CONSTITUTION
(updated 2025)

1. NAME 

The name of the Society shall be “THE CONSTANTIABERG ART SOCIETY” hereinafter referred to as 
“CAS”. 

2. OBJECTIVES 

a) To encourage, assist and further enlighten those who are actively engaged in the pursuit of art; 
b) To offer facilities for members to display their work to the general public by means of annual 
exhibitions; 
c) To create, by the holding of meetings, an environment conducive to open discussion and social 
intercourse between people with a common interest in art; 
d) To provide help and stimulation to those who have not yet begun or have only recently started to 
learn the art of drawing, painting and other facets of the arts by providing: 
i. A library with relevant content for members 
ii. A newsletter, to keep members informed on upcoming events 
iii. Creating challenges to allow artists to broaden their scope 
e) To provide a platform, through social media and a website, promoting CAS, its members and its 
members’ art, where possible. 

3. ART SUPPORTED BY CAS 

There is no definitive definition of art. CAS, however, supports and encourages: 

a) Artwork that is handmade or artwork that is predominantly handmade.
b) Artwork that is created in physical media, i.e. not digital paintings, photography, prints of original 
artwork, photocopies or other work created by electronic means. 
c) Media we encourage for 2D art are paints, pastel, dyes, pencil, pen etc. Experimental and mixed 
techniques are always encouraged, as long as the work predominantly uses the media we 
encourage or similar.
d) 3D art is also encouraged, although size may be restricted, simply due to accommodation of the 
artwork at exhibitions.
e) Homecrafts, functional items and calligraphy do not form part of the scope of artwork supported by 
CAS. 

Where the above definition of art supported by CAS is in dispute, the Committee’s decision is final and no 
correspondence will be entered into. 

4. DEFINITIONS 

a) The Financial Year of CAS shall be from the 1st August to the 31st July. The Financial Year End
will be 31 July. 
b) Due Notice shall be seven days and shall specify the date, time and venue of a meeting.
c) Quorum 
i. The quorum at an Annual General Meeting shall be a minimum of 20 members. 
ii. The quorum of a Committee meeting shall be 50% of the committee members. 
iii. In the absence of a quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned and a new meeting set up, 
taking into account due notice. Any members attending this new meeting shall constitute a 
quorum. 

5. MEMBERSHIP and SUBSCRIPTIONS 

Membership of CAS shall be open to all individuals over the age of 16, and classified as follows: 
a) Ordinary Members - with full rights, who pay an annual subscription; 
i. The amount of the subscription shall be set and communicated by the Committee within 
due notice of the year end and shall become due on the first day of the new financial year
ii. Members who have not paid their subscription by one month after the financial year end shall 
be deemed to have resigned
b) Family members – with the same rights as ordinary members but who pay fees as follows: 
i. Primary member pays 100% of Ordinary Member fees 
ii. Second household member pays 50% of Ordinary Member fees 
iii. Any further household member pays 25% of Ordinary Member fees 
and 
c) Honorary Members - elected by the Committee for outstanding service to CAS. 
i. The Committee’s criteria for granting Honorary Membership to members shall be reviewed 
and minuted annually by the Committee. 
ii. Honorary Members shall be entitled to free membership for a period specified by the 
Committee. 

New members, members reapplying for membership and members who have not paid their subscription by 
the due date above will be liable for an application fee. This application fee will be set and communicated 
by the Committee. 

The Committee has the right to reduce or waive the fees of certain members. The Committee has the power to refuse admission to membership. The Committee’s decision is final. 

6. COMMITTEE 

a) The control of CAS shall be vested in a Committee elected annually at the Annual General Meeting 
for a period of one year and shall comprise a minimum of eight or a maximum of 12 members. 
b) The general functions of the Committee shall be: 
i. To administer, manage and control all the affairs of CAS in accordance with the objectives 
of CAS
ii. To keep proper books and accounts of the financial transactions of CAS which shall be 
available to the Committee at all times, and to have CAS’s accounts reviewed annually by 
a registered Accountant or other suitable qualified person, should this be requested
iii. To open and operate accounts with Banks or other Financial Institutions and make 
provision for two or more signatories approved by all members of the Committee for any 
withdrawal of money from these accounts. Any two of the signatories will be required to 
conduct bank business
iv. To elect sub-Committees from members of CAS for specific activities, but the Committee 
shall retain the overall direction and control of such activities 
v. To ensure vacancies on the Committee, for the balance of the year, shall be filled by 
consent of the Committee from members of CAS, by co-option. 
c) Committee members should endeavour to serve for a maximum of four continuous years within the 
same portfolio, to ensure new ideas and energy. 
d) At its first meeting of each year, the Committee shall elect from their number - 
i. a Chairperson
ii. Vice-Chairperson
iii. Secretary 
iv. Treasurer
e) The Committee shall meet once a month, excluding January, unless urgent business requires a 
January meeting. Any member of the Committee who does not attend three consecutive meetings 
without leave of absence shall automatically cease to be a member of the Committee. 
f) CAS is a separate legal entity, and as such, is independent of its members or the Committee. The 
Committee, however, has the right to establish or defend any legal matter or act, or complete any 
legal documents in the name of CAS. 
i. The Committee may investigate any cases of members’ alleged misconduct or bringing the 
name of CAS into disrepute. Should said member be found guilty, the Committee has the 
power to remove their membership. 
ii. Any dispute between CAS and any member, or any other organisation may be resolved 
through arbitration. The arbitrator should be a suitably qualified attorney with a minimum 
of five years' experience. 

7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 

a) The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held as soon as possible after CAS’s year end. 
b) Due notice must be given prior to the Meeting and shall include: 
i. the Agenda
ii. the Accounts of the previous year
iii. the previous AGM minutes
iv. any changes to the Constitution, and 
v. the nomination Forms for the nomination of the new Committee members. 
c) The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be: 
i. To present the reviewed Accounts of the previous financial year to members 
ii. Adoption of the Chairman’s Annual Report and reviewed Accounts 
iii. Ratifying of any amendment or addition to the Constitution as approved by the Committee
providing notice of such has been included on the Agenda sent to all members
iv. Election of a Committee for the ensuing year
v. Any other business at the discretion of the Chairperson. 

8. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING 

A special meeting may be called for at any time: 

a) by 10 members of CAS, to discuss a particular subject
b) by giving one month’s notice in writing to the Secretary, stating the matter which they wish to 
discuss. 

The Committee shall then arrange a meeting, giving due notice to the members of CAS. 

9. EXHIBITIONS 

CAS endeavours to hold at least one exhibition of members’ art a year. The rules for each exhibition will be 
published with notice of that exhibition. Rules applicable to all exhibitions are: 

a) A member may not exhibit under the name of CAS without express permission from CAS 
b) All work must be the member’s own, original work: 
i. No copying of pictures, photographs, TV, Internet, old masters, and the work of living or deceased artists 
allowed. 
ii. Only photographs or source material that you have taken or set up by a member can be 
used as a reference unless written permission is obtained and a copy attached to the 
painting. 
iii. No paintings of famous people e.g. Nelson Mandela.
iv. No work that has been done in an art class with input from the art teacher.

Copyright infringements and plagiarism violations are extremely serious and expose the artist and CAS to a 
serious risk of legal action. CAS and the Committee shall be exempt from prosecution arising from any 
plagiarism by any member. The Committee reserves the right to remove a painting if a complaint has been 
received that the work has been copied or is not the artist’s own original work. 

10. OTHER RULES 

a) No member shall be entitled to cause or make expenditure on behalf of the committee without full 
knowledge of the Chairman and the Treasurer. 
b) All assets acquired by CAS, either by purchase, or by donation, are deemed to be and will remain 
the property of CAS. 

11. DISSOLUTION 

In the event of CAS having to cease its operation, any funds and assets remaining after payment of all 
debts shall be donated to another society with similar objectives. This shall be voted on by general 
membership vote by members at the dissolution meeting.