The iaab was founded by the Christoph Merian Foundation in 1986 with the construction of a building containing studios in the St. Alban-Tal in Basel. Since then it has expanded steadily, with studios in the nearby locations of Arlesheim and Riehen. Since 1998 the project has been supported and financed by an extended group of patrons, consisting of Christoph Merian Foundation, the Cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Basel-Stadt, the Riehen authorities, Lörrach and Freiburg im Breisgau.
On behalf of this group, the program is managed by the Christoph Merian Foundation.