McDuffie Arts Council

Background
McDuffie County is a community rich in tradition, history, and culture and is proud to support the arts.  The McDuffie Arts Council began as the Thomson Arts Council and was born from the positive response of local patrons attending a Thomson-McDuffie County Chamber of Commerce event called the “Taste of Thomson”.  The goal of the event was to develop a collection of works from local artists for display.   After the event’s success, the local artisans who were involved desired an organization with the intent of promoting the area’s visual artists and their craft.  Through the efforts of a small group of artists, the art initiative grew and the community’s response has been favorable.  The Thomson-McDuffie Chamber of Commerce supports continued growth of the arts and cultural development services and has found it desirable to promote the establishment of the McDuffie Arts Council (MAC).

To that end, the chairperson of the Thomson-McDuffie Chamber of Commerce has recommended the establishment of the McDuffie Arts Council to contribute to the quality of life, promote civic pride, inspire, and educate by integrating arts and culture into the life of McDuffie County.

Purpose
The McDuffie Arts Council has been formed with the general purpose of providing a forum to foster public awareness through artistic endeavors, promote the value of public art, gain exposure for the local artists, display art in public places and oversee an annual county-wide art exhibition.

Membership
The Council shall consist of at least one member of the Thomson-McDuffie County Chamber of Commerce, and the remaining members shall be made up of the McDuffie County area at large.  The McDuffie County area shall include any county adjacent to McDuffie County including Columbia, Richmond, Wilkes, Warren, Jefferson and Lincoln Counties.

Term of Membership
The term of Council members shall be one (1) year.  Said term shall begin as of January 1 of the new year.  Members shall serve their term until expiration or termination either voluntary or consensual.

Responsibilities
A member shall be expected to attend and participate in regular and special meetings of the Council and to participate in events sanctioned by the Council.  Artist/Teacher members shall be required to participate in at least one (1) exhibition or program of the Council per year.  Artist/Teacher members must attend a minimum of four (4) regular meetings per year.  Such member’s status shall be deemed inactive and such member’s term shall be deemed terminated unless the Council has granted a leave of absence.  No membership fees, dues or gifts to the Council shall be refunded should a member’s status be deemed inactive.

Levels of Membership
The McDuffie Arts Council’s main focus shall be on the promotion of the artist, but will require several levels of support members. 

A.    Artist/Teacher Membership: This member shall be defined as a practicing artist of the visual or perfoming arts, crafting any type of media or Teachers of Art within the public or private sector.  Artist/Teacher members shall be required to participate in a minimum of one (1) exhibition sanctioned by the Council per year and are required to attend a minimum of four (4) regular or special meetings of the Council.   The Artist/Teacher member shall vote on matters that concern the operation of the Council.  The per-annum fee for this level of membership shall be $25 dollars.
B.    Student Membership:  This member shall be defined as a person under the age of eighteen (18) or a full-time student, with  an active interest in the arts.  The Student Member’s role shall require the same participation as Artist/Teacher members.  The Student Member shall be excluded from votes that affect the operation of the Council, but may present motions to be voted on by the Artist/Teacher membership. The per-annum fee for this level of membership shall be complimentary.
C.    Patron/Supporter:  This member shall be defined as a non-artist participant who has an active interest in the arts.  The Patron/Supporter of the Council may participate as a Support member of the Council in all exhibitions or regular meetings of the Council.  The per-annum fee for this level of membership shall be $50 dollars.  The Patron/Supporter shall be excluded from votes that affect the operation of the Council, but may present motions to be voted on by the Artist/Teacher membership.
D.    Non-Profit Organization Membership:  This member shall be defined as arts, civic, government or other not-for-profit group that has an active interest in the arts. The Non-Profit Organization membership shall represent one (1) membership to the Council’s roll.  The individual members of said organization shall not be considered members of MAC but are encouraged to join in an alternate membership capacity.  The Non-Profit Organization membership may, if allowed by consensus of the Council, join in certain events of MAC.  The Non-Profit Organization Membership will have its website and/or contact information listed on the McDuffie Arts Council Website. The per-annum fee for this level of membership shall be $75 dollars.  The Non-Profit Organization Membership shall be excluded from votes that affect the operation of the Council.
E.    Out-Of-Area Artist Membership:  This member shall be defined as an artist who lives outside McDuffie County or its adjacent counties.  The Out-of-Area Artist member may participate in and have complimentary space provided at exhibitions or events of MAC, if allowed by consensus of the Council.   The Out-Of-Area Artist members will have their website and/or contact information listed on the McDuffie Arts Council Website and/or publications of the Council.  The per-annum membership fee for this level of membership shall be $75 dollars.  The Out-Of-Area Artist members shall be excluded from votes that affect the operation of the Council.
F.    Business Supporter Membership:  This member shall be defined as a financial supporter of the Council that has an active interest in the arts.  The Business Supporter member will have its official logo, slogan or contact information listed on the McDuffie Arts Council website and/or publications of the Council.  The Business Supporter’s logo, slogan or contact information may also be displayed at exhibits or events sanctioned by MAC.  The per-annum fee for this level of membership shall be $100 dollars.  The Business Supporter Membership shall be excluded from votes that affect the operation of the Council.
G.    Benefactor:  This member shall be defined as a financial supporter of the Council who has an active interest in the arts.  The Benefactor Member shall, if desired, be listed on the McDuffie Arts Council website as a Benefactor level supporter.  The Benefactor will be admitted to any exhibition, event or meeting of MAC.   The Benefactor member shall receive complimentary admission to any exhibition or event sanctioned by the Council. The per-annum fee for this level of membership shall be $125 dollars. 

Officers
There shall be a Chairman, Secretary/Treasurer and Student Chairman of the Council.  All officers shall be elected by the Council from the voting membership.  Election of officers will take place in November.

Duties of Officers
A.    Chairman:  The chairman shall preside at all Council meetings; appoint committees with the advice and the consent of the Council, sign all resolutions and non-contractual documents required to be executed on behalf of the Council, and perform such other duties as prescribed by the Council.  The chairman may appoint individual members to execute actions on behalf of the Council.
B.     Secretary:  The secretary shall prepare minutes of all meetings of the Council’s operations and shall be responsible for reporting said minutes to the Council.  The secretary shall be responsible for administrative duties at each meeting or event sanctioned by the Council, including but not limited to, taking a roll of members present.  The secretary shall be responsible for keeping a member roster with all contact information.
C.    Treasurer:  The treasurer shall maintain records of all funds received and expenditures made for the Council.  The treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining all checking accounts belonging to the Council.  The treasurer shall be responsible for the endorsing of official Council checks, deposits, withdrawals, or other bank documents or instruments.  The Treasurer shall prepare a year-to-date report of income and expenditures of the Council, to be presented to the general membership at each regular meeting of the Council.  Oversight of the Council financial records will be by the membership at large.  The treasurer must present Council financial information whenever requested in a timely fashion.  The treasurer position may be combined with the secretary’s position at the discretion of the chairman. 
D.    Student Chairman:  The student chairman shall oversee the student membership and the Council at large. One student member shall be appointed/elected to represent the student membership at large.  This representative will be chairman of the student membership and will have one vote on matters that concern the operation of the Council.

Meetings
All meetings of the Council and its sub-committees shall be open to the public and shall be conducted in accordance with the GFAF Open Meetings Act and may be amended from time to time.
A.    Regular Meetings: There shall be regularly scheduled monthly meetings of the Council.  The Council shall set the schedule of meetings at the first regular meeting of the fiscal year and the schedule shall be published to all the required persons.
B.    Special or Emergency Meetings:  The chairman may call special or emergency meetings of the Council on his or her own initiative or request of one third (1/3) of the Council membership at large.  Notice of special meetings shall be given at least two business days prior to such meetings to each voting Council member.  Notice shall be given to Council members with as much lead time as possible.  Business conducted at a special or emergency meeting shall be limited to those items specified in the noted agenda for said meeting(s).
C.    Place:  All meetings of the Council shall be held in a meeting location designated by the Council.
D.    Order of Business

1.    Call to Order
2.    Roll Call of Members
3.    Approval of Minutes
4.    Reports to Council
5.    Public Participation
6.    Old Business
7.    New Business
8.    Member Comments, Miscellaneous Business and Announcements
9.    Adjournment

 

The Chairman may appoint, with the consent of the Council, any committees deemed appropriate.

Voting Requirements
A.    Artist/Teacher member is entitled to one (1) vote on all matters before the Council as a motion.  The vote must be cast by the member, who must be in attendance at a duly-appointed, legally-called meeting of the Council.  No proxy votes or absentee voting shall be permitted.  The chairman may decide to accept absentee or proxy votes when deemed necessary.
B.    The concurrence of a majority of the total Artist/Teacher membership is necessary for the passage of any motion incurring any financial obligation. Votes cast on motions of the Council incurring financial obligations shall be by roll call.  Any voting member may request a roll call vote on issues concerning the Council.  All other actions of the Council shall require a majority of the Artist/Teacher membership present.
C.    A vote on a motion to reconsider may be made at any time prior to the adjournment of the meeting at which the original motion was voted upon.  A motion for the reconsideration must be made by a Council member who voted on the prevailing side of the original motion.
D.    Motions shall only be recognized if seconded by a voting member.

Rules of Order
The chairman shall preside at all Council meetings, preserve decorum, and conduct said meetings in an orderly fashion.  The chairman may speak to points of order and shall decide all questions of procedure.  The chairman shall vote in case of a tie and may vote on any matter before the Council. 

Conflict of Interest
No Council member who has an individual, financial, or other material interest in any matter coming before the Council shall participate in the deliberation or voting in such matters.  It shall be the responsibility of the member who recognizes that they may have such an interest to publicly state, recuse themselves from the debate and vote, and remove themselves from the room during such deliberations and vote of the Council.

Duration
The Council shall continue to exist in perpetuity or until such time as the voting membership terminates, by majority vote, the existence of the Council.

Amendment
These Bylaws may be amended by Resolution of the Council and a majority of those voting at a regular or special meeting thereof, provided that such changes are provided to the Council voting members at least fifteen days (15) prior to the meeting at which such amendment vote shall be taken.

Effective Date
These Bylaws shall become effective upon approval of the Council.  Any further amendments to these Bylaws shall take effect immediately upon ratification and approval of the Council.


Approved:    December 4, 2008