1. Type of organisation
Art Group Wanstead is a not-for-profit, unincorporated voluntary association. 

2. Aims of Art Group Wanstead 
AGW exists to organise the Art Trail Wanstead from time to time – annually when possible – providing opportunities for professional and amateur artists to show their work in diverse venues around Wanstead and for residents and others in Wanstead and the borough of Redbridge to see the talent that is on their doorstep. The group is to provide a hub where various groups and classes can link up, help each other, inspire each other and build a stronger local community. AGW aims to promote the various art classes, groups and clubs, catering for Wanstead people, and to encourage more involvement in art,  which may include demonstrations, talks and workshops. The group also wants to help attract more visitors to Wanstead, to help boost footfall and trade in its villagey high street with its many independent shops.

3. Art 
The definition of Art includes any visual arts and may include audio arts, digital art, crafts and design.  

4. Participation
Participation in Art Trail Wanstead is not restricted to residents of Wanstead but all work must be shown in Wanstead. All work claiming to be part of ATW must be registered in accordance with the rules that will be published on the website.
Inclusion in the art trail is at the discretion of the organising committee and founder. 

5. Locations and map 
Locations where the work may be shown include local cafés, restaurants, shops, business premises, galleries or outdoors, at local club buildings (local authority-run and private), at buildings of historical interest, in marquees assigned for the purpose, and at people’s own homes and studios/workshops.   

All registered works and locations will be entered onto a map that will be printed and made available widely, on the website and through the publicity of associated festivals and events at the discretion of the organising committee. 

The accessibility and facilities of each location/venue will vary and information will be given on the map.

The responsibility for accuracy of descriptions of works, venues and opening times to be shown on the map lies with the artist.

6. Times and duration of the arts trail 
The dates of Art Trail Wanstead are set at the discretion of the organising committee and will be published on the website. 

Art Trail Wanstead may operate at the same time as, and in association with, other festivals and events or may stand alone.  

Participation and events may be for a limited numbers of hours or days or may run throughout the whole period of the Trail.

7. Membership
Membership of Art Group Wanstead is free and is open to all through registration with Art Group Wanstead. The forms will be published on the website, will be available at Art Group Wanstead fairs at The George or can be sent out when requested via an SAE.  Further pick-up points for the forms will be featured on the website. When registering, members must indicate that they agree to abide by the constitution and any associated policies of Art Group Wanstead. (They are currently published on the forum, and will later be published on the website.)

Art Group Wanstead will keep membership details confidential. They will use the details for the purposes of managing Art Group Wanstead activities and will not pass them on to other organisations. 

In the event that an application for membership is opposed by any AGW member, the matter will be considered by the committee and founder of AGW.  

8. Registration and fees 
Artists can participate in Art Trail Wanstead by paying the registration fee by the date that will be advertised on the website.

In doing so, participating artists automatically become members of Art Group Wanstead and must agree to abide by the constitution and associated policies of AGW, published on the website. 
The registration fee is not refundable. 

9. Organisation of Art Trail Wanstead
General meetings, project meetings and organising committee meetings will be held to organise Art Trail Wanstead.  General meetings and other meetings will be held as frequently as the committee members see fit to organise the art trail by the due dates.  

An annual general meeting will be held between January and March for all members. The Date, time and location will be published at least two weeks in advance through the website and through the compiled Art Group Wanstead mailing list.

Dates, times, locations and agendas of general meetings will be notified in advance through the website and the AGW mailing list. Minutes will be taken and published on the website.

Members, artists, organisers and supporters may attend organising meetings. 

All members are eligible to vote at general meetings.  Supporters and representatives of the providers of venues may attend organising meetings but cannot vote if they have not registered as a member.  

Decisions at general organising meetings will be made by general consensus, or if requested by any member present, by a majority vote of those who are eligible to vote, with a casting vote by the chair.  Decisions and action points will be minuted and published on the website.  

Members will appoint persons to a committee to the roles that are needed in order to organise the arts trail by the due dates. The names of committee members will be recorded in minutes of meetings, including any changes during the year, and will be available on the forum and, later, website.

Committee members: 
As a minimum, the organising committee will consist of people in the roles that are needed to demonstrate that Art Group Wanstead is a bona fide organisation, for example to funders and in order to operate a bank account.  As a minimum the roles will be: 

Co-ordinator – chair of committee meetings
Treasurer
Secretary

These roles must be appointed by a majority vote at an annual general meeting or a meeting open to all members which has been publicised at least two weeks in advance through the website and AGW mailing list. Any of the roles may be shared by two or more people, for example minutes secretary and secretary for other matters. 

There must be at least three signatories for Art Group Wanstead’s bank account at all times, one of whom must be the Treasurer and all must be current members. Cheques must be always be signed by at least two members, as it will not be possible for all three people to always be available. The names of signatories must be reported to a general meeting and minuted. The bank must be informed of any changes of signatories by the Treasurer or another signatory as soon as reasonably practicable.  

The organising committee will undertake and will direct activities that will enable artists to take part and to have their work represented on the map.

Committee members, who have been properly appointed and approved by members may meet as frequently as they see fit in addition to general meetings.  Dates, times and locations of committee meetings will be agreed among committee members. The content and decisions of the committee meetings will be minuted and reported back to the next general meeting. The committee can meet without the co-ordinator by the consent of the co-ordinator.  

Project group meetings, selection panels, working parties or sub committees may be set up as necessary at the suggestion of any member. The purpose of any such sub-group must be agreed by the co-ordinator or at a general organising meeting. The sub-group must consist only of members of Art Group Wanstead. Non-members may be asked to attend for specific reasons and these arrangements must be agreed in advance by the committee or co-ordinator. The dates, times and locations of the groups will be arranged among those who need to meet and will be notified in advance to the co-ordinator. The content and decisions of group meetings must be reported by an attendee of the group to the co-ordinator as soon as reasonably practicable / or at a general meeting and will be minuted at a general meeting. 

The main responsibility for finding a location to show pieces of work will lie with the artist but the organising committee will, when possible, assist artists in matching their work to premises. 

Members must not meet with other artists, representatives of the council or other organisations or any other groups or individuals as ‘a representative of Art Group Wanstead   or as  a representative of Art Trail Wanstead  without the express written permission of the co-ordinator or minuted agreement at a meeting.  

10. Finances 
No one can incur any expenditure for or on behalf of AGW or ATW without the express agreement of an organising committee meeting or in immediate/ emergency circumstances by written agreement of the chair and treasurer (or by email exchange, copied to the AGW mailing list). Any immediate/ emergency expenditure must be reported to the next following general meeting or committee meeting and must be minuted.  

The committee will open a bank account for Art Group Wanstead.  Names of signatories to the bank account will be recorded in committee minutes.  Bank statements will be sent to the co-ordinator and will be shown at the next committee after receipt of the statement.  

The committee will raise funds for the arts trail by various means and will pay all money received into the Art Group Wanstead bank account. 

Supporters may make donations to the committee at any time.   All donations of money must be paid into the bank account. 

One of the main duties of the annual general meeting and the committee is to ensure that there is a named Treasurer and that there are at least three signatories, including the Treasurer, who are all registered members at all times. If a signatory leaves the membership then a replacement must be found immediately and the Bank must be informed. 

11. Services for the group 
No member of the management committee may serve as an employee (full time or part time) of the association, and no member of the management committee may be given any remuneration by the association for carrying out his/her duties as a member of the management committee.

Where a management committee member provides services to the association or might benefit from any remuneration paid to a connected party for such services, then

(a) the maximum amount of the remuneration must be specified in a written agreement and must be reasonable

(b) the management committee members must be satisfied that it would be in the interests of the association to enter into the arrangement (taking account of that maximum amount)

12. Insurance and risks
Art Group Wanstead committee will take out suitable annual public liability insurance for general purposes. Each artist taking part in the Art Trail must assess whether to take out their own insurance.

The committee will put suitable health and safety policies and procedures in place that all members must agree to abide by. 

13. Leaving Art Group Wanstead
Members may leave at any time by writing to the co-ordinator or emailing mail@artgroupwanstead.com (set up on the website).

Committee members may leave at any time. They may resign verbally at a meeting and the minute must record the resignation or they may resign by writing to the co-ordinator or emailing to mail@artgroupwanstead.com (set up on the website). 

An artist may withdraw from participation in the trail at any time by writing to the co-ordinator or emailing to mail@artgroupwanstead.com (set up on the website). Membership is not affected unless the artist wishes to resign membership as well.  The artist must make this clear in their withdrawal letter/email.  

14. Disbanding Art Group Wanstead
Art Group Wanstead may be disbanded at any time after the trial period of a year.  A move to disband the organisation can be proposed by the co-ordinator or by any member in writing or by email to the co-ordinator.  A meeting will be called to discuss the disbanding. The Date, time, location and purpose of the meeting will be published at least two weeks in advance through the website and AGW mailing list. The decision will be by majority vote at the meeting, with a casting vote by the chair.  

Any money remaining in the AGW bank account or held by AGW organising committee members will be given to another agreed registered charity with similar aims (eg Redbridge Festival or another local art trail). The bank account will be closed by the Treasurer.   

If membership falls to fewer than three members after the end of the trial period the organisation will be deemed to be disbanded as there will not be enough individuals to form a viable committee.  The remaining members must meet and agree the disposal of funds to another organisation as above and contact the last known Treasurer to make the payment and close the bank account.  

15. AGW identity 
Supporters, including representatives of the providers of venues, may meet with artist-members and/or members of the organising committee and undertake tasks for Art Group Wanstead only under the direction of the organising committee. 
Members must not state that they represent Art Group Wanstead unless there is express written permission of the co-ordinator or minuted agreement of a meeting.  

No one may use the AGW logo or name without the express agreement of the co-ordinator or organising committee (in writing or recorded in minutes of organising committee meetings).  

AGW does not own or benefit from the works exhibited without the express permission of the artist.   

AGW is not responsible for loss or damage to artists work or for any harm to artists or members of the public or to their property caused by the work of participating artists. 

Any fees and donations may be in cash or paid by cheques made out to Art Group Wanstead

Art Group Wanstead constitution adopted 21st February 2011