter was adopted in 1948 at its Statutory Congress in Prague. ITI's functioning is patterned after that of Unesco: the Institute is composed of National Centers, and its governing body is its World Congress assembly, which meets to determine the main lines of work of the organization. In between Congresses, ITI is administered by an Executive Council and an elected Secretary General. The first Secretary General was Maurice Kurtz, a theatre lecturer and original member of the Unesco secretariat.

The founding Director of the U.S. National Center was theatre writer and editor Rosamond Gilder. Ms. Gilder supervised ITI / U.S. out of its office at the former ANTA (American National Theatre and Academy) headquarters in New York City. Gilder felt that part of ITI's mission as a communications network was to provide "a clearing house of information" for theatre practitioners and scholars. Consequently, all of the international theatre documentation that ITI / U.S. received was cataloged and made available to the public as the ITI / U.S. reference library. This library was initially directed by Elizabeth Burdick, and later, by Louis Rachow.

In 1987, the ITI / U.S. reference library was substantially augmented by the Theatre of Latin America (TOLA) Collection - 2,650 items documenting modern theatre in Latin America and the Caribbean, donated by TOLA founder Joanne Pottlitzer.

In 1994, when ITI / U.S. moved its headquarters to Theatre Communications Group, the bulk of the reference library went into storage. In 2002, the library materials were donated to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, and re-named the International Theatre Institute / Martha W. Coigney Collection, in honor of Ms. Coigney, the second Director of ITI / U.S. In 2004, records from the ITI / U.S. institutional archives were transferred as well.

The ITI National Centers have grown in number from eight in 1948 to ninety in 2005. ITI has implemented many initiatives, including the Theatre of Nations Festival, international conferences and symposia. The Institute is affiliated with nine other international theatre organizations, covering the areas of acting, criticism, technical theatre, young people's theatre, amateur theatre, puppets, training, theatre research, libraries and museums. The organization's website is available at: http://iti.unesco.org/