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A.L.A. Bylaws

Operating Procedures

  1. The League will hold its regularly scheduled Board meeting at 5:45 p.m. on the last Tuesday of each month at the North Little Rock Community Center, 2700 North Willow Street or other available location. The July board meeting will be for the purpose of preparing for the transfer of responsibilities effective September 1. Members are welcome and may express their views, but shall not have voting privileges.

  2. The Arkansas League of Artists shall meet at 7:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday of each month at the North Little Rock Community Center, 2700 North Willow Street, North Little Rock, Arkansas or other available location. There will be no general membership meeting in December.

  3. The bank accounts of this organization shall bear the signature of the treasurer or president, and shall not be moved without approval of the Board of Directors; one signature being sufficient for withdrawals.

  4. The financial year of this organization shall be from September 1 through August 31.

  5. Guidelines by which fund-raisers, workshops, paint-outs and other league events are conducted will be established by the Board, assisted by committee chairmen.

  6. The League will pay the demonstrating non-member artists an honorarium of $75.00. Should the artist be traveling a distance of 50 miles or more, the program chairman may request the Board to issue an additional $25.00 for mileage and offer the demonstrator an honorary membership of one year. Lecturers after July will receive current memberships as well as the following year.

  7. The operating procedures of the A.L.A. may be reviewed and/or amended on the recommendation of the president subject to approval by the majority of active members of the Board.

By-laws

Article I Name:

The name of this organization shall be the Arkansas League of Artists.

Article II Objectives and Goals:

The Arkansas League of Artists is organized as a non-profit organization to encourage individual artists and their right for free expression, and shall be operating for the charitable and educational purposes of establishing, maintaining, exhibiting, promoting and/or operating programs which will further the development and advancement of original works.

Article III Membership and Dues:

Membership in this group shall be open to any person paying dues as follows: Active Member $30.00; College Level Membership (age 18-22) $15.00; Student Membership (ages 13-18 only if accompanied by a parent at all times) $10.00; Non-Exhibiting Spouse $5.00 ;Newsletter by e-mail No cost; Newsletter by mail $10.00

Membership renewal will be the January meeting each year.

Article III Section 2 Dues:

Dues are payable during the month of January each year. Members who are delinquent in payment of dues forfeit membership privileges including monthly contests until such dues are paid.

Article IV Section 1 Government:

The government of the League shall be vested in a Board of Directors which shall be ten (10) in number. The directors shall be four (4) executive officers: president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, and six (6) regular members. The Board of Director shall be responsible for the control and management of all property, effects and assets of the League; exercise general superintendence of the League affairs; make all necessary contracts on behalf of the League; and shall have full authority for the transaction of all League business.

Article IV Section 2 Nominations and Elections:

Candidates for the Board shall be selected by the current board, which shall present the nominees to the general membership at the April meeting and shall, at the time, receive additional nominations from the general membership. Positions on the board shall be filled by the vote of the general membership at the May meeting.

  1. Although elections will be held at the May general meeting, terms will commence September 1.

  2. Three non-executive board members will be appointed by the Board to serve as alternates.

Article IV Section 3 Terms of Office:

Executive officers will serve for a minimum of one (1) year.

Other board members shall serve for a minimum term of two (2) years.

Executive officers and board members may succeed themselves at the Board’s discretion.

Excessive absenteeism by a board member can result in expulsion from the Board by a majority of the vote. Excessive absenteeism can be described as missing four meetings out of a six month time frame.

Article IV Section 5 Duties of Executive Officers and Board Members:

The PRESIDENT shall preside over all meetings; appoint all committee chairmen as needed, serve as ex-officio member of all committees; serve as coordinator of all committee work.

The PRESIDENT-ELECT shall become acquainted with the activities of the League and Board in preparation for taking office as president in the coming year; shall conduct meetings in absence of the president; and shall assume the office of president should that post be vacated before the elected president’s term expires.

The SECRETARY shall keep written minutes of all meetings of the board and general membership. Copies of such minutes shall be provided to the President and the executive officers within two weeks. The secretary shall also handle League correspondence as required. Copies of correspondence and minutes shall be maintained in a permanent file, which will be passed on to the succeeding secretary.

The TREASURER shall pay all authorized expenses of the League by check, maintaining accurate records of the League’s assets, and shall make a report at every meeting of the Board of Directors and at any time when directed to do so by the president. The treasurer shall also prepare an annual report after the fiscal year end in August as well as file the IRS report. The treasurer shall maintain copies of such reports and receipts documenting expenses in a permanent file, which will be passed on to the succeeding treasurer.

The PROGRAM CHAIRPERSON shall procure all demonstrators for the monthly meetings (except for the month of December) , by perusing the previous year’s lists of speakers, contacting some for repeat performances and asking members for contact information of others. The chairperson shall contact each speaker a week before the meeting as a reminder. Procurement of $75 to a non-member speaker is the chairperson’s responsibility, as well as notifying the newsletter editor as soon as possible.

The ARTIST OF THE MONTH COMPETITION CHAIRPERSON is responsible for the setup of the artist’s works for voting purposes, including covering the artist’s names and providing the numbers and container used for voting. Periodically, the chairperson will check the various locations to make certain easels are in good condition and ribbons and brochures are displayed. At the September and October meetings, ten winners are selected and the members may bring two paintings to the competition. The highest number of votes will be the first place winner for November, the next highest the first place winner for December, etc.

The TAKE A CHANCE ON ART CHAIRPERSON is responsible for keeping a supply of art for the winner. Periodically, the chairperson will make a plea to the members for new art. The chairperson is responsible for the maintenance of the numbers, container for drawing and clipboard for the drawing. After drawing a number, the chairperson notifies the president of the winner at each meeting and gives the collected funds to the officers in charge.

The NEWSLETTER CHAIRPERSON is responsible for maintaining an up-to-date list of members through information provided by the Membership Chairman. Information for newsworthy events is gathered from members via e-mail and a notebook distributed at the meetings. The chairperson is responsible for preparing the layout for the newsletter the first week of each month for distribution, including a membership form in the October newsletter.

The MEMBERSHIP CHAIRPERSON is responsible for maintaining a current list of members, including the payment of dues. The chairperson should ensure that nametags and brochures are available to each member. The membership chairperson needs to provide information to the newsletter chairperson each month on additional members as well as making sure that they are added to the e-mail list.

The PUBLICITY CHAIRPERSON shall send press releases for each meeting and/or event, as is appropriate to newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations, maintaining a current list of contacts at each. Other art leagues, colleges and high schools in the Central Arkansas area should also be notified by the chairperson of upcoming meetings and events.

Article Iv Section 6 Vacancies:

  1. Vacancies in the executive positions of the board, for reasons other than expiration of terms of office, excluding president, shall be filled as stated in Article IV, Section 2. The position of president shall be filled by the president-elect.

  2. Vacancies in the six (6) regular board positions for reasons other than expiration of terms of office, shall be filled by appointment of the Board of Directors, by a majority vote, at any regular meeting of the Board. If a regular board member becomes an executive officer, his/her vacancy shall be filled as appointed by the Board.

Article IV Section 7 IRS Rulings Regarding Tax Exempt Status:

No part of the net earnings of the League shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to members, trustees, officers, or other private persons except that the League shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payment and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the League shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the League shall not participate in or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) and political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of those bylaws, the League shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an association exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any further United States 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

Article IV Section 8 Dissolution:

Upon the dissolution of the League, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all liabilities of the League, dispose of all assets of the League exclusively for the purpose of the League in such manner, or to such organization or organizations operated exclusively for art education or the furtherance of the visual arts in Arkansas as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any further United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Board of Directors shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of, shall be disposed of by the Circuit Court of Pulaski County, Arkansas, exclusively to such purposes or to such organization(s) as said Court shall determine which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

Article VI Meetings:

The regular Board of Directors meeting shall be held on the last Tuesday of each month. The general membership meeting shall be held on the last Tuesday of each month. The president may call special meetings of the Board of Directors as deemed necessary to conduct League business.

  1. Sixty percent (60%) of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting any business, provided all board members have been notified of the meeting.

  2. One-tenth (1/10 ratio) of all League members, but not less than 10 persons shall constitute a quorum at the meeting of the general membership provided members were notified by the League Newsletter.

  3. General meetings shall be held upon application of 10 percent (10%) of League members to the president, at such time as may be deemed wise by the Board.

Article VII Amendments and Rules of Order:

Amendments must be proposed to the Board at the meeting prior to the one at which they will be voted upon. A quorum of the Board must be present and the proposed amendments(s) must receive approval by sixty (60%) of the Board of Directors.

Article VII Section 2 Parliamentary Procedure:

Parliamentary procedure as set out in Roberts Rules of Order will be followed at all League meetings.

Article VIII Fellowship Grants:

A committee of no less than two (2) members shall conduct annual searches for deserving junior high and high school students to receive fellowship grants from the League.

The Board must approve all such awards and the amounts thereof. All checks for the grant must be made payable to the institution offering the class and must designate the student(s) who are grant recipients.



Article VIX Competitions and Shows:

ALA Monthly Competition

At each monthly meeting, members are encouraged to bring a single piece of art to be displayed and voted on by the other members. The name of the artist is covered during the voting process so members are voting on the work and not the artist, and a number is placed beside the work. Members vote by dropping a piece of paper with the number of the work in the vessel provided. The chairperson(s) then count the votes and determine the top five. At the end of the meeting, winners are announced and photos are taken. The works receiving the top five numbers of votes will be displayed for one month at various banks. A ribbon award is given, on the back of which is the information as to where the artist must take the piece for display. The work must be picked up the day of the next meeting, so the new winner in that category may place his/her work the day after the meeting. If an artist lives out of town, a member who lives locally will deliver the work to the appropriate bank, but the artist will be responsible for picking up the work the day of the next meeting. For every ribbon-winning work the artist receives he/she is entitled to place that work (or a similar substitute) in the Winner’s Show at a determined location.

The Winner’s Show

This judged show is held yearly in December in a determined location. Entries are required to be a ribbon-winning work from the Monthly Competitions. Each artist is responsible for picking up his/her work at the appointed time.

ALA Annual Membership Show

This judged show is held yearly in June and is open to all members of the ALA. The show will be held at a determined location. Prizes will be awarded in several categories: Such as Abstract, Animal, Figure, Floral/Still life, Landscape. Only one entry is allowed per member with an entry fee required.