FLORAL DESIGN ASSOCIATIONS

A floral designer can be defined as that person who uses his or her skill and training to cut and arrange flowers into creative designs. They use their expertise to help you create the flower arrangement that will suit a particular occasion. This is not an easy task. It involves and it had years of strenuous work to learn all that is needed to create a special floral design that suits a need.

There is no occasion in the whole world which does not involve some or the other kind of floral arrangement and decoration. It sees the significance of a floral designer. So also, the art of floral designing is very precious, the prestine purity of which should be kept forever. Indeed, the art of floral designing has to be promoted, where various associations come into picture in various parts of the world. These floral design associations promote the art of floral designing through various means viz., imparting education, arranging workshops, conferences, seminars, and so forth. The following are some of the international floral design associations-

• American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) - A non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the art of floral design as a professional career. Details membership information, educational events and symposia schedules, and includes design tips. With over 1,200 members worldwide, AIFD and its members are in the forefront of the industry in presenting educational and design programs.
• Association of Irish Floral Artists (AOIFA) - The Association of Irish Floral Artists is the official organisation of the floral art movement in Ireland. It promotes the art of floral design through local clubs, demonstrations, workshops and competitions. Features news, events calendar and includes image galleries.
• Bromsgrove and District Flower Arranging Society - Includes information about meetings, reports and pictures of monthly demonstrations, and a members' photo gallery of flower arrangements.
• Floral Art Society New Zealand - Promotes education and participation in the art of floral design. Includes membership information, calendar of events, step-by-step design project and gallery of members' compositions.
• Future Concepts - Contemporary floral design enthusiasts based in the UK and affiliated to the North Midlands Area of the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies. Includes events calendar and image galleries.
• Ikebana International - Ikebana International is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to the promotion and appreciation of IKEBANA, the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It does not teach any single type of IKEBANA. Rather, it is an interest group made up of people of many nationalities who enjoy IKEBANA and other arts of Japan.
• International Pressed Flower Art Society - Popularizing pressed flower techniques and exchanging information internationally.
• National Association of Flower Arranging Societies Mercia and North Wales Region - Group of 64 flower arranging clubs across the Mercia and North Wales regions of the UK. Includes news, schedule of events and code of practices.
• National Association of Flower Arranging Societies (NAFAS) - NAFAS offers education and events to promote the art and personal enjoyment of flower arranging in the United Kingdoms. It has been a unifying and guiding mainstay to thousands of men, women and juniors whose love of flowers has opened up a whole new world of creativity.
• National Garden Clubs - Provides education, resources and national networking opportunities for its members to promote gardening and floral design. Includes calendar of events, educational opportunities and image galleries.
• Pressed Flower Guild - Information, activities and events sponsored by the guild, established in 1983, with members throughout the UK and in other parts of the world.
• Scottish Association of Flower Arrangement Societies - Local clubs throughout Scotland providing education and events. Includes schedule and information about judges, demonstrators, teachers and speakers.
• Society of Floristry - The Society of Floristry is a national non-profit association offering training, ongoing seminars and certification for novice and professional florists in the United Kingdom. It is recognised as the Trade Association for Floristry Education and Training and works hard to promote the work of professional florists throughout the UK.
• Southwell Flower Club - Local club for floral design enthusiasts affiliated with the National Association of Flower Arranging Societies (NAFAS). Features programs, activities, schedules and news.
• West Australian Floral Art Society Inc, - Promotes appreciation of flowers and floral design. Includes membership information, image galleries, topics and schedules of monthly demonstrations, workshops, competitions and judging.
• World Flower Council (WFC) - World Flower Council is an international association of professional florists, dedicated to furthering the cause of world peace through the beauty of flowers and the sharing of knowledge among those who have chosen the floral industry as their profession.