TICA is the first centre for contemporary art in Tirana. It offers a much needed permanent platform for Albanian and international contemporary art in Albania. An important function of TICA is it's international A.I.R. program. The residency program is important as the first structure to offer support and encouragement to promising local artists and for enabling cross-cultural exchange in the Balkan region and beyond, as a response to the lost communication that has led to a nationalistic misuse of culture. Other important functions of TICA are the supporting of artistic production, the establishment of an archive of contemporary art in Albania and a reference library on international contemporary art. A great awareness and a strong engagement in gender-related questions and concerns will also permeate not only the activity of TICA but also its organization as a whole. TICA will be an attempt to reintroduce culture as one of the most effective ways in pushing for critical thinking in relation to our contemporary condition and will bring together all the energies, knowledge and contacts of all its founding members, to create an independent platform for socio-politically engaged contemporary art.