HERTFORD ART SOCIETY

CONSTITUTION

1. The organisation shall be called "The Hertford Art Society" hereinafter called "The Society”

OBJECTS

2. The objects for which the Society is established are:

(a) The promotion, stimulation and encouragement of interest in the visual arts in the Hertford area.

(b) To hold and promote exhibitions, lectures and displays of art subjects for artistic, historical and educational stimulation.

(c) To provide facilities for the practical application of the visual arts, and if deemed expedient, to acquire eventually permanent premise within or adjacent to the town of Hertford.

(d) To arrange and organise visits to art exhibitions and displays, and also visits to places of artistic interest for practical work.

(e) To act, if requested, as a liaison body with all other bodies inside or outside the area in achieving the above aims.

MEMBERSHIP

3. Full Membership of the Society shall be open to any person over the age of sixteen and entitles participation in all the Society’s activities. The Council of the Society shall be entitled to reject any application or to terminate a membership at any time and without explanation upon a simple majority vote in the committee.

Associate Membership restricts participation to the submission of works for the annual Open Exhibition and undertaking stewarding during the Exhibition.

SUBSCRIPTION

4. Renewal of annual subscriptions for Full Members shall become due on 1st September of each year at a rate determined by the Council of the Society and adopted at the Annual General Meeting, in the following categories:

(a) Ordinary members

(b) Adults aged 65+ at a reduced rate

(c) Life members

(d) Honorary members

The Life membership fee shall be equal to 10 yearly subscriptions. Visitors may attend meetings on payment of a levy, the amount to be decided by the Council The payment for Associate Membership becomes due on submission for the annual Open Exhibition at a rate determined by the Council of the Society.

MANAGEMENT

5. The business of the Society shall be conducted by a Council of eleven members who shall be elected thereto at the Annual General Meeting consisting of the Chairman, the Honorary General Secretary, the Honorary Membership Secretary, the Honorary Exhibition Coordinator, and the Honorary Treasurer and six other members. The five officers shall be elected by a simple majority at the Annual General Meeting.

The retention of the title of Chairman (and of Vice-Chairman) must not be taken to indicate that any position in the Society is not open equally to candidates of either sex.

The Council shall have the power to make such regulations, not inconsistent with this constitution, as may from time to time be deemed necessary, and shall be empowered to appoint any committee requisite for conducting its business. The Council shall meet at such times and places as shall be necessary to effect this business.

The whole property of the Society heritable and movable shall be vested in the Council and their successors in office as trustees on behalf of the Society.

Expenses incurred by, or on behalf of the Officers and members of the Council on the business related to the Society, and approved by the Council, shall be refunded by the Society.

OFFICERS

6. The responsibilities of the various officers shall be as follows:

(a) The Chairman shall be elected from among past and present members of the Council. He or she shall take the Chair at all meetings of the Council and Special Meetings of the Society, and shall be entitled to a casting vote.

(b) The Hon. General Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Council and General Meetings of the Society, record the minutes of the proceedings, and conduct the general correspondence of the Society.

(c) The Hon. Membership Secretary shall be responsible to the Hon Secretary for recording the membership and conducting any correspondence arising from this.

(d) The Hon. Exhibition Coordinator shall conduct the Society’s business in connection with the annual Open Exhibition and other exhibitions as requested by Council, with the assistance of an Exhibition Secretary elected by the Council, together with additional assistance as the Council may decide.

(e) The Hon Treasurer shall operate banking accounts in the name of the Society, receive all monies due to the Society, issue relevant receipts and liquidate all debts of the Society on instruction from the Council. The Hon Treasurer shall keep a record of receipts and payments and render such statements as may be required by the Council.

(f) A Vice-Chairman shall be elected annually by the Council from among its members, and shall preside at any meetings of the Council and of the Society from which the Chairman is absent. In the absence of the Chairman the Vice¬ Chairman shall have the casting vote.

(g) The Council shall have the power to obtain the patronage of a President and Vice-Presidents, who shall be entitled to attend all ordinary meetings of the Society

AUDITORS

7. One or more auditors or examiners shall be appointed for the ensuing year at the Annual General Meeting. They shall audit the accounts of the Society and shall have power to call for all necessary accounts and vouchers.

TENURE OF OFFICE

8. The Chairman shall retire annually, but shall be eligible for re-election, provided that no individual may hold this office for more than three years in succession.

The Hon General Secretary, Hon Membership Secretary, Hon Exhibition Coordinator, and the Hon Treasurer shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.

Ordinary members of the Council shall hold office for three years, two retiring each year in rotation, but shall be eligible for re-election.

The Auditor/s or examiners shall be eligible for re-election.

Any vacancy, occurring during the year, may be filled by the Council.

Any member co-opted, or any member elected to a vacancy, shall be eligible for re¬election

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

9. The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in February in each year. At this meeting a report of the year’s proceedings, prepared by the Council shall be submitted, together with a Financial Statement by the Hon Treasurer up to 31st December previous, and duly audited. At this meeting fifteen shall be deemed to form a quorum.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

10. A Special General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Council. A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Hon General Secretary within four weeks of receiving a requisition signed by 10 paid-up members of the Society of at least three years standing. At such a meeting 15 shall be deemed to form a quorum. Members of the Society shall be notified at least 14 days in advance of the date, time and place of a Special Meeting and of the business to be considered.

DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY

11. The Society shall be dissolved only if a majority of the Council agrees that a motion to that effect be put to the Annual General Meeting or to a Special General Meeting of the members. The intention to put the motion and the reasons for the motion shall be circulated to all members of the Society not less than 14 days and not more than 30 days before the General Meeting. A form of postal ballot shall be included for members unable to attend the meeting. The motion shall be put by a member of the Council and shall be seconded by a member not being a member of the Council.

The motion shall be deemed carried if the majority in favour is not less than two-thirds of the then current membership.

The same procedure shall be followed if in the opinion of the Council a proportion of the cash assets of the Society should be distributed equally among the members entitled as below.

In the event of the Society being dissolved, its assets, including those in the form of cash, bank deposits, building society shares and like investments, shall be realised and divided equally between those members of the Society, not being Honorary Members and who have been members for three consecutive full years previous to the date of dissolution or distribution of assets. The Council of the Society shall be empowered to waive the above eligibility requirement in the case of such Hon Members as it thinks fit.

ALTERATIONS

12. This Constitution shall not be altered or added to except by the votes of a simple majority of members present at the Annual General or Special General Meeting convened for this purpose.

Notice of the proposed alteration of, or addition to, this Constitution must be in the hands of the Hon General Secretary four weeks before the date of the Annual General or Special General Meeting and must be signed by the proposer and seconded.

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HERTFORD ART SOCIETY CONSTITUTION 1. The organisation shall be called "The Hertford Art Society" hereinafter called "The Society” OBJECTS 2. The objects for which the Society is established are: (a) The promotion, stimulation and encouragement of interest in the visual arts in the Hertford area. (b) To hold and promote exhibitions, lectures and displays of art subjects for artistic, historical and educational stimulation. (c) To provide facilities for the practical application of the visual arts, and if deemed expedient, to acquire eventually permanent premise within or adjacent to the town of Hertford. (d) To arrange and organise visits to art exhibitions and displays, and also visits to places of artistic interest for practical work. (e) To act, if requested, as a liaison body with all other bodies inside or outside the area in achieving the above aims. MEMBERSHIP 3. Full Membership of the Society shall be open to any person over the age of sixteen and entitles participation in all the Society’s activities. The Council of the Society shall be entitled to reject any application or to terminate a membership at any time and without explanation upon a simple majority vote in the committee. Associate Membership restricts participation to the submission of works for the annual Open Exhibition and undertaking stewarding during the Exhibition. SUBSCRIPTION 4. Renewal of annual subscriptions for Full Members shall become due on 1st September of each year at a rate determined by the Council of the Society and adopted at the Annual General Meeting, in the following categories: (a) Ordinary members (b) Adults aged 65+ at a reduced rate (c) Life members (d) Honorary members The Life membership fee shall be equal to 10 yearly subscriptions. Visitors may attend meetings on payment of a levy, the amount to be decided by the Council The payment for Associate Membership becomes due on submission for the annual Open Exhibition at a rate determined by the Council of the Society. MANAGEMENT 5. The business of the Society shall be conducted by a Council of eleven members who shall be elected thereto at the Annual General Meeting consisting of the Chairman, the Honorary General Secretary, the Honorary Membership Secretary, the Honorary Exhibition Coordinator, and the Honorary Treasurer and six other members. The five officers shall be elected by a simple majority at the Annual General Meeting. The retention of the title of Chairman (and of Vice-Chairman) must not be taken to indicate that any position in the Society is not open equally to candidates of either sex. The Council shall have the power to make such regulations, not inconsistent with this constitution, as may from time to time be deemed necessary, and shall be empowered to appoint any committee requisite for conducting its business. The Council shall meet at such times and places as shall be necessary to effect this business. The whole property of the Society heritable and movable shall be vested in the Council and their successors in office as trustees on behalf of the Society. Expenses incurred by, or on behalf of the Officers and members of the Council on the business related to the Society, and approved by the Council, shall be refunded by the Society. OFFICERS 6. The responsibilities of the various officers shall be as follows: (a) The Chairman shall be elected from among past and present members of the Council. He or she shall take the Chair at all meetings of the Council and Special Meetings of the Society, and shall be entitled to a casting vote. (b) The Hon. General Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Council and General Meetings of the Society, record the minutes of the proceedings, and conduct the general correspondence of the Society. (c) The Hon. Membership Secretary shall be responsible to the Hon Secretary for recording the membership and conducting any correspondence arising from this. (d) The Hon. Exhibition Coordinator shall conduct the Society’s business in connection with the annual Open Exhibition and other exhibitions as requested by Council, with the assistance of an Exhibition Secretary elected by the Council, together with additional assistance as the Council may decide. (e) The Hon Treasurer shall operate banking accounts in the name of the Society, receive all monies due to the Society, issue relevant receipts and liquidate all debts of the Society on instruction from the Council. The Hon Treasurer shall keep a record of receipts and payments and render such statements as may be required by the Council. (f) A Vice-Chairman shall be elected annually by the Council from among its members, and shall preside at any meetings of the Council and of the Society from which the Chairman is absent. In the absence of the Chairman the Vice¬ Chairman shall have the casting vote. (g) The Council shall have the power to obtain the patronage of a President and Vice-Presidents, who shall be entitled to attend all ordinary meetings of the Society AUDITORS 7. One or more auditors or examiners shall be appointed for the ensuing year at the Annual General Meeting. They shall audit the accounts of the Society and shall have power to call for all necessary accounts and vouchers. TENURE OF OFFICE 8. The Chairman shall retire annually, but shall be eligible for re-election, provided that no individual may hold this office for more than three years in succession. The Hon General Secretary, Hon Membership Secretary, Hon Exhibition Coordinator, and the Hon Treasurer shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election. Ordinary members of the Council shall hold office for three years, two retiring each year in rotation, but shall be eligible for re-election. The Auditor/s or examiners shall be eligible for re-election. Any vacancy, occurring during the year, may be filled by the Council. Any member co-opted, or any member elected to a vacancy, shall be eligible for re¬election ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 9. The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in February in each year. At this meeting a report of the year’s proceedings, prepared by the Council shall be submitted, together with a Financial Statement by the Hon Treasurer up to 31st December previous, and duly audited. At this meeting fifteen shall be deemed to form a quorum. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING 10. A Special General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Council. A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Hon General Secretary within four weeks of receiving a requisition signed by 10 paid-up members of the Society of at least three years standing. At such a meeting 15 shall be deemed to form a quorum. Members of the Society shall be notified at least 14 days in advance of the date, time and place of a Special Meeting and of the business to be considered. DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY 11. The Society shall be dissolved only if a majority of the Council agrees that a motion to that effect be put to the Annual General Meeting or to a Special General Meeting of the members. The intention to put the motion and the reasons for the motion shall be circulated to all members of the Society not less than 14 days and not more than 30 days before the General Meeting. A form of postal ballot shall be included for members unable to attend the meeting. The motion shall be put by a member of the Council and shall be seconded by a member not being a member of the Council. The motion shall be deemed carried if the majority in favour is not less than two-thirds of the then current membership. The same procedure shall be followed if in the opinion of the Council a proportion of the cash assets of the Society should be distributed equally among the members entitled as below. In the event of the Society being dissolved, its assets, including those in the form of cash, bank deposits, building society shares and like investments, shall be realised and divided equally between those members of the Society, not being Honorary Members and who have been members for three consecutive full years previous to the date of dissolution or distribution of assets. The Council of the Society shall be empowered to waive the above eligibility requirement in the case of such Hon Members as it thinks fit. ALTERATIONS 12. This Constitution shall not be altered or added to except by the votes of a simple majority of members present at the Annual General or Special General Meeting convened for this purpose. Notice of the proposed alteration of, or addition to, this Constitution must be in the hands of the Hon General Secretary four weeks before the date of the Annual General or Special General Meeting and must be signed by the proposer and seconded.		This document is based on the original 1953 constitution and the amendments thereto passed at Annual General Meetings in 1980, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2002, 2009, 2011 and 2015.