Information for Prospective Trustees
Introduction
The South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts (SWAc) aims to promote, educate, support and practice fine and applied arts.
SWAc is a company limited by guarantee (no. 04243361) incorporated on 29th June 2001 and registered with the Charity Commission (no. 1087350 ) on 4th July 2001.
Trustees of the South West Academy, also known as Directors, are responsible for the effective management of the Academy in accordance with Charity Commission requirements and the Memorandum and Articles of the Association.
Membership of the Board
Currently, there are twelve members of the Board of Trustees including three Officers
President currently designated as the Chair of Trustees
Honorary Secretary currently designated as the non-voting Executive Director
Honorary Treasurer.
Each Trustee is nominally responsible for an area of activity for example, external liaison, finance/bids publications, mentoring, talks and workshops, Young Artists, social media.
The Executive Director and Communications/ Web Manager are both freelance consultants without contractual obligations.
Terms of Office
Trustees are appointed for three years, after which they must either retire or stand for re-election for a maximum period of a further three years, after which they may not stand again as a Trustee for at least three years. If a Trustee is appointed Vice Chair during their first three-year term they may serve for three more years in that capacity, and a further three years if they become Chair. The Chair of Trustees is elected by the Board.
Liability of Trustees
The Academy’s insurance policy with Ansvar Charity Protect provided by Ecclesiastical Insurance Office covers Trustees’ liability for wrongful acts i.e. any actual or alleged act which is wrongfully committed or attempted by the Trustee when carrying out his or her duties as Trustee but not anything which was done when known to be a wrongful act or ignoring that possibility.
Meetings of the Board of Trustees
Meeting dates are mutually agreed by Trustees and currently take place on 5 occasions each year for approximately 2.5 hours at an Exeter venue. Negotiations are underway for a permanent exhibition space and meeting room at Kennaway House in Sidmouth.
Please note that during the pandemic, Trustees’ meetings have taken place via email exchanges and a Zoom account has been set up for future virtual meetings which is likely to include the AGM in January 2021.
The Annual General Meeting is an evening event normally during the annual Open Exhibition. As well as the usual reporting business of an AGM, an illustrated talk by one of the Academicians normally takes place.
Values
The Academy aims to:
Reflect the Region’s affinity with Fine and Applied Arts
Foster an understanding (of the Fine and Applied Arts)
Provide opportunities (for artists and makers)
Encourage creativity (in our communities)
Support inclusiveness
Endorse equality
Champion excellence
Applications Process :
Trustees are normally appointed at the Annual General meeting in line with the Articles of Association which also allow for the appointment of a Trustee outside the AGM in order to fill a vacancy or as an additional Trustee.
Trustees who are not members of the Academy are required to complete an online Application form outlining their skills and how they can contribute as a Trustee of the Academy.
Trustees who are Academicians of the South West Academy are required to complete an online application outlining the ways they can support the Academy’s exhibitions and related activities.
Application Form (Academicians)
In line with the Academy’s Equality and Diversity aims, all Trustees are invited to complete an Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form.
Once appointed, all Trustees are required to complete the Academy’s Fit and Proper Persons Declaration which will be emailed to successful applicants.
November 2020.