Policy: Introduction

The Feilding and District Art Society is a charitable organisation whose operations are undertaken primarily at Feilding Art Centre (“the Art Centre”) on 104 Manchester Street, Feilding. Our primary constitutional objective is to establish, govern, and manage the Art Centre. From the Art Centre, we deliver exhibitions which support the fulfilment of our other constitutional objectives, including:

• Maintain a dialogue with the community’s art groups, individuals and schools through provision of advice if required and responding to enquiries, issues and interests through general liaison and appropriate informal networking.

• Support mutual recognition and encourage healthy relationships between local art and craft groups.

• To receive funds for the promotion of Manawatu district arts and artists within or outside of the District

Exhibitions that take place at the Art Centre are selected with the intention of delivering on our constitutional objectives as well as key ambitions (see: Ambitions and Principles)

The intention of this policy is to provide transparent criteria and a clear summary of why exhibitions are selected for the Art Centre’s programme. 

Scope

The Exhibitions Policy applies to all exhibitions at the Art Centre, including those organised internally by the Art Centre Manager and/or committee members. From time to time there may be exhibitions requiring deviation from standard policy but these deviations will only be made following consultation between the Art Centre Manager and Committee.

The terms of this policy do not apply to shop displays or off-site exhibitions such as Manawatu Art Expo, each of which are subject to their own criteria. 

Legislative Requirements

 The Feilding and District Art Society is required, under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 (hereafter “the Act”), to act within the rules and objectives stated in our constitution. Under Section 4(1) of the Act, the Incorporated Societies Registrar is empowered to impose fines against a society where it has been found to have acted outside its rules.

It is the responsibility of Committee officers to ensure all the society’s rules are followed and aims fulfilled. The Exhibitions Policy seeks to ensure those aspects of our operations which are delegated to the Art Centre Manager are conducted in line with the Feilding and District Art Society’s Constitution, and therefore within the legal obligations imposed by the Act.

The Constitution for the Feilding and District Art Society Incorporated is permanently accessible to all members and the Committee, at the Art Centre. 

Compliance

 The Art Centre Manager is responsible for day-to-day implementation of the exhibitions policy. Escalation to the Committee may occur when questions are raised about the contents of the Exhibitions Policy, or if there is perceived risk of a breach under the Act.

Responsibilities

The Committee is responsible for setting the strategic priorities of the exhibition policy, working in concert with the Art Centre Manager and members (as appropriate). Committee then delegates to the Art Centre Manager all responsibilities pertaining to the planning and delivery of exhibitions. Some tasks may be delegated to volunteers at the Art Centre Manager’s discretion. 

Definitions

• External exhibition: an exhibition delivered by a guest artist at Feilding Art Centre. Each external exhibition is booked on the basis of a proposal and payment of a gallery hire fee.

• Internal exhibition: an exhibition organised by the Feilding and District Art Society, in which members or other artists are invited to submit a pre-determined number of artworks.

• Guest artist: an artist who ahs submitted a successful proposal to run an external exhibition.

• Exhibitor: an artist participating in any exhibition at Feilding Art Centre (internal or external).

Ambitions

The Feilding and District Art Society aims to deliver an exhibition programme that will meet five key ambitions:

• Achieving a balanced programme that includes a diversity of artworks, mediums, and artists;

• Representing the priorities of Society members (see: Appendix 1)

• Promoting participation and enjoyment of the arts by members of the Feilding and Districts community;

• Responding to the motivations of current and potential funders and;

• Generating income for the artist and the Feilding and District Art Society

Core Principles

We seek to fulfill our ambitions by assessing every exhibition against a set of criteria. These criteria are comprised of core principles which must be met, as well as the set of priorities set each year by members of the Feilding and District Art Society.

All exhibitions approved for display at the Art Centre must: 

• Align with the objectives of the Feilding and District Art Society and;

• Include artwork by a Manawatu artist or;

• Have a demonstrable appeal or relevance to the Manawatu community.

Displays

 The Feilding Art Centre is a two-storied building providing multi-purpose spaces for seeing, making, and buying art. Various parts of our building can be adapted to meet any one of these purposes at a given time, but the use of each area is subject to certain criteria as outlined below.

Allocation of Display Space

The availability and allocation of display spaces is determined according to whether an exhibition is being presented by a guest exhibitor or the Art Centre Manager on behalf of the Society:

• External exhibitions: to be displayed in zones one and two only.

• Internal exhibitions: may be displayed in any area of the Art Centre, as deemed appropriate by the Art Centre Manager

 Display Requirements

In all cases, exhibition displays should be constructed with a view to advancing the ambitions set out in this policy. When displaying work, the layout should also balance:

• Communication of the exhibition concept

• Aesthetic concerns, seeking to create visual harmony between pieces

• Visitor experience, allowing for ease of movement through the display as well as creating interest through use of imaginative and/or varied hangs

• Commercial concerns, with works presented ready for sale

 Fees and Commission

 The Feilding Art Centre is a community facility where emerging and established artists can exhibit their work for the enjoyment of the Feilding and Districts community. Exhibitions also generate income for the Feilding Art Centre and exhibiting artists. As such, some fees apply to artists, according to exhibition type.

External exhibitions:

• Guest artists are charged a nominal gallery hire fee, as a small contribution to operational overheads

• A one-off advertising fee will be charged where a guest artist intends not to sell any work through their exhibition

Internal exhibitions:

• Entry fees for internal exhibitions are set on a per-exhibition basis by the Art Centre Manager, to cover specific costs associated with the administration and promotion of each show

• Entry fees may be waived for any internal exhibition, at the discretion of the Art Centre Manager.

Commission is collected on artwork sales from all exhibitions, with members receiving a reduced commission rate. External exhibition fees, and commission, are set by set by the Committee in conjunction with the Art Centre Manager. 

Funding and Sponsorship  

The Art Centre Manager will seek to fund internal exhibitions by applying to government and philanthropic funds, or arranging sponsorships where appropriate. Guest artists are encouraged to draft their own exhibition budgets and make applications for grant funding where required.