Summary of ASV Executive Meeting.

Correspondence was read and reports given on

1. Herring Island a special thank you recorded for Andrew Bryant assistance

2.Progress with MIFGS

3. The website progress and the actions needed to make it really work for us. Since then many of you will know that it is now not working at all. Hopefully it will be up and running again soon.

4. The treasurer’s report . Copies of the profit and loss and budget and balance sheets are available from John Ride
5. Progress on Annual for 2013 and 2014. As previously mentioned venues not yet found. Several avenues are still being explored.

6. Report from membership secretary on new system for following up on new applications for membership. Design for new membership cards presented and agreed by the committee.

7. Report that a non- member will be taking photographs at MIFGS on a trial basis as agreed at a previous meeting.
8, Report on future activities and meetings
Policy on sale of works after exhibitions was discussed and agreed.

There was a proposal made for nomination for a life member. This requires a vote of members at a meeting. Notice will be given and vote taken at the May meeting.
A suggestion was made that in the event of fewer members being available to carry out official tasks there may be the necessity to employ a person to carry out administrative duties on a casual basis. Monica suggested someone who may be available should the necessity arise
It had been discussed at an earlier meeting that the Association produce a Glossy annual Magazine. It was agreed at this meeting to put the project on hold until the Website is in order and someone available to compile and edit same.

There was discussion regarding lower numbers entering into Herring Island. Gillian suggested that it could be related to notice of exhibitions and entry forms posted on line and many people still prefer to receive entries by mail. It was agreed that we would do this.

Members may remember a small digital screen that I had lent to the Association for a few exhibitions. It was decided at the previous meeting to buy a small Television screen to replace this. This has been done. It is larger and will show all the work of members at exhibitions.

Gillian Govan

Commissions on sales after an exhibition.

At the last committee meeting it was decided to re-instate the clause that states that the "comission on exhibition sales is also payable on works sold as a result of being seen at an exhibition for a period of three months after that exhibition". This is a standard clause throughout the industry - so why did we remove it from the conditions of entry in the first place? Well for a start there are all these exceptions - for example if an artist takes a work out of one of our exhibitions and puts it into a commercial gallery and sells it straight away it would be unfair to enforce payment of both commissions. But the minefield of exceptions and enforcement doesn’t preclude the moral obligation to avoid biting the hand that feeds you. ASV exhibitions are financed both by entry fee and commission on sales and it seems reasonable that those artists who get the most out of an exhibition - i.e. they sell something - should make the greatest contribution to the costs of putting on a good show. Any surplus that we accumulate goes to helping us when sales don’t come up to expectations. So the clause is going back in. And we can all tell our customers that prices will not drop after an exhibition - so buy at exhibition - it’s in everyone’s best interest.

The reason we have sculptor profile information on our site is to encourage a dialogue with your public - so that they can select the right sculptor for a commission or look at your other work before buying a piece. Build your profile, build your reputation and don’t drop your prices after an exhibition!

Jenny Rickards