Bylaws & Policies

Incorporated February 2, 1971 Under the Society Act of British Columbia Revised June 2014
  1. Membership shall be open to any individual or group that supports the purposes of the Society.
  2. There shall be four classes of membership: Student: Up to and including post secondary (1 vote per) Individual: Regular members (1 vote per) Family: Two or more members of the same family (1 vote) Group: Artistic group of unrelated members (1 vote)
  3. Membership shall be granted to any applicant who has applied for membership, paid the membership dues and been accepted by the Board.
  4. Each classification of membership is entitled to one vote. One individual may not represent more that one vote at any General Meeting.
  5. There shall be no voting by proxy.
  1. There shall be no initiation fee.
  2. Rates of annual dues for each class of membership shall remain in force until changed by the incoming Board at the First General Meeting following its election at the Annual General Meeting.
  3. Any changes to annual dues shall take effect on April 1st following the Annual General Meeting.
  4. Memberships expire on March 31st of the applicable fiscal year.
  5. Annual dues for each class of membership shall be paid in one of the following ways:

     

    I. On or before April 1st of the fiscal year for which they apply; II. For a three year period, on or before April 1st in advance; III. For a period of less than one year for first-time members only, on a pro- rated basis to be determined by the Board of Directors. As of April 1st , 2014, and for the period of January 1st to March 31st of each year, individuals who are becoming CVAC members for the first time or who are rejoining after a lapsed membership pay $15.00 (instead of $25.00); families who are becoming CVAC members for the first time or who are rejoining after a lapsed membership pay $35.00 (instead of $45.00); Groups who are becoming CVAC members for the first time or who are rejoining after a lapsed membership pay $35.00 (instead of $45.00) and students who are becoming CVAC members for the first time or who are rejoining after a lapsed membership pay $10.00 (instead of $15.00). f. There shall be no rebate of annual dues.
  1. Members shall be entitled to attend all General Meetings and to vote in accordance with 1.d on all matters providing they have been members in good standing for at least 30 days prior to the meeting at which they intend to vote.
  2. Members may speak to any question and are entitled to stand for office providing they have been members in good standing for at least 30 days prior to the meeting at which they wish to stand for office.
  1. A member may withdraw from membership any time by letter.
  2. The names of members who have failed to pay the annual dues in accordance with Section 2 shall be removed from the list of members.
  3. A member may be expelled for behaviour detrimental to the Society by Special Resolution of the members passed at a General Meeting or an Extraordinary Meeting.
  4. A Notice of Special Resolution for expulsion shall be accompanied by a brief statement of the reasons for the proposed expulsion.
  5. The person or organization who/which is the subject of the proposed expulsion shall be given an opportunity to be heard at the General Meeting before the Special Resolution is put to a vote.
  1. Directors, Officers and Associate Representatives must be in good standing of the Society.
  2. The Board of Directors shall not exceed 12 Directors including Executive Officers and up to 7 Directors at large.
  3. The Officers of the Society shall be the President, Vice-President, Past-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
  4. No Director shall be remunerated for being a Director, but a Director may be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily and reasonably incurred by him/her while engaged in the affairs of the Society.
  1. The Executive Officers of the Society shall be elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting.
  2. The term of office for Executive Officers of the Society shall be one year.
  3. The other Directors of the Society (to a maximum of 7) shall be elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting.
  4. The term of office for other Directors shall be two years.
  5. To provide stability to the Society, up to four of the other Directors shall be elected to two year terms each year.
  6. The Board may appoint Directors from the membership to fill vacancies on the Board.
  7. The Officers and Directors of the Society shall take office at the last order of business at the Annual General Meeting.
  8. The members, by Special Resolution, may remove a Director before the expiration of his/her term of office and may elect a successor to complete the term of office.
  1. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for formulating, evaluating and revising policies and programs of the Society.
  2. The President, Vice-President, Past-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall form the Executive Committee which shall be chaired by the President.
  3. The standing committees of the Society (Finance, Personnel, Programs and Advocacy) shall be chaired by members of the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors.
  4. The President or Past President shall Chair an Advisory Committee to the Board of Directors on issues related to arts and culture issues within the Regional District. The Advisory Committee shall be made up of one member from each of the Group members that wish to participate in the Committee.
  5. The President shall preside at meetings of the Board of Directors, General Meetings and the Annual General Meeting. He/she will provide support, guidance and supervision to the Officers and Directors of the Society. He/she shall be a member ex officio of all committees. In the case of equality of votes the President does not have a casting vote; rather the motion shall be tabled and referred to the appropriate committee.
  6. The Vice President shall assist the President and in the absence of the President will exercise all duties and possess all the powers of the President.
  7. The Past-President shall assist the Vice-President and in the prolonged absence of the Vice-President will exercise all duties and possess all powers of the Vice President, including exercising the duties of the President should the President also be on a prolonged absence
  8. The Secretary will ensure that: i. all books and records of the Society, past and present, are kept in safe custody; ii. that correspondence is carried out and that the records of membership, by class of membership, are kept up to date; and iii. that a correct record of proceedings of all meetings of the Society and its Board of Directors is maintained.
  9. The Treasurer will ensure that: i. there is proper receipt and disbursement of all funds of the Society; ii. all funds are deposited in a chartered bank that is in good standing in Canada or a trust company or credit union that is registered in British Columbia and in good standing under the Financial Institutions Act.; iii. all financial institution signing authorities are valid and up to date; iv. an accurate record of all receipts and disbursements is kept; ensuring that the annual budget, financial statements, requests for grants and other fund raising proposals are prepared; and v. financial statements for the preceding Fiscal Year at each Annual General Meeting together with the Budget for the coming year.
  10. Directors may be expelled from the Board of Directors by a majority vote of the Board if they miss three (3) consecutive meetings without good reason or otherwise are inactive members of the Board.
  11. Voters at the AGM may agree to waive an audit or appoint a finance committee consisting of three (3) members of the Society but must ensure an independent Review Engagement Report is undertaken for the previous Fiscal Year.
  1. The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held within 90 days
  2. following the Fiscal Year End.
  3. The Fiscal Year End of the Society shall be March 31.
  4. At least 30 days notice shall be given of the Annual General Meeting in a manner agreed to by the members, and specifying the time and place of the meeting.
  5. The Annual General Meeting shall be held each calendar year.
  6. Other meetings of the general membership shall be held at the discretion of the
  7. Board.
  8. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held monthly to carry on the affairs of the Society.
  9. No Business shall be transacted at any meeting of the Board of Directors unless a quorum is present. A quorum shall be fifty per cent of the Directors.
  10. Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the recognized rules of parliamentary procedure for the Society’s meetings.
  1. All funds obtained by the Society with the exception of the Gaming Account shall be considered general funds of the Society and subject to the accounting procedures approved by the Board of Directors.
  2. All funds expended by the Society shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors and to the accounting procedures approved by the Board.
  3. The Executive Officers shall be signing officers. Any two of them are required to sign cheques and other financial documents.
  4. Upon application to the Board of Directors, all books, accounts and records of the Society shall be open for inspection by the membership of the Society that are in good standing. No provision has been made for borrowing.
  1. On being admitted to membership, each member will be advised that the Constitution and Bylaws are posted on the Society’s web-site.
  2. Any member who indicates that he or she wishes to receive a paper copy of the Constitution and Bylaws is entitled to one and the Society shall provide a copy to each member who requests a copy, at a charge of not more than one dollar.
  3. The Constitution and Bylaws of the Society shall not be altered or added t o except by Special Resolution at an Annual General meeting or a Special Meeting of the Society. A Special Resolution shall mean a resolution passed by a 3⁄4 majority of members who are entitled to vote and are present in person at such a meeting.
  4. A request to change the Constitution or Bylaws may be made at any time if 10 percent or more of the members in good standing submit a letter to the Secretary with a statement of suggested changes. If such a letter is submitted, the Board is required to call and Extraordinary Meeting and mail a copy of the Special Resolution to all members in good standing with at least 14 days notice.

Policies

The artist (or artists) who created and submitted the art pieces for sale through the Cowichan Valley Arts Council (CVAC) exhibits is the owner of the art piece. The role of CVAC is to assist the artist in marketing and selling their art pieces(s) through the various exhibits held each year. For this, CVAC may receive an initial submission fee (for some exhibits) and a commission from the sale of the work if the art piece is sold. An art piece is deemed to be sold by the artist to a purchaser when full payment from the purchaser for the art piece is received by CVAC on behalf of the artist.

 

Holds Holds of art pieces are accepted during the exhibit but are limited to one hold per person at a time for a length of 12 hours during show times. Credit card information will be required as a guarantee to hold the art piece.  Consecutive holds by the same prospective purchaser are not permitted Wait lists will be established for pieces designated as “on hold”. Delivery All packaging and delivery costs, including insurance costs in the case of commercially couriered package, are the responsibility of the purchaser. CVAC may assist the artist in ensuring that the art piece is delivered to the purchaser by arranging on the following delivery options:

  • Pick up by the purchaser from the Gallery.
  • Delivery by the artist of the art work to the purchaser.
  • Artist to arrange with the purchaser to pick up the art work from the artists’ studio or home.
  • UPS commercial courier service.

CVAC may refund an art purchase if: the purchaser requests a refund within 21 days of purchase & if the artwork is in pristine condition. CVAC will not assume any costs associated with the return such as shipping. CVAC will deduct 10% from the refund to cover bank & payment processing fees.

By accessing and using the website, you agree to be bound by all the Terms of Use set forth herein. This website is owned and operated by CVAC. Any and all content, data, graphics, photographs, images, audio, video, software, systems, processes, trademarks, service marks, trade names and other information (collectively, the “Content”) contained in this website are proprietary to CVAC, its affiliates and/or third-party licensees. The Content is protected by Canadian copyright, trademark and other intellectual property laws. You may NOT modify, copy, reproduce, publish, post, transmit, distribute, display, perform, create derivative works from, transfer or sell any Content without the express prior written consent of CVAC. You may view and browse this website and to print individual pages from this website for your own personal, non-commercial use. Reproduction of multiple copies of the Content, in whole or in part, for resale or distribution is strictly prohibited. Although we strive to update and keep accurate as much as possible the Content contained on the Website, errors and/or omissions may occur and we cannot guarantee it is accurate and complete at all times. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless CVAC, its affiliates, members, officers, employees, agents, and licensees from and against any and all losses, expenses, damages, claims, fines, penalties, costs and liabilities (including reasonable legal and accounting fees), resulting from your use of this website. 

October 2019 In the CVAC mission statement “The purpose of the Cowichan Valley Arts Council is to enrich community through the lens of arts and culture,” community is meant to be inclusive of the whole area, reaching people of all ages, income levels, ethnicities and skill levels and including women and the disabled and LGBTQ2S+ communities.

Diversity is represented in two dimensions. One is diversity in the composition of CVAC members and visitors. The other is diversity in art genres that CVAC supports for presentation. To ensure that all CVAC’s shows and activities meet this standard of diversity and inclusion, the following approaches must be considered: Board composition When recruiting new board members, CVAC will aim to mirror the community and will consider the board’s diversity in age, gender, ethnicity, skills and network of influence.

Diversity in board recruitment is one of the top priorities. Existing board directors must go beyond their usual personal networks and use nontraditional means of recruitment. Incorporate diversity and inclusion into CVAC’s core organizational values.

Exhibitions Explore the potential of the new genres of art and their appeal to people who don’t usually come to see CVAC shows as well as those who don’t usually go to any art shows. When deciding on shows, diversity and inclusion should be part of the decision-making process. Create a diversity committee to make recommendations on new projects, and to connect with experts to update knowledge and skills in diversity and inclusion.

Pursue alignment/cooperation with local non-profit organizations which have expertise in diversity and inclusion (e.g. Cowichan Intercultural Society, the House of Friendship, Island Health). CVAC could lead diversity inclusion through art. Cooperating organizations will be able to educate CVAC and provide skills and tools to enhance our leadership.

Jurors and show coordinators When CVAC hires jurors for shows that include diverse art genres and participating artists from different backgrounds, CVAC will carefully consider the composition of the jury panel so that the group can provide rigorous critiques and ratings on diverse art works. CVAC diversity policy will also provide guidance on the choice of show coordinators.

The Galleries will be closed at the following times:

  1. For two weeks in the summer for maintenance of the gallery space;
  2. For two weeks over Christmas and New Years.
  3. For a snow day if the SD# 79 closes the schools; and
  4. Statutory Holidays when the Community Centre is closed to the public.

These closures will be posted on the Newsletter to the extent possible.

CVAC will post a call to Artists in the Newsletter when the Annex is available for a SAW show.  A maximum of five (5) artists of any medium, will share a portion of wall space in the Annex for two (2) weeks duration at a cost of $75.00 each, payable in full upon registration.  A 20% commission on sales is payable to CVAC. The Managing Director will keep a list of interested artists to contact when a SAW show is planned.  Preference will be given to new applicants.

Cancellation Policies

CVAC reserves the right to cancel any class which does not meet a minimum enrollment. In the event of class cancellation, students will be notified by phone and/or email. If a class is cancelled by CVAC a full refund will be given.

Withdrawal from classes, camps and workshops is permitted up to five business days prior to the start of the class. All refunds are subject to an administration fee of 20% of the class fee or $10 (whichever is greater). Students cancelling fewer than five business days before the start of class will not receive a refund (exemptions made for medical reasons accompanied by a doctor’s note.) CVAC is not responsible for classes missed by the student. Missed classes cannot be transferred, made-up, or carried to other

Provided that there is still space in a class, registration is accepted after the first class has already taken place. Tuition will be pro-rated to reflect classes missed.

No refunds or exchanges on event tickets. Event tickets are transferable to another attendee or guest if you cannot attend (unless otherwise stated).  

We collect the ticket holder name and phone number and/or email address at the time of purchase. CVAC will contact ticket holders as soon as possible to give them updates on event changes. If you cannot attend the new date, you will be refunded upon request only. If CVAC cancels an event, ticket purchasers will be fully refunded by purchase method.

Art Display Policies

Basic requirements for all art shows

Only original art that is your own idea, composition and image.  It cannot be a direct copy of a photograph unless you took the photo yourself; it cannot be a copy of another artists’s creative work or an image from a publication or the Internet. Artists’ work must be culturally appropriate in its content with images that the artist is authorized to use. CVAC reserves the right to disallow entries that are deemed offensive, or promote hate. Eligibility of any artwork is up to the discretion of CVAC

All art works must be framed or suitably prepared for hanging. No clip frames allowed. Metal wire securely attached to the sides of the back of frame (see video under Resources on CVAC website) Frames and matting must be clean and in good condition. Works on canvas cradles do not require frames but must be wired Wrapped canvases must be painted on the sides with no staples showing. Oil paintings must be dry and odour free.

Art that is delivered past the deadline will not be hung in member shows or the Fine Arts Show.

The artist’s own show inventory must be composed of no more than 50% reproductions including giclees, photocopies, etc. Hand-pulled prints by printmakers are not considered reproductions. Artists can display cards and unframed prints in a folder for sale. The age of the art does not matter but it must not have been shown at CVAC in the past two years.