CONSTITUTION
of the
SOUTH WALES ART SOCIETY
(As amended March 2018)
1. TITLE & OBJECTIVES
A) The Society shall be called the “SOUTH WALES ART SOCIETY”.
b) The objectives of the Society shall be the encouragement and advancement of art in South Wales by the promotion of gallery visits, talks, lectures, classes, demonstrations and workshops, critiques and exhibitions.
2. CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP
a) The annual subscription shall be reviewed by the Committee every year and a recommendation placed before the Annual General Meeting for discussion. All subscriptions are due on January 1st every year. A new membership card will be issued upon receipt. A yearly programme of activities will be issued after the AGM. New members will also be issued with a copy of the Constitution.
b) The elected Committee of the Society may, at their discretion reduce or cancel the subscription, for the current year, of any new member who joins the Society.
c) Any member whose subscription is unpaid by the end of March in any year shall cease to be a member.
d) In the event of the conduct of any member being, in the opinion of the Committee, injurious to the interests and/or objectives of the Society, the Secretary shall send the said member the nature of the complaint and notice to attend a Committee meeting specially called to hear and consider the complaint. Such a member shall be liable to have his or her name struck off the list of members by a ballot vote of the Committee.
e) Any person desirous of becoming a member of the Society may do so; The Committee, however, shall reserve the right to refuse the application for membership from any person for whatever reason if they consider such an application to be injurious to the interests and/or objectives of the Society.
3. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
a) The Committee shall comprise the following: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and sufficient additional members to maintain a working Committee capable of planning and carrying out the Society’s calendar of events and exhibitions.
b) Any vacancy occurring in the Committee during the year may be filled at the discretion of the Committee, such co-option to be confirmed at the next Annual General Meeting.
c) Not less than five members must be present at a Committee meeting to constitute a quorum.
d) The Committee shall have the power to appoint from amongst themselves, or from the general body of members, sub-committees for special purposes. Such sub-committees shall take no decisions, but shall report their recommendations or findings back to the Committee.
e) The Chairman shall have the casting vote at all meetings.
f) Minutes of all Committee meetings must be kept and be available for inspection by any member on request. All minutes must be signed by the Chairman.
g) Committee members shall retire from office after serving a maximum continuous term of four years, but may, in exceptional circumstances, be re-elected for a fifth year to take the office of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer.
h) A retiring member shall be ineligible for re-election to the Committee for one year.
i) The Committee at its discretion, may also appoint one or more Honorary Members; such appointments must be confirmed by the general membership at a General Meeting.
4. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
a) The Annual General Meeting of the members of the Society shall be held every year before 31st March.
b) Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to all members at least twenty one days before the date of such a meeting. The Statement of Accounts for the preceding year shall also be made available to all members at least seven days before the date of such a meeting.
c) At every Annual General Meeting there shall be elected by the membership a management committee composed as stated at paragraph 3a) above.
d) At every Annual General Meeting, the membership shall decide on the level of the annual subscription, taking into account the recommendation of the committee as stated at paragraph 2a) above.
e) All decisions at an Annual General Meeting shall be by a show of hands or ballot if necessary.
f) Non-delivery of notices to members due to erroneous omission or postal delivery failure shall not invalidate a meeting.
g) Minutes of all General meetings must be kept and be available for inspection by any member on request. All minutes must be signed by the Chairman.
h) Not less than 10% of the membership must be present at an Annual General Meeting to constitute a quorum.
i) All proposals duly seconded to be brought forward at the Annual General Meeting must be in writing and sent to the Secretary seven days prior to that date.
j) The membership, at an Annual General Meeting , may also elect a President, and one or more Vice-Presidents, as appropriate.
5. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
a) Notice of any Special General Meeting shall be given to all members at least twenty-one days before the date of such a meeting.
b) The Committee may decide to convene a Special General Meeting for whatever purpose and such a meeting must be held within thirty days of such decision.
c) On receipt of a request in writing to the Secretary, signed by at least 10% of the membership, the Committee must convene a Special General Meeting and hold it within thirty days of receiving such a request.
d) All proposals duly seconded to be brought forward at a Special General Meeting must be in writing and sent to the Secretary seven days prior to that date.
e) Not less than 10% of the membership must be present at a Special General Meeting to constitute a quorum.
6. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
a) The financial year of the Society shall end on 31st December in every year.
b) All monies received by or on behalf of the Society shall be applied to further the objectives of the Society and for no other purpose.
c) Any bank accounts opened for the Society shall be in the name of the Society.
d) The accounts of the Society shall be kept by the Treasurer who shall be responsible for all monies. Such monies shall be paid into the Society’s banking account, except for reasonable working funds in cash.
e) The Society’s bank accounts and investments shall be operated by two out of four signatories appointed from within and by the Committee for this purpose and the Treasurer or Chairman shall be at least one of the signatories on any account transaction.
f) The Treasurer will give an up to date statement of Society funds at every Annual General Meeting and whenever required to do so at a Special General Meeting of members and Committee meetings.
g) The Society shall ensure that its accounts are audited or independently examined every year.
7. EXHIBITIONS
a) An exhibition of members’ works shall be held at least once a year at a time, place and under such conditions as the Committee may decide.
b) Where required by the Committee, a person or persons shall be appointed to select the works to be exhibited. This person/persons shall not be members of the Society and all decisions will be final.
c) No person whose subscription is unpaid shall be allowed to exhibit at any of the Society’s exhibitions.
d) Where required by the Committee, exhibition entry forms shall be made available to every member at least two weeks prior to the required date for submission.
e) All works submitted shall be original and not copied in whole or part.
f) Works submitted to the Exhibition designated by the Committee as the Annual Exhibition must not have been previously exhibited in the City and County of Cardiff.
8. OTHER MATTERS
a) No alterations to this Constitution may be made except at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose.
b) The Society may be wound up at any time if agreed by two-thirds of those members present and voting at any General Meeting. In the event of winding up, any assets remaining after all debts have been paid shall be divided equally between all current members who can demonstrate a continuous period of membership going back at least five years.
