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SOCIETY OF EQUESTRIAN ARTISTS
CONSTITUTION
[Adopted as amended on 19 August 1985 and as further amended by
Resolution of the Society at its Annual General Meeting on 16 May
1999.]
1. NAME
The Society shall be called the Society of Equestrian Artists.
2. DEFINITIONS
In this Constitution -
(i) "The Society" shall mean
"The Society of Equestrian Artists, registered charity No.
294729".
(ii) "The Committee" shall mean the Committee of
Management referred to in Clause 12.
(iii) "Member" shall mean a member in any of the
classes of membership specified in Clause 5.
(iv) Words denoting the masculine gender shall be deemed
to include the feminine.
(v) Words in the singular shall include the plural and
words in the plural shall include the singular.
3. OBJECTS AND POWERS
(a) The Society is established to promote the practice of
equestrian painting and sculpture and to advance public education and
appreciation of this art.
(b) In furtherance of the above objects but not
otherwise the Society may -
(i) arrange public exhibitions of
the works of its members;
(ii) encourage through mutual criticism,
discussion and example, the highest levels of artistic competence
among its members;
(iii) raise funds through membership
subscriptions and otherwise;
(iv) produce catalogues and other
publications;
(v) hold meetings, lectures and classes; and
(vi) do all such other lawful things as are
necessary to further the said objects.
4. APPLICATION OF FUNDS
(i) All moneys received by way of membership
subscriptions, fees, levies, donations, sales of catalogues, rules, or
otherwise, shall be applied in carrying out the objects of the
Society;
(ii) Without prejudice to any civil or criminal proceedings, any
officer or member found to have misapplied any funds of the Society
shall immediately be suspended from office and/or membership of the
Society pending enquiries to be made by the Committee or such panel of
members as may be appointed by the Committee (or the Chairman of the
Committee) for the purpose of making recommendations to the Committee.
The officer or member concerned shall be given the opportunity to make
representations to and to appear before the Committee or Panel. After
enquiry, or if no enquiries are possible, the Committee (acting, if
appropriate, on consideration of the recommendation of the Panel) may
debar the officer from resuming office or exclude the member from
membership of the Society, or both.
5. MEMBERSHIP
(i) There shall be the following classes of member:
Founder Members (named in clause 7(i)); Full Members; Associate
Members; and Friends. In addition, there may be a President, one or
more Vice-Presidents, and one or more Patrons.
(ii) Particulars of the advancement of members within classes and of
new members shall be routinely reported to the Committee.
(iii) The officers of the Society (specified in Clause 13) shall be
elected at a General Meeting by a majority of the members present and
entitled to vote. Their tenure of office shall be for three years,
with eligibility for re-election for a further term of three years.
Retirement shall be effective on the dissolution of the Annual General
Meeting at which the term of office expires. On failure of such
election those last appointed shall, unless otherwise disqualified,
continue in office.
(iv) Honorary Members (including the President and Vice-Presidents)
shall be such persons who can make or who have made, some special
service to the Society, which the Society wishes to recognise by this
means. They shall be elected by the Committee for such period and on
such conditions as the Committee shall determine. Their voting rights
shall accord with their previous membership status, if any
6. PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERS
(i) Exhibition of Work: Members of all classes shall be
entitled to submit works for consideration for hanging at the
Society's exhibitions subject to any General or Special Rules that the
Committee may lay down.
(ii) Post-nominal letters: Full Members shall be entitled to use the
letters "S.E.A." following their names and Associate Members
may use the letters "A.S.E.A.
Subject to the foregoing, the Committee shall determine the rights and
privileges of all classes of members.
7. QUALIFICATIONS AND METHOD OF ADMISSION OF MEMBERS
(i) Founder Members: The Founder Members of the Society
were: John L Baker, Leslie Charlotte Benenson, Neil Cawthorne, Tom
Coates, Joanna Daniell, Norman Hoad, Gillian Hoare, John King, L J
Morris and Susie Whitcombe.
(ii) Full Members: Associate Members and others considered by the
Committee to be of exceptional merit are eligible to be considered for
promotion to Full Member in accordance with the prevailing Promotions
Procedures of the Society as agreed by a majority vote in General
Meeting.
(iii) Associate Members: Friends of the Society shall be eligible for
promotion to Associate Member in accordance with the prevailing
Promotions Procedures of the Society.
(iv) Friends: Unless otherwise disqualified, any person who supports
the objects of the Society may become a Friend upon completion of the
Society's application form and payment of the subscription for this
class of membership.
8. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEES
(i) Every Full Member, Associate Member and Friend of the
Society shall pay an annual subscription.
(ii) The subscription year shall commence on the first day of January
in every year, but the subscription of any member joining after the
first day of November may cover a period of up to fifteen months,
provided always that the member does not wish to submit work for
hanging in an exhibition being held between the date of joining and
the 31st of December in that year.
(iii) The Committee shall undertake an annual review of the
subscriptions and shall fix the rate for the ensuing year. The
subscription rates may be different for different classes of
membership and special subscription rates may be determined for
overS.E.A.s or country membership.
(iv) The subscription rates, which may be different for the different
classes of membership, shall be notified to the Annual General
Meeting.
(v) A member of any class will have his status revoked if the Annual
Subscription has not been paid and will not be eligible to submit work
for exhibition nor participate in any activity of the Society whilst
he is in default.
(vi) In addition to the membership subscription, the Committee shall
have power to impose entrance fees and hanging fees for work submitted
for exhibition.
9. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS
All members are required to support the objects and interests of the
Society and maintain its reputation and standing.
In case the conduct of any Member shall, in the opinion of the
Committee, or any seven Members thereof, who shall certify the same in
writing to the Secretary, be injurious to the interests of the
Society, the Committee shall be empowered after enquiry, during which
the Member shall be offered an opportunity to state his case to the
Committee or to a Panel of Members appointed by the Committee, to
recommend in writing to such Member to resign. If such Member shall
not resign within fourteen days of the date of such recommendation,
the Committee may then call an Extraordinary General Meeting. If such
meeting agree by ballot, by a majority of two-thirds of the members
present and voting, for the expulsion of such Member, he shall cease
to be a Member of the Society, but, nevertheless, shall be responsible
for any arrears.
10. CHANGE OF RESIDENCE OF MEMBERS
Members shall notify the Secretary of any change of address of their
residence.
11. GENERAL MEETINGS
(i) The Society shall in each calendar year hold a General
Meeting as its Annual General Meeting. This Meeting to be
held at such time and in such place as may be determined by the
Committee, and shall be held not more than fifteen months after the
last preceding Annual General Meeting.
(ii) An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held whenever and
wherever the Committee think expedient, or whenever seven Full Members
or Associate Members so request in writing delivered to the Secretary.
(iii) Twenty-one days notice shall be given of the Annual General
Meeting and fourteen days notice of any Extraordinary General Meeting.
The Notice shall state the business to be transacted at such meeting
and shall be given to every member in writing, left at or posted to
his last known address.
(iv) At all general meetings ten members shall form a quorum.
(v) Subject to the limitations specified in Clause 6 (iii) of this
constitution, every Member present in person shall have one vote.
Voting at all general meetings shall be by show of hands unless the
person taking the chair shall otherwise direct. Voting by proxy is not
allowed.
12. THE COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT
(i) The Society shall have a Committee of Management,
comprising the Chairman, Treasurer and, where appropriate, the
Secretary, together with not more than a total of ten committee
members, who shall include not less than two Full Members and,
wherever possible, two Associate Members. The members of the Committee
of Management are the Trustees of the Society. Except as provided in
Clause 14 of this Constitution, they shall be elected at the Annual
General Meeting.
(ii) The Committee shall meet on such days and hours as may be
convenient. The Chairman of the Society, or another member of the
Committee, shall preside. Four members (two of whom shall be Full
Members) shall form a quorum. The Committee shall have full power to
superintend and conduct the business of the Society according to the
rules thereof, and shall in all things act for and in the name of the
Society. Every question shall be decided by a majority of votes, and
if the votes are equal the Chairman or person presiding at the Meeting
shall have a casting vote in addition to any vote he may have as a
member. Any five members of the Committee may call an special meeting
thereof by giving seven clear days' notice in writing to the
Secretary, but at such special meeting no other business than that
specified in the notice shall be taken into consideration.
(iii) Providing there are candidates for election to the Committee
within the classes of members specified, two members of the Committee
shall offer their resignation every year; with any acceptance of
resignations being in order of the longest serving member first. A
committee member so retiring shall not be eligible for re-election
until after the expiration of one year from his retirement.
13. OFFICERS
(i) The Chairman: The Chairman shall be elected and hold
office in accordance with the provisions of clause 5(iii) of this
constitution.
(ii) The Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be elected and hold office in
accordance with the provisions of clause 5(iii) of this constitution.
He shall take charge of the funds of the Society and pay all demands
when ordered to do so by the Society, or by the Committee or by the
Chairman and Secretary for the time being. He shall not pay any money
without written authority signed by the Chairman and Secretary or
another officer in the case of incapacity of the Chairman or the
Secretary.
He shall produce all books, documents, property and money of the
Society in his possession and render a full and clear account at each
audit and whenever required by resolution of the Society or of the
Committee. He shall also give up all books, documents, moneys and
property of the Society in his possession when required to do so by a
resolution of the Society or of the Committee.
(iii) The Secretary shall either be appointed or elected and hold
office in accordance with the provisions of clause 5(iii) of this
constitution. He shall on all occasions in the execution of his office
act under the superintendence, control and direction of the Committee.
He shall summon and give due notice of all meetings of the Society and
of the Committee and keep the documents and papers of the Society in
such a manner and for such purposes as the Committee may direct. He
shall attend all meetings of the Society and of the Committee and
shall record the proceedings of meetings and the attendance thereat
(so far as this is reasonably practicable in respect of General
Meetings). He shall receive proposals for admission to the Society; he
shall forthwith hand over all moneys received by him to the Treasurer.
He shall produce all books, documents, property and money of the
Society in his possession whenever required by resolution of the
Society or of the Committee. He shall also pay over all moneys and
give up all books, documents and property belonging to the Society
when ordered to do so by a resolution thereof or of the Committee.
In relation to Clause 13(ii) above, the Secretary shall not be a party
to the authorization of any honorarium or expenses paid or reimbursed
to the Secretary.
14. DISQUALIFICATION/REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
(i) No person who is a minor shall be elected to any
office.
(ii) Any officer or member of the Committee may be removed by
resolution of an extraordinary general meeting, which may proceed to
fill the vacancy.
(iii) In case any officer shall die, resign, be removed or become
unfit or incapable to act, the Committee may at any time appoint a
person to fill the vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting,
unless the vacancy is previously filled at an Extraordinary General
Meeting.
15. BYE LAWS AND SUBSIDIARY BODIES
The Committee shall have power to make Bye Laws not inconsistent with
this constitution, and shall have power to appoint sub-committees for
any purpose which to the Committee seems expedient, and shall have
power to appoint selection committees, hanging committees and judging
panels in connection with the Society's exhibitions, consisting of
such persons (not being less than three) as the Committee shall
determine.
16. MINUTES
The minutes of meetings shall be authenticated by the signature of the
Chairman (or person presiding) at the next succeeding meeting, and any
such minute, duly signed, shall be regarded as conclusive evidence of
the facts therein stated.
17. ACCOUNTS
(i) The Committee shall cause proper accounts of the
Society to be kept by the Treasurer.
(ii) It shall be the duty of the Treasurer and the Secretary to keep a
copy of the balance sheet for and on behalf of the Committee.
18. INSPECTION OF BOOKS
The Committee shall cause the books to be available for inspection by
any member or person having interest in the funds of the Society at
all reasonable hours at such place as may be determined by the
Committee or the Chairman acting on behalf of the Committee, and it
shall be the duty of the Treasurer or Secretary, as appropriate, to
produce them accordingly.
19. AUDIT
The Society shall in each year of account arrange for the Society's
accounts to be audited in accordance with not less than the minimum
requirements of the Charities Acts and/or the current relevant
Statement of Recommended Accounting Practice.
20. ANNUAL RETURN
The Secretary shall supply to every member or person interested in the
funds of the Society on his application either a copy of the last
annual return or a balance sheet or other document duly audited
containing the same particulars relating to the affairs of the Society
as are contained in the annual return together with a copy of the
report of the auditor on the annual return or his report on the
balance sheet or other document supplied in lieu of the annual return.
A charge may be made.
21. NOTICES
All summonses and notices shall be deemed to have been duly served if
addressed to the member or person for whom they are intended at his
last known address and delivered at or sent by post to that address.
22. COPIES OF RULES
On demand, the Secretary shall deliver by post a copy of the
constitution and bye laws made thereunder to any person so requesting
them on payment of such charge as may be appropriate.
23. AMENDMENTS
Amendments to this Constitution may be made by the positive votes of
at least two-thirds of the members present and voting at a general
meeting. No amendments shall be made to Clause 3, this Clause or
Clause 26 without the prior written approval of the Charity
Commissioners and no amendments shall be made which would cause the
Society to cease to be a charity at law.
24. EXPENSES OF OFFICERS
The Society may reimburse the Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and the
Editor of its Newsletter for travel and other incidental expenses
incurred by them in the execution of the Society's business.
25. INDEMNITY
Without prejudice to any indemnity to which a Trustee may otherwise be
entitled, every Trustee, Secretary, auditor or other officer of the
Society shall be entitled to be indemnified out of the assets of the
Society against any liability incurred by him in that capacity.
26. DISSOLUTION
The Society may be dissolved by the positive votes of at least
two-thirds of the members present and voting at a meeting specially
called for the purpose. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of
any proper debts shall be given or transferred to such other
charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the
objects of the Society as the Committee shall, with the approval of
the Charity Commissioners, decide.
Link to S.E.A. Byelaws
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