Consitition of the Dumfries and Galloway Fine Arts Society 2009
1. Name and Title
The Society shall be styled ‘The Dumfries and Galloway Fine Arts Society’ and herein be referred to as ‘The Society’.
2. Aim
The Society shall promote the Fine Arts and Artistic Crafts and shall foster and encourage the practice and appreciation of drawing, painting, emerging arts and associated Artistic Crafts.
3. Patronage
The Society may accept Patrons.
4. Membership
The Society shall be composed of franchised persons as follows:-
(a) Associate Member
(b) Life Associate Member
(c) Full Member
(d) Life Member
(e) Honorary Life Member
5. Office Bearers
The Office Bearers of The Society shall be:-
Honorary President, Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer
6. Executive Council
The post of President is Honorary and he/she shall have the right of presence in the Council in a non-executive role. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and up to twelve Members of The Society as prescribed in the rules shall constitute the Executive Council and herein be referred to as The Council.
7. Meetings
The Annual General Meeting shall be held in April and the business agenda of that meeting shall include:-
(a) Minutes of previous Annual General Meeting
(b) Financial report and balance sheet
(c) Chairman’s report
(d) Election of Office Bearers and The Council
(e) Election of Members for sub-committees
(f) Appointment of Auditor
(g) Any other competent business
8. Finance
(a) The financial year of The Society shall be from 1st January to 31st December.
(b) All Members shall jointly and equally be liable in the event of financial loss, liquidation or dissolution of The Society.
(c) All accounts and financial transactions of The Society shall be administered by the Treasurer.
(d) In the event of the dissolution of The Society all effects and assets of The Society shall be devoted to causes and objects similar to those of The Society.
9. Rules
(a) Rules shall be promulgated to cover conduct and procedure for the management of the affairs of The Society.
(b) Additions and/or amendments to the Rules may be proposed at any general or special meeting of The Society provided that seven days written notice of the intended alteration has been given to the Secretary.
(c) An assenting vote of two thirds of those present shall be necessary to effect alterations to the Rules.
10. Constitution
(a) Additions and/or amendments to the Constitution of The Society shall be proposed only at the Annual General Meeting provided that written notice of the intended alteration has been given to the Secretary at least four weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.
Rules
1. Membership
The following shall prescribe the class of membership:-
(a) Associate Member – an applicant may be admitted as an Associate Member of the Society on payment of the appropriate dues.
(b) Life Associate Member – An Associate Member on full payment of the appropriate dues may be admitted as a Life Associate Member
(c) Full Member – The Council shall have the sole right in the exercise of their discretion to nominate Full Members. In exercising its sole right to nominate Full Members, The Council will have regard to the following considerations:
(i) Persons of notable and acknowledged merit in the field of arts and crafts, those persons with a degree or degree equivalent in Fine arts from a recognised institution recommended by Council Members.
(ii) Associate Members who have submitted works of which a minimum of two have been exhibited in each of three annual exhibitions.
(iii) Associate Members recommended to Council by the Selection-Committee and the Exhibition Sub-Committee.
(iv)Persons who have served The Society by their dedication and contribution over an extended period.
(d) Life Member – A Full Member on payment of the appropriate dues may be admitted as a Life Member.
(e) Honorary Life Member – Honorary Life Membership of The Society may be conferred at an Annual General Meeting on the recommendation of The Council to those who have conspicuously aided The Society.
(f) Details of new Members shall be submitted to The Council for confirmation.
(g) Members on election and payment of appropriate dues shall be issued with a Membership Card which shall constitute the official receipt.
The appropriate dues relative to category (b) and (d) will be calculated using the following formula:-
Actuary Assessed expectation (years) – Age x 1.2% x annual membership fee = dues payable.
2. Privileges
All franchised Members shall have:-
(i) The right to vote at general meetings of The Society.
(ii)Free admission to The Society’s exhibitions, meetings and lectures.
(iii) The right to submit Works for selection by the Selection Committee at The Society’s Exhibitions, an admission fee being chargeable.
(iv) The right to participate in classes and other activities, on payment of any required charge.
3. Subscriptions and Dues
The annual subscription and fees shall be decided by The Council.
(i) All subscription shall be payable to the Treasurer.
(ii) Annual subscriptions shall be due on 1st January.
(iii) Those whose subscriptions are in arrears at 1st March will not be entitled to the privileges of The Society.
(iv) Notification of resignation from The Society must be given to the Secretary by 31st December.
4. Office Bearers
(i) The Honorary President, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected annually. An Honorary President shall be time limited to three successive elections but be eligible for re-election two years thereafter.
(ii) Nominations, with the consent of the nominee duly proposed and seconded, shall be in the hands of the Secretary at least seven days before the Annual General Meeting.
(iii) Election shall be by ballot.
(iv) In the event of the retiral of either the Secretary or Treasurer, The Council shall appoint a successor and this shall be subject to confirmation at the Annual General Meeting.
5. The Council
(a) The Honorary President, ex–officio, the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, together with up to twelve Members shall constitute The Council.
(b) The Honorary President, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected annually, other Council Members being elected for three years, and being eligible for re-election.
(c) Nominations for The Honorary President and Council Members, with the consent of the nominee, duly proposed and seconded, shall be placed before the Annual General Meeting.
(d) A Member absent from four consecutive meetings of The Council may be deemed to have resigned and The Council may declare a vacancy.
The Council:-
(i) Shall co-opt to fill casual vacancies until the next Annual General Meeting.
(ii) May set up any Sub-Committee.
(iii) Shall appoint a Hanging Sub-Committee for each exhibition.
(iv) Shall prepare and publish a syllabus of meetings, classes, exhibitions, etc.
(v) Shall organise exhibitions of Art and Craft.
(vi) May invite Works for exhibition
6. Meetings
(i) The Annual General Meeting Notice shall be sent to all Members at least twenty one days prior to the date of the meeting.
(ii) The Secretary shall convene at not less than seven days’ notice any Extraordinary General Meeting either on the instruction of the Honorary President, or Chairman or on receipt of a written request by ten Members, stating the purpose for which the meeting is to be convened.
7. Voting
(i) Election of Office Bearers, Council Members, and Selection Committees shall be by ballot.
(ii) Eligibility to vote shall be confined to current Members.
(iii) The Chairman shall have a casting vote.
8. Quorum
(i) At Council Meetings five Members shall constitute a quorum.
(ii) At the Annual General Meeting twelve Members other than Members of The Council and Office Bearers shall constitute a quorum.
9. Chairman
The Chairman shall take the chair at meetings of The Society, in absentia, a Chairman shall be appointed from the body of the meeting.
10. Secretary
(i) Shall maintain a roll of Members.
(ii) Shall act as Secretary to The Society and to The Council, and may, with the approval of The Council delegate the duties.
11. Treasurer
(i) Shall prepare a Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet for audit and submission to the Annual General Meeting.
(ii) Shall arrange for issue of membership cards to franchised Members.
12. The Auditors
Shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
13. The Selection Sub-Committee
(i) Shall be composed of a Chairman, and five selectors appointed by The Council.
(ii) Shall select Works from those submitted for exhibition.
(iii) Shall make recommendations to The Council for nomination of Full Members.
14. Exhibitions
(i) The Council will elect an Exhibition Co-Ordinator who will chair a sub-committee for the purposes of arranging and running The Society’s Exhibitions.
(ii) The Society shall act as sole Agent for the Exhibitors whose Work(s) are hung and are for sale. Exhibitors shall have the ultimate right:-
(a) To repudiate a contract of sale, and
(b) To effect a correction in the catalogue price, and for this purpose the Secretary is authorised to act as principal.
(iii) A commission shall be retained by The Society from the purchase price of any Work sold while in the possession or control of the Society.
(iv) No Work purchased can be removed until after the close of the Exhibition, and then only when the price has been paid.
(v) The Society does not hold itself responsible for errors in the Catalogue prices.
(vi)The Society shall not be held liable for any damage done to exhibits or loss sustained either during transit or while in their possession or in the possession of their agents.
(vii)The Society shall not be responsible for Works that are not removed within two days after the close of the Exhibition.
(viii)Works having the price column filled in ‘NFS’ are not for sale.
15. The Hanging Sub-Committee
(i)The Council shall appoint a Hanging Sub-Committee one Member of which will be appointed Chairman.
(ii) Shall place Works invited by The Council
(iii) Shall place, as space permits, those Works passed for Exhibitions by majority of the Selection Committee