Policy Manual

(Updated 2004)

BY-LAWS:

STEERING COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES: A minimum of five (5) representatives shall be elected to the Steering Committee annually at the General Meeting. Representatives shall be elected or removed by a quorum.
QUORUM: A quorum will be constituted by 40% of the membership.

A quorum is required to elect or remove officers and to make policy decision.

*Policy decisions, which affect the entire membership, are made by a vote of membership. Operational decisions, consisting of logistical decisions and semi-permanent policy decisions, are made by a vote of the elected Steering Committee.

MEMBERSHIP:

NEW MEMBERS: New members will be invited to join Windham Art Gallery after review of submitted work and biographical information by the Steering Committee, to which other Gallery members are invited.

CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP: The categories of membership are set by a vote of the membership of the Gallery; current categories, with cost and responsibilities are found in the files in the sitting desk.

SCHOLARSHIP

The Norm Krampetz Scholarship will be awarded each September at the General Meeting. Application is open to all WAG members in good standing for at least one year. A full membership is awarded for innovative work. One scholarship will be issued each year; extra scholarship funds will be put toward extra sitting for the Gallery. The Steering Committee will review all applications and will select the recipient. A donation box in the gallery generates scholarship funds.

DUES

ANNUAL DUES shall be billed each August and payment must be received in full by September 1st, OR a payment plan must be arranged with the gallery coordinator: $50 deposit is due by September 1st by members that cannot pay in full in one payment. The membership year runs from September 1st to August 31st.
MEMBERSHIP WITHDRAWAL: If a member chooses to withdraw membership after paying the yearly dues, said dues are non-refundable.
OVERDUE FEES: As of January 1, 2004, a member of WAG who is not current with annual dues, missed sitting fines, or show fees may not participate in future shows until these obligations are paid in full. Show fees MUST accompany works that are delivered for hanging. Curators must communicate with the Gallery Coordinator to determine whether or not artists are eligible to participate in the show; if they are not, the curator reserves the right to refuse work. Any outstanding fees will be removed from commissions as they come in, in the future.

MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

COMMITTEES: All members will serve on at least one committee, doing a minimum of two hours of work a month. Those in the special membership categories and those doing double sitting each month are exempt from this requirement.
GALLERY SITTING: All members, except those in the special membership categories are required to do two and one half hours of gallery sitting each month. Members scheduled to sit who do not show up and do not make arrangements to cover their time slot will be fined $16.50 for each missed sitting.
MEETINGS: All members are expected to attend all quarterly membership meetings. If members are unable to attend meetings, they must arrange with the coordinator ahead of time to sit in lieu of attending, pay the missed sit fine, or do other committee work. Additional meetings include Artist Forums, individual show meetings, and committee meetings.
ARTIST’S FILE: All members are responsible for keeping biographical information, digital images, and photographs in the 3-ring binders at the desk up to date and complete. The gallery will provide supplies; artists must provide information and images (no slides).
FUNDRAISING: All members must participate in fundraising activities for the gallery.
ANNUAL SALON SHOWS: All members are expected to participate in the Salon Shows. The fee for these shows will be due even if no work is submitted. Salon Shows are announced well in advance at General Meetings; they usually occur in December.

EXHIBITS

SMALL WORKS GALLERY: Each active member may exhibit one or two small works not to exceed 24” in any direction, framed, in the Small Gallery free of charge. This work may be taken at the time of sale; artists are encouraged to replace purchased work, as well as to change the work shown periodically. Additional work, shrink-wrapped, may be exhibited in the bins in the Small Works Gallery.

EXHIBITING:

ELIGIBILITY: Any artist may exhibit in open shows as long as dues and fines are paid in full, a payment schedule has been arranged, or artist is recipient of the Krampetz Scholarship. The Coordinator is responsible for informing curators of members who owe payments. Non-members may show on an invitational basis, once a year, and must pay an additional $25 beyond the show fee. The Coordinator enforces this policy.
SCHEDULE: The schedule of shows for the gallery, their dates and themes, shall be set by the membership at the Quarterly meetings. A Curator shall be designated for each show from the membership. New members are asked to curate during the first year of their membership – they should be trained by co-curating at least one show with an experienced member; then they may move on to curate shows by themselves.
TYPES OF SHOWS: The membership determines shows at quarterly meetings. All members are encouraged to curate shows, and new members are encouraged to co-curate to become familiar with the procedure.
CONTENT OF SHOWS: The content of the show, within the theme set by the membership, shall be determined by the curator, in conjunction with the participants of the show. This shall include setting the general size and number of pieces for each exhibitor, the general relationship of the work to the theme and its presentation. The Curator shall work with the head of the Hanging Committee to determine the physical presentation of the show and the inclusion of specific pieces in the show. In cases of disagreement, the decision of the Curator is final.
SALES: Works sold in a show will be available to the buyer at the end of that show; only when a sale will very clearly be lost may a work be removed before the end of the show and the artist will be asked to replace the work at once. Work in the Salon shows and from the Small Works Gallery may be taken from the wall at time of purchase and shall be replaced by the artist and hung by the Curator. Members in good standing and active volunteers may purchase other member’s artwork at a 10% discount (the 10% is taken off of the Gallery commission). Work exhibited in the Gallery and sold afterwards because it was seen in the Gallery is subject to the Gallery’s 30% commission, if the purchase is arranged within 6 months of exhibiting.
SHOW LOGISTICS: Each exhibiting artist is responsible for delivery of their work at the time designated by the Curator and the Hanging Committee. They are also responsible for pick-up of work at the conclusion of the show. Work left after the show has closed will be stored at the artist’s risk. After a period of 3 months, the work will be considered the property of the Gallery unless special arrangements have been made. At that time the work may be sold, given away, or destroyed. Curators will give each participating artist a reasonable number of show cards for their own use; the excess after mailing will be used for distribution in the Gallery. The Gallery will provide funding toward refreshments for each opening reception; participating artists are encouraged to provide additional food if desired. Specific directions for exhibiting artwork are given in the Curator’s Manual, which is located in a black binder in the top left drawer of the sitting desk.
MISCELLANEOUS EXHIBITING POLICIES: Compensation for minor frame, glass, and artwork damage occurring during the hanging of a show or during exhibiting will be covered from Gallery funds, with proof of damage (pictures, witnesses, etc.). Artists are responsible for insuring their work against major damage or theft. Photography of hung work is not permitted.

OPERATING POLICIES

EXPENSES; Members will be reimbursed for small legitimate Gallery expenses such as office supplies or paper goods. A bill should be submitted to the Bookkeeper, using the reimbursement forms located in the Gallery office. Large expenses must have the prior approval of the Steering Committee (>$50).
RENTAL OF SPACE: Windham Art Gallery space may be rented for outside events through the Windham Arts Council in coordination with the Windham Art Gallery. The gallery will charge $25/event, and $50 if the event lasts longer than four hours. A member must be present at each outside event that the gallery hosts.
BRATTLEBORO GALLERY WALK: The Windham Art Gallery is a participant in the Gallery Walk, which occurs on the first Friday of every month, in conjunction with the Windham Art Gallery opening. Dues are paid twice a year to the Gallery Walk Organization.
WINDOW DISPLAYS: Posters in the windows are permitted only at the curator’s discretion. Any other displays on or in the windows are at the discretion of the curators.
USE OF WAG MAILING LISTS: Requests for use of the Gallery mailing list by non-gallery members must be submitted to the Steering Committee and will be decided on a case-by-case basis.
GALLERY HOURS: The gallery will not be open on federal or major holidays.

PERSONNEL POLICIES

Windham Art gallery is an equal opportunity employer; hiring is done without discrimination based on race, sex or age.

HIRING: If the Windham Art Gallery intends to hire paid personnel, the Steering Committee will make a recommendation to the quarterly General giving a job description, the approximate number of hours needed, and the approximate cost. The Steering Committee retains the right to release or replace an employee or cancel a job when necessary, and is responsible for reporting changes to the membership.