1. Name
The Name of the Society shall be The Society of East Anglian Watercolourists (hereafter SEAW or the Society).
2. Objectives
The Objectives of the Society are:
i. To improve expertise in watercolour for members and non-members through workshops, painting days and other opportunities
ii. To bring together practising watercolour artists to socialise and share knowledge
iii. To provide exhibiting opportunities to watercolour artists in the region
3. Membership
i. SEAW is a membership society. Members shall live in, or be associated with, the Counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire and Essex.
ii. The Society shall have Full Members, Associate Members and Friends. Other membership categories, and the rules and fees associated with these levels of alliance with the Society may be set at the discretion of the Committee.
iii. All types of membership require an annual subscription which shall be reviewed every year by the SEAW Committee.
iv. Life members – The Committee, at its discretion, may elect from the Members and Associates of the Society, Patrons and Honorary Life Members, who will not pay a subscription and will not have voting rights.
v. Resignations from the Society should out of courtesy be notified in writing to the Honorary Treasurer.
vi. Members are responsible for keeping their payment details updated. Failure to do so may lead to cancellation of membership.
vii. The Committee can deny membership to any applicant, and can recommend the expulsion of any Member, but individuals in each case have the Right of Appeal to a General Meeting.
4. Officers
i. The management of the SEAW is entrusted to its Committee consisting of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer (known as Honorary Officers) and other Committee Members (known as Ordinary Officers) as may be desirable.
ii. The Committee can at its discretion have powers to co-opt further members for a period of one year but these members must retire or be confirmed at the next AGM.
iii. The Honorary Officers and Ordinary Committee Members shall be elected at an AGM and shall be confirmed annually at the AGM.
iv. There may be one or more Patrons and Honorary Members of the SEAW as advised by the SEAW Committee.
v. The Chair, Vice Chair, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer will hold office for three years and be eligible for re-election after three years if they are willing and Members vote in favour. These four post-holders shall take office immediately after the AGM at which they are elected.
vi. An ordinary Committee Member may hold office for five years but will not be eligible for re-election in the year following their term of office.
vii. If resignations reduce the number of Committee Members to fewer than four the deficiency may be made up by co-option.
viii. For the convenience of management, the Committee may elect sub-committees and delegate to them such powers, within the Constitution, as they see fit.
5. Management
i. Quorum – business shall be transacted at a Committee Meeting only when 50% of Committee Members are present.
ii. Chairing the Meeting – Unless s/he is unwilling to do so, the Chair shall preside at every meeting of the Committee at which s/he is present. If there is no Chair, the Vice-Chair shall preside and, failing that, the Committee Members present may appoint one of their number to chair the meeting.
iii. Questions or issues arising at a meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. In the case of equality of votes, the Chair shall have a second, casting vote.
iv. Minute taking – minutes shall be kept of all General and Committee Meetings and consist of a record of all persons present and an account of the proceedings of each meeting. If physically possible, such minutes shall be signed by the Chairman as sufficient evidence of the proceedings.
6. Exhibitions and Activities
i. The Society aims to have two or three annual Exhibitions at which all members have the right to submit work for exhibition. However, should circumstances outside of the Society’s control mean that some of those exhibitions are not able to be held in a gallery or other inside space, the Society will endeavour to find other ways for Members to showcase their work (e.g. online Exhibitions). Members may submit a specific number of paintings to each exhibition as published on the Society’s website and in the entry conditions for each exhibition.
i. Physical Exhibitions: It is the aim of the Society to showcase the work of Full and Associate Members and Friends whenever possible, located at different galleries and venues across the region. Additional guidance will be given on painting requirements and pricing for each exhibition.
ii. Online Exhibitions: If appropriate, feasible and desirable, each physical exhibition shall be accompanied by an online show for at least the duration of the physical exhibition. Additional guidance shall be given on pricing and delivery of work.
iii. Website and Social Media: The Society supports an active website with a growing bank of materials, workshops, a virtual studio, newsletters and identified support for Friends.
7. Selection
i. The selection of works for the Annual Selected Physical and online Exhibition shall be in the hands of a minimum of three external judges who are all distinguished representatives from the art world.
ii. The selection of non-members’ works for the Open Exhibitions shall be in the hands of a Selection Committee drawn from members of the SEAW Committee. In addition to artistic quality, this Selection Committee will also review and judge the quality of members’ submissions, including framing, mounting, pricing and suitability of content.
8. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
i. The Society’s year shall be the calendar year. AGMs shall take place once in every calendar year and no more than 15 months may elapse between such meetings. Twenty-eight clear days’ notice shall normally be given of Annual and other General Meetings. Time, place and general nature of the business must be given at the time of the Notice. A quorum for any General Meetings shall be ten voting members.
ii. No amendment to the Society’s constitution shall be made except at this meeting or by a properly constructed postal or electronic vote. Any proposal to amend the Constitution at the AGM must be communicated to members at least twenty one days prior to the meeting. Such amendments must be approved by at least two thirds of those present at the meeting and entitled to vote.
iii. If it is deemed necessary at other times the Committee may organise a postal and/or electronic vote. Members must be allowed one calendar month in which to return their vote, which must be approved by at least two thirds of the returning membership votes.
iv. Any proposal to amend the Constitution shall be sent so as to reach the Honorary Secretary no later than one calendar month before the date of the meeting and shall be communicated to members in the notice summoning the meeting. Amendments of any such proposal may be proposed at the meeting provided no fewer than two thirds of those present give permission.
v. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called at any time by the Committee or by a proportion of the membership (ten members).
9. Committee Meetings
i. Seven clear days’ notice shall normally be given for Committee Meetings which shall be held at least five times in each calendar year. A quorum shall consist of four Committee Members (excluding any non-voting member). Minutes must be kept in writing of all meetings and transactions of the SEAW. Any Member may inspect these minutes by contacting the Honorary Secretary.
ii. In order to promote the interests of the SEAW, but not for any other purpose, the SEAW may become involved in staging exhibitions, workshops, lectures and the like together with those financial operations and other similar lawful activities pursuant with the aims and aspirations of the Society.
10. Finance
i. The accounts shall be subject annually to independent examination by a suitably qualified person appointed by the Committee.
ii. In the absence of a Treasurer, the Committee will ensure that financial records are kept and reviewed by a qualified accountant or bookkeeper until a Treasurer is appointed.
iii. The Committee shall have power to fix the charges, if any, for admission and submission to Exhibitions, commission on sale of paintings, pricing of framed and unframed paintings and cards, workshops or any other charges incidental to the activities of the Society.
iv. The income of the Society and its property, whence so ever derived, shall be applied solely towards promotion of the objects of the Society as set forth in this Constitution, and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend or bonus to any member of the Society.
v. The SEAW shall hold public liability insurance.
11. Dissolution of the Society
i. Winding up the Society may only be agreed by a 66% majority vote at an AGM or EGM.
ii. After settlement of debts and sales of any assets any remaining funds will be distributed to other art groups or charities with aims in keeping with those of the Society.
Adopted at the AGM, 28th February 2021