Dear ISSS Members:

The executive Board of the International Society for the Studies of Surrealism (ISSS) is soliciting self- nominations for a four-year commitment, the first two years as the Vice President (November 2023-November 2025), and the next two years as the President (November 2025-November 2027).

ISSS is a growing Association that promotes the international and interdisciplinary exchange between scholars, practicing artists of various kinds, writers, and independent practitioners of surrealism for whom surrealism (past and present) is a field of ongoing inquiry. The mission of the ISSS is to foster and incorporate innovative ideas on global surrealism as well as to introduce new ways to approach its various literary and artistic expressions across cultures, languages, disciplines, and regions. Our inaugural conference at Bucknell University (2018), our second annual conference at the University of Exeter (2019) and two virtual events (2021 and 2022) have further diversified our membership and global scope.

With the fifth ISSS conference Surrealisms 2023: Houston from 9 to 11 November, as well as our annual meeting in Paris, now planned for 2024, year of the centenary of the Surrealist Manifesto, and with the first number of the new International Journal of Surrealism on the way, this is an exciting time to take part in the leadership of the ISSS.

The Vice President shall serve ex officio as a member of the Programs Committee and shall assist the President in matters assigned by the President. The Vice President will be responsible for keeping track of the Annual Calendar, for scheduling quarterly meetings of the ISSS executive board, and any occasional extraordinary meetings that might be necessary, in consultation with the President. If necessary, the Vice President shall assume the duties of the President. The President shall be the principal executive officer of the Organization and, subject to the control of the Executive Board, shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Organization.

All current members of the Association are eligible to vote in its elections. To renew your membership (or to join), please visit https://surrealismstudies.wordpress.com/join/

Elections for this position will be held in October 2023 and the results will be announced on 10 November 2023 at the annual conference in Houston. The person elected will first serve a two-year term as vice-president and then will serve as President, succeeding Felicity Gee, who currently serves as Vice President of the ISSS and who will become its Acting President in November 2023.

If you are interested in taking a hand in leading the International Society for the Study of Surrealism as it continues to expand, submit a statement to Andrea Gremels, Chair of the Nominations Committee, at A.Gremels@em.uni-frankfurt.de. Statements should be no more than 250 words (1,500 characters including spaces and punctuation) describing your interest in the position, your vision for the ISSS, and your relevant experience. If you know of individuals who you believe would be well suited to the position, please reach out to them and encourage them to apply.

Deadline for self-nominations is 15 September 2023.