AICA works with nonprofit and producer-owned artisan organizations in India. Some 65 member groups benefit from marketing support, design training and capacity building assistance. Artisans, who are paid on a per piece basis, participate in deciding pricing for products. In all cases, profits are either distributed among the artisans or reinvested in the community through other development programs. Artisans working with AIACA are primarily women.

Most of the artisan groups that are part of AIACA are made up of home-based artisans. In some cases, artisans gather in village community centers to work together. These centers are built with contributions from nongovernmental organizations, and are maintained by the community.

AIACA began in 2003 as an informal association of craft groups spread throughout India. It has now become a strong advocacy body for artisans, organizing groups into a common forum to determine what steps the craft sector needs to take to remain competitive in a changing economic scenario. AIACA works very closely with Aid to Artisans (ATA), and many of AIACA's workshops are eligible for design input from ATA. This makes for a fruitful partnership for all organizations.

Ten Thousand Villages purchases block printed textiles from AIACA. Ten Thousand Villages began purchasing from AIACA in 2009.