1. Title

The Club shall be known as Stonehaven Art Club. 

2. Object

To encourage the practice and/or the appreciation of art in its pictorial sense.

3. Management

The Club’s affairs shall be managed by an elected committee consisting of President, Vice President, Treasurer, General Secretary, Minute Secretary, Membership Secretary, Events Coordinator, Publicity Coordinator and up to 4 Ordinary Committee members. These roles may be shared where required. Similarly, tasks within the roles may be delegated where required to support the running of the Club. The Committee reserve the right to co-opt any other members during the year as they may deem necessary. Each Committee member shall hold office for 2 years, when they will be eligible for re-election at the following AGM with the exception of the General Secretary and Treasurer whose term of office may be extended as long as they are re-elected annually.  The President will preside over all meetings of the Club and, in the absence of the President, the Vice President will do so. If neither is present the members attending will appoint a chairperson from their own numbers.

4. Membership

Membership will be open to residents of Stonehaven and the surrounding area ie Kincardine and Mearns. At the discretion of the Committee, membership may be offered to residents outwith this area but only if the numbers from outwith the area do not exceed 25% of the total membership of the Club. Members will be expected to take an active part in the Club by attending talks, demonstrations and associated activities.   Membership numbers will be reviewed annually at an AGM or at any Extra- Ordinary General Meeting.

Membership will run from AGM to next AGM. The annual Membership fee will be fixed by the Committee and intimated to members at the AGM. There will be no discount or pro rata arrangements. Membership is available to anyone aged 16+ years.

Honorary Membership

Members who have served the Club in an official capacity will be eligible for Honorary Life Membership. Honorary Life Membership will be offered at the discretion of the Committee to those members who feel that they can no longer actively participate in the Club. No fees will be due from such members who will not have voting rights or be able to exhibit but will be invited to all the Club’s activities.

5. Subscriptions

Membership fees, determined annually by the Committee, will be paid before 30 April following the AGM. An entry fee, reviewed annually, will be charged to non-members at talks, demonstrations and associated activities.

6. Annual General Meeting

The Club shall hold an AGM, chaired by the President, in the month of March each year on a date to be fixed by the Committee. At the AGM, fourteen members shall form a quorum.

At the AGM, members shall receive and approve:

a) A report from the President on the activities and exhibitions of the Club in the preceding year;

b) A report and Balance Sheet drawn up by the Treasurer and audited by an Official Auditor nominated for this purpose; and

c) A report by the Events Coordinator on future events.

At the AGM the following Office Bearers will be elected:

President, Vice President, Treasurer, General Secretary, Minute Secretary, Membership Secretary, Events Coordinator, Publicity Coordinator and up to 4 ordinary members. Should a vote be deemed necessary, this may be, at the discretion of the President, by a show of hands or by secret ballot. Where utilised, voting slips will be distributed to all attending members who each shall have one vote. In the event of a tie, the President will have the casting vote.

7. Activities

Talks and demonstrations may be arranged by the Committee and will be open to non-members on payment of an entry fee. Excursions to places of interest shall be arranged periodically and will be open to non-members.

A Summer Exhibition will be held annually and will be open to fully paid-up members of the Club to exhibit.

8.  Exhibition

Each year a Summer Exhibition will be held with, if so determined by the Committee, a “Preview Evening” for purchasers from the Sales Book of the preceding year’s Annual Exhibition and other invited guests.

The Committee, headed by the President, will be responsible for organising the Exhibition and have the power to:

a) Determine the hanging fees which will depend on the expenses involved;

b) Publish rules pertaining to the Exhibition;

c) Accept entries for the Exhibition only from persons who are members of the Club;

d) Restrict the number of entries per member in the event of there being too many entries to hang advantageously;

e) Reject entries from members who have not conformed to the Exhibition rules as published;

f) Reject any entry which is deemed to be a copy of another artist’s work;

g) Appoint a professional artist to help arrange the pictures on Hanging Day; and

h) Make arrangements for the sale of entries.

9. Equipment

Any equipment purchased by the Club will remain the property of the Club and will be housed safely by any member of the Committee or Club, as appropriate.  

10. Rules

The Committee, from time to time, may make such additional rules and regulations as it shall deem necessary for the proper management of the Club.  Such additional rules and regulations to be first passed at an Annual General Meeting, an extra-ordinary General Meeting or by circulation to members.

Revision to the Constitution shall only be passed at an Annual General Meeting or an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting of the Club.

11. Dissolution

If the Committee determines that it is necessary or appropriate that the club be dissolved, it shall convene a meeting of members giving not less than 21 days notice of the meeting and stating the terms of the proposed resolution. If the proposal by the Committee is confirmed by a two thirds majority of those present with voting rights, the Committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by or on behalf of the club. Any assets remaining after satisfaction of any debts or liabilities of the club shall be transferred to some other not-for-profit organisation or charitable bodies having similar objectives to those of the club, as determined by the members.

Amended Constitution Approved at AGM March 2024