Area Handbook 2023

AREA HANDBOOK 2023

INTRODUCTION

Local Arts Societies are grouped into geographical areas in the UK and Mainland Europe. As of April 2021, there are 19 Areas, consisting of 11 to 25 Societies. These Areas are run by teams of volunteers who (ideally) come from different Societies. They bring together a wealth of grassroots experience, local knowledge and a common desire to promote the work of The Arts Society in their region.

The Area Support Teams fulfil a range of important functions which are vital to the running of The Arts Society as an international arts education and membership charity. They are an integral part of The Arts Society, which is a registered charity in England and Scotland. This means that all activities of Areas and Area volunteers are governed by the Trustees, who set the strategy, administer the resources of The Arts Society in accordance with regulatory and public benefit requirements, and of course for the benefit of its main stakeholders, the local Societies.

In 2019 an external governance report commissioned by the Trustees recommended a full assessment of the Area function in the overall structure of the Society. This was last carried out in the 1990s, since when there have been significant changes. In 2019 and 2020 a full review was carried out with the aim of aligning the work of Areas with 21st-century developments in technology, communication, governance and strategic planning, part of this involved consultation with Societies to ascertain what they needed from their local Area moving forward.

One of the outcomes of that review was the production of a handbook that for the first time in many years provided a reference for the Chairs of Area Support Teams and their colleagues to refer to. The first version of the Handbook was issued in 2021 and this second version incorporates many of the suggestions and feedback received. The Area Handbook is designed to be a ‘live’ document and will evolve over time in response to the changing needs / wants of the organisation and most importantly its Societies. If you have ideas for the further development of the handbook please let us know.

PURPOSE OF AREAS

The purpose of the Areas is to provide regional support for local Societies, by being actively interested in them and concerned for their success. A Society may not be in ‘need’ of support, but all our Societies should feel supported and cared for.

Area Support Teams are part of an extensive support system available to local Societies. They have particular responsibility for contributing their local knowledge, experience of Society activities and a personal touch. As the regional members of the central Arts Society team they are also able to bring new and different perspectives and experiences to the Societies in their Area, through the exchange with other Areas and other support teams; helping to spread ideas, initiatives and best practice across the organisation.

The support they can offer to local Societies includes, among other things:

• Networking for Societies;

• Motivating Society committees;

• Raising awareness for The Arts Society;

• Supporting recruitment activities;

• Facilitating communication and projects between Societies;

• Identifying opportunities for Societies;

• Making the full range of support services available to Societies (e.g. training).

This handbook sets out the ways in which Areas should support Societies.

Areas should also support the work of The Arts Society in the regions. With a team of 12 paid staff, the ‘reach’ of the centre is limited. The Arts Society nationally cannot support all Societies without the Area Support Teams, and ‘the Centre’ cannot fly the flag for The Arts Society at the many events up and down the country and abroad. So the Area Support Teams are The Arts Society in the regions: in other words, they represent The Arts Society as a whole, not just the Area. Members of the Area Support Teams are colleagues in the Areas.

This means they support The Arts Society’s work by:

• Representing The Arts Society as a whole, raising awareness and acting as ambassadors

• Creating programmes of events in the Areas;

• Contributing actively at Forums and other meetings involving Areas;

• Being part of a seamless support chain for Societies;

• Helping to mitigate perceptions of ‘London-centric’ and us vs. them

All activities organised by Area Support Teams should be based on the key consideration of: “Does this activity support local Societies?” If an activity does not support local Societies - tactically or strategically - the Area Support Team should not organise that activity: if in doubt, Area Support Teams should ask the local Societies: “Does this activity support you?”

COMPOSITION OF THE AREA SUPPORT TEAM (AST)

The Area Support Team (AST) should comprise a Chairman of the Area Support Team (CAST), Deputy Chair of the Area Support Team, Area Secretary, Area Treasurer (optional), Area Co-ordinator for Education (ACE), Representatives for each of the volunteering disciplines, Area Training Co-ordinator (optional) and Area Webmaster (optional).

All members of the AST should have a good knowledge of The Arts Society and relevant committee experience gained at Society level.

All members of the AST should be IT literate (training can be provided if necessary), have access to the internet and be prepared to travel within the Area and to meetings organised centrally such as the AGM or central Team Meetings, as necessary.

When attendance at meetings is referred to this can mean either in person or via Zoom. Each member of the AST will receive the monthly e-bulletin and should be familiar with its contents in order to be able to advise Societies or other volunteers as necessary.

SELECTION OF THE AREA SUPPORT TEAM (AST)

The CAST and their Team are responsible for recruitment to the AST. Nominees to the various roles should have a sound working knowledge of The Arts Society and at least three years relevant experience of serving on a Society committee, preferably in a senior role such as Society Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer or Honorary Secretary. However, members who have held other roles should not be discouraged from joining the AST.

• The Chair of the Area Support Team (CAST) should have been a Society Chair.

• Area Volunteer representatives should have experience in the relevant discipline.

• Members of the AST should not all belong to the same Society

• The CAST should not hold an officer role on a Society Committee simultaneously without the agreement of the Chief Executive.

NOMINATION AND SELECTION OF THE CHAIR OF THE AREA SUPPORT TEAM (CAST)

The outgoing CAST will be responsible for finding and managing the procedure for the selection of their successor.

The nominee should have the written endorsement of three separate Societies. The CAST will forward the details of the nominee to the Membership Director via a simple online form. After the Chief Executive has approved the nomination, the name of the new CAST will be announced at the spring Area Meeting and he or she will formally take up the role after the National AGM in May. The new appointment is announced at the spring Area Meeting.

The existing CAST will make adequate handover arrangements with their successor in sufficient time before the new CAST takes office.

The incoming CAST will attend relevant training / induction as arranged by the Centre before they take up office.

If there is more than one nominee, the Centre will arrange a simple ballot of Societies in the Area.

RIGHT TO VETO

The Arts Society reserves the right to veto the appointment of the CAST should they have reason to believe that the nominee does not have enough relevant experience to support Societies locally or is unlikely to uphold the values, charitable aims and objectives of The Arts Society. The right to veto should only be exercised in exceptional circumstances. Should the appointment of a CAST be vetoed, the role may be temporarily filled by a member of the Support Team who will support local Societies until an alternative nominee can be found.

In the event that a nomination is vetoed, the Chief Executive will share the reasons for doing so with the Area.

APPOINTMENT OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE AST

The CAST and his/her Team will be responsible for the appointment of the remaining members of the AST; Deputy CAST, Area Secretary, Area Treasurer(optional), Area Co-ordinator for Education (ACE), Area Training Co-ordinator (optional) and Area Webmaster (optional).

The appointment of the Area Representatives for each of the volunteering disciplines should be in consultation with the Membership Manager and the relevant National Team.

All outgoing members of the AST should arrange a handover with their successor before they take up office.

All incoming members of the AST will attend relevant training / induction as arranged before they take up office.

New members of the AST will be announced at the spring Area Meeting.

TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR THE AREA SUPPORT TEAM TRAINING

All new Chairs of the Area Support Team (AST) will attend an induction day before taking up their role. At this induction day they will run through the relevant sections of the handbook and discuss their responsibilities as members of the AST and as part of the central support network.

Other members of the AST should have a handover with their predecessor and will be given training from the relevant department as appropriate.

SUPPORT

At least three forums (spring, summer and autumn) will be held for the Chairmen of the Area Support Team (CASTS).

The Support Team & colleagues who work centrally are there to provide help and support to the CAST and other members of the AST who are encouraged to contact them whenever they have a query or concern about their role, their Area or local Societies. The three elements of the support structure that The Arts Society provides for Societies should also support one another and it is important that they feel connected as one team.

Other informal meetings will be held (on Zoom) on an ad hoc basis in order to update CASTs on any changes in The Arts Society strategy or policy. Ad hoc meetings can also be arranged on demand should there be a particular issue or query that members of the AST would like to discuss with colleagues at the Centre, on the Support Team or from other Areas. Please let the team at the Centre know if you would like us to organise a meeting.

Other roles on the AST will have regular meetings with colleagues at the Centre or members of the relevant team will be held in order to ensure they are kept up to date with any changes in strategy or policy.

PLEASE REMEMBER

If you need anything in between meetings, do contact the relevant department.yoIfu are unsure, please get in touch with the Membership Director who can direct your enquiry. .

FUNCTIONS OF AREA

SUPPORTING SOCIETIES

The support structure provided for Societies by the Centre includes: the Area Support Team (AST), the Support Team, the Training Team and the team at the Centre. They are all there to support local Committees with the day to day running of their Societies and offer help and advice should they run into difficulty.

It is more important that Societies receive the support they need rather than who provides it. All of the elements of the support structure should work together in order to ensure Societies feel supported and keep one another informed when there is an issue with a Society. Support for Societies can range from answering a simple query such as how to use the website or confirming the date of an Area event to assisting a Society formulate strategies to save it from closure.

It is not necessary to share details of simple ‘every day’ queries but if you are unsure of the answer to a particular query, check with colleagues at the Centre or the Support Team. The monthly e-bulletin sent to committee members is a good source of information. The current and past bulletins can be found in the resources area of the website: theartssociety.org/resource/bulletin

More substantial queries on matters that could potentially endanger the future of the Society should be shared among the three elements in order to achieve a co-ordinated approach to the support that can be offered and to keep everyone updated about the situation.

PROCEDURES

When a Society approaches the Membership Department with an issue that cannot be dealt with simply and quickly, an offer of help from the Support Team will be made. If that offer is accepted the Membership Director will send full details of the issue to the local Societies Advisor (if there is one), the Chair of the Area Support Team (CAST) and the Co-Chairs of the Support Team who will decide on the best course of action and who should take the lead in dealing with the issue. Whoever takes the lead must ensure that relevant action is taken and that everyone is kept updated with the situation and request help when necessary.

If a Society issue is to be dealt with by the local Area Support Team, the CAST must ensure that the Co-Chairs of the Support Team and Membership Director are kept up to date with any developments.

TRAINING

In addition to the support given by the Team at the Centre, the AST and Support Team, The Arts Society provides training for all volunteers involved in the running of a Society or Area. Training is intended to allow volunteers to develop their skills, learn new ones, to make them aware of the support on offer and to make them feel comfortable in their new role.

Training helps ensure that best practice and new procedures are adopted and all provide an opportunity for networking and the exchange of ideas.

The Training Team together with Area Training Co-ordinators and other training volunteers help develop training materials and run ‘specialist’ training such as confident speaking. The Training Team is supported by the Training and Content Manager within the Membership Department. The Training and Content Manager also maintains the Training microsite training.theartssociety.org which is a useful resource for guidelines and short films about a variety of topics.

Further information about training can be found in the resources area of the website.

AREA MEETINGS

PURPOSE

Area Meetings are held up to twice a year (in spring and autumn) in response to the wishes of local Societies. The Area Meeting is the forum for the Area Support Team and Societies to reflect together on their activities in the preceding months and to discuss future plans. The main focus of Area Meetings should be to allow Societies to network and exchange ideas in a positive and supportive environment.

ORGANISING AN AREA MEETING

The Chair of the Area Support Team (CAST) will have already agreed the meeting costs when setting their Area budget at the start of the year.

Timings given are approximate and should be amended to suit local circumstances.

The CAST and the Area Secretary should decide on the date of the meeting and the location. Some Areas prefer a regular centrally placed venue and others move around the Area with a different Society hosting each meeting. Continuing to use Zoom has its advantages such as saving venue costs and travelling but lacks the opportunities for members to network in person.

• The CAST should decide on the number of members, over and above the Chair, from each Society who are invited to intend.

• The AST should meet to discuss the meeting, its content and theme (if any).

• Refreshment and catering for the meeting should be agreed and appropriate arrangements made.

• Draw up a circulation list for the meeting to include all members of the AST, Society Chairs and relevant guests if known at that point.

SIX WEEKS BEFORE THE MEETING

Write to everyone on the circulation list confirming the details of the meeting. Ask Society Chairs to confirm who will be attending the meeting, submit the details of any questions or issues they would like to raise and send in cheques for lunch if appropriate. Request all members of the AST to submit reports in time to circulate in advance of the meeting. Reports from members of the AST should not be read out at the meeting unless there is something to add.

FOUR WEEKS BEFORE THE MEETING

Draw up the order of events for the meeting and circulate to attendees together with reports from the AST, notes from the previous meeting and other information relevant to the meeting such as the attendance list, directions to the venue, link to the Zoom meeting (if appropriate) etc.

AREA MEETINGS

ON THE DAY

The meeting will be chaired by the CAST who should create a positive atmosphere and ensure that any problems being encountered by Societies are dealt with constructively, reminding them of the support available from The Arts Society both locally and nationally. The CAST should promote any new initiatives being introduced by the Centre and alleviate any concerns felt by Societies. The CAST should ensure that all Societies represented at the meetings should have the opportunity to take part in the discussion.

• Time should be made for the Area Representatives to showcase the work of the three volunteering disciplines locally and to encourage Societies to take part.

• The Area Co-ordinator for Education should be given the opportunity to advertise forthcoming events in the Area.

• At the autumn meeting, the CAST will ask Societies to suggest nominees for any forthcoming vacancies on the AST.

• At the spring meeting, the CAST will confirm the names and roles of the members of the AST, highlighting any new members or any forthcoming vacancies.

• At the autumn meeting the CAST and Societies will discuss the Area budget for the following year and what meetings/events will be necessary in addition to the two Area Meetings.

• The Area Secretary should take notes at the meeting as an aide memoire for attendees and make a formal record of any decisions relating to financial decisions made at the meeting.

AFTER THE MEETING

The Area Secretary should submit draft notes for their agreement to the CAST within two weeks of the meeting. Copies of the final notes should be sent to the AST, Society Chairs, guests and a copy sent to the Membership Department.

GUESTS

Subject to availability, a member of staff will be in attendance at every meeting in order to listen and offer advice and support to Societies. Trustees will attend one Area Meeting per year in order to network with Societies, to listen and to learn what is happening at the grass roots level. Unless agreed beforehand, Trustees or staff members will not need any time set aside at the meeting to make a presentation.

Trustees and staff will be allocated to Area Meetings by the Membership Director or another member of the Membership Team.

CASTs may also invite other relevant guests to speak at their meeting such as the Heads of the Volunteering disciplines, Chairs of the Support or Training Teams.

External guests may also be invited in order to add variety and interest to meetings.

OTHER MEETINGS

Other meetings such as an informal Chairs’ meeting or meetings for other committee roles such as programme planners may be held to offer further opportunities for networking and the exchange of ideas; these should be considered in advance when setting the budget for the Area. If the AST would like to hold an additional event not already budgeted for they should contact the Finance and Resources Director.

NB: The AST may want to consider holding some additional meetings via Zoom because these have no budgetary constraints other than the annual Zoom licence fee.

TRAINING DAYS

Apart from a couple of exceptions (Training for ASTs and Society Chairs), all of the training days provided by the central Training Team have been designed to be held locally within an Area. The Training & Content Manager will be able to advise which training days are currently available.

To ensure a consistency of message throughout the organisation, only training materials produced by the central Training Team are to be used. Members of the central Training Team will be delighted to visit an Area in order to deliver training.

If the Training Coordinator intends to deliver the training themselves they should have gone through the materials with the central Training Team in advance to ensure they are familiar with them and are using the most up to date version.

The central Training Team is always looking for ideas for new training days and training materials. If an Area would like to hold a training day on a topic not yet covered by the central Training Team they should discuss this with the Training and Content Manager..

AREA EVENTS

PURPOSE

The purpose of Area events such Study Days, Art History courses or outings is to provide an educational offer to the general public (including Society Members). Area events should demonstrate the best the Directory of Lecturers has to offer to the widest possible audience. They are the ‘shop window’ to invite non-members to sample The Arts Society experience, signposting them to the Societies in the Area when they can get the full programme and benefits from local Societies. Local Societies are also supported by Area Events if they do not hold their own Study Days.

• Area events should always be planned in pursuance of the charitable activities of and to promote The Arts Society and its local Societies, not with the sole aim of raising funds.

• Areas are encouraged to consider new Lecturers for their programmes and to be bold and brave in their choices.

• Areas are encouraged to cover a wide range of topics and themes in their events.

• Within reason, ACEs might take programming ‘risks’ and run events that are not guaranteed to sell out but may give The Arts Society a positive, accessible image. This could be to target audiences in a particular geographic area, or to appeal to a specific target audience.

• Area Events should be run with a break even target for all events across one financial year. In the case of repeated surpluses from Area events The Arts Society will review the pricing structure, as the price point might need to be adjusted. Surpluses should be the exception, not the rule. Advice on pricing is always available.

• Area Events should be accessible in every possible aspect: accessible venues should be used; online booking should be available for every Area Event, where possible using

• Eventbrite account or similar online booking tool; promotion should be to the widest possible audiences; topics and themes should be inclusive and appeal to people from a wide range of backgrounds; Affordable (potentially with some discounted) tickets.

Usually, Area events should be supported by the Area Support Team, under the leadership of the ACE (or equivalent).

Income and expenditure for any Area events will be collected / paid by the Area Treasurer (or equivalent). Please see the Area Finance section in this Handbook.

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteering activities (Arts Volunteering, Heritage Volunteering and Trails of Discovery) are co-ordinated in the Membership Department which provides overall guidance and support for each of the three disciplines and the volunteer Representatives within them. The Membership Department ensures volunteering projects fulfil The Arts Society’s charitable objects and that the reporting requirements of the Trustee Board and Charities Commission are met.

Each volunteer discipline has a central team led by a Head (also a volunteer) supported by Area Representatives throughout the UK and in Mainland Europe.

Area Volunteering Representatives play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth running and success of the three volunteering disciplines. Their local knowledge, experience and expertise is vital in supporting Societies that take part in the volunteering disciplines. Their enthusiasm and dedication to volunteering is instrumental in encouraging Societies to get involved.

Within the three disciplines, the Area Representative are known as:

Arts Volunteering – Area Arts Volunteering Co-ordinator

Heritage Volunteering – Heritage Volunteering Area Representative Trails of Discovery – Area Trails of Discovery Advisor

Area Volunteering Representatives support local Societies by:

• Helping to identify potential new projects locally;

• Encouraging and supporting new projects;

• In conjunction with the central team, facilitating training for volunteers;

• Offering on-going support for projects in the Area;

• Encouraging co-operation between Societies, not necessarily in the same Area;

• Offering advice about publicising a project.

Working together, the Membership Department, central teams and Area Representatives ensure the smooth running of the Volunteering disciplines throughout the country and Mainland Europe.

Meetings with the Membership Department, the central team of each discipline and Area Representatives are held twice a year where strategy, progress and other issues are discussed. These meetings are there to support the Area Volunteering Representatives and designed to facilitate networking and collaboration between Areas and to share experiences. This is an opportunity to get to know and support each other.

APPOINTMENT OF AREA REPRESENTATIVES

This is often a collaborative process, and an outgoing Area Representative may find their own successor. They will know the people involved locally and be able to recruit more directly and provide a handover. Alternatively the central Team may know individuals whom they recommend for the role, or an Area Team may identify a suitable candidate.

The Head normally recruits Team members from the Area Representatives.

NEW SOCIETIES

The founding of new Societies is dealt with by the central Support Team. The Support Team Advisor will mentor the Chair and members of the steering committee. Having local knowledge, the Chairman of the Area Support Team (CAST) will be able to advise whether the location identified for a new Society is suitable, will have enough people locally to form a financially viable membership and will not impact adversely on existing Societies. The Support Team Advisor will keep the Chair of the Area Support Team (CAST) updated on the progress being made by the steering committee of the new Society.

The CAST and the local Area Support Team can assist with the formation of a new Society in the following ways:

• Identify locations and venues for potential new Societies;

• Put existing Societies’ minds at rest regarding the impact of a new Society in the Area and encourage co-operation with the new;

• Help promote taster events in their Area;

• Assist at a taster event to help promote the new Society and introduce attendees to the benefits of membership of The Arts Society;

• In the later stages of the formation of the new Society, provide information about the Area and the support the Area Support Team provides after inauguration. The Chair of the new Society’s steering committee should be invited to an Area Meeting in order to meet their colleagues at existing Societies and to feel part of the Area.

COMMUNICATIONS

The smooth running of Area communications is crucial to helping support local Societies.

The communications released by Area Support Teams (AST) should, where appropriate, reflect key messages from the Centre, as well as inspire and support Societies using local insights and experiences relevant to that Area.

CENTRAL COMMUNICATIONS

When planning and preparing Area communications it is important to consider the central communications issued by the team at the Centre.

THE ARTS SOCIETY MAGAZINE

The Arts Society Magazine is sent to all Members three times a year; in spring, summer and winter. It includes exclusive features and interviews, news and opinions from the arts world, as well as Societies’ news stories and details of upcoming Area study days and courses.

This is The Arts Society’s primary means of communicating directly with Members.

THE ARTS SOCIETY WEBSITE

The website (theartssociety.org) features news stories and arts features which are shared in the Monthly Highlights e-newsletter and on social media.

All Societies have a web page, which they can populate with key information, as well as an image gallery, events listings and news section e.g. https://theartssociety.org/guildford. Some Societies use the pages instead of a website, others have a website as well.

Upcoming Area study days and courses are currently listed here: theartssociety.org/study-days-and-courses and shared in the Monthly Highlights e-newsletter each month.

The Resources and Training areas of the website should be the first port of call for guidance documents and updates from the centre. These documents are also shared in the Bulletin which goes to all Society and AST members. A password is needed to access this restricted part of the website, but all Committee Members may have access. Please contact membership@theartssociety.org if you do not have a login.

EMAIL NEWSLETTERS

MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS

Sent to Society Members and Supporters members that have email addresses recorded for them on the central database, unless they have unsubscribed or have repeated 'bounce backs' on Mailchimp. It features curated highlights – news, arts, events, offers, books etc. Easy to spot as it has a pink top banner. .

INSTANT EXPERT

Sent to Society Members and Supporters members that have email addresses recorded for them on the central database, unless they have unsubscribed or have repeated 'bounce backs' on Mailchimp. It features a different Accredited Lecturer each time. Easy to spot as it has a purple top banner.

SPONSORED MAILS

From time to time, exclusive offers for Arts Society Members are sent on behalf of our trusted Travel Affiliates. These play an important role in providing a commercial subsidy against core costs, and are sent to members and non-member subscribers. They are clearly marked as ‘Sponsored Content’ and, like all of our emails, can be unsubscribed from at any time.

BULLETIN

Sent monthly to Society Committee Members and AST Members only (unless they have unsubscribed). It includes important updates from colleagues at The Arts Society House. Easy to spot as it has a blue top banner.

SUPPORT TEAM NEWSLETTER

Written by David Yates, Co-Chair of the Support Team. It is currently sent to the Chairs of Area Support Teams only, on a monthly basis. It includes updates about upcoming meetings and key highlights.

VOLUNTEERING NEWSLETTER

Written by the Heads of Volunteering, sharing important news and details of recent achievements. This will be sent to the Bulletin recipient list (all Society and AST Members) on a quarterly basis.

Please note:

Subscribers may update their preferences or unsubscribe from emails at any time. This can be done by following the links at the bottom of the email newsletters.

EMAIL NEWSLETTERS

MONTHLY HIGHLIGHTS

Anyone can sign up for Monthly Highlights and Instant Expert emails via theartssociety.org/signup. Spread the word! It’s a great way to engage potential members, to give them a taste of what The Arts Society has to offer.

Past Bulletins can be viewed here: theartssociety.org/resource/bulletin

If a Committee Member is not receiving the Bulletin please get in touch with rowan@theartssociety.org

Central email newsletters are usually sent out on a Tuesday. Therefore, you may prefer to schedule Area newsletters for another day. Please see the current Communications Timeline.

ADDITIONAL EMAILS

In addition, the Centre sends out other important email communications to Committees from time to time, such as announcements, election matters, consultations and surveys.

SOCIAL MEDIA

The Arts Society has Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, as well as LinkedIn and YouTube. Through the accounts The Arts Society shares Society stories, connects with Accredited Lecturers and other arts organisations and professionals, shares details of upcoming events, as well as digital arts content featured on the website.

PUBLICITY MATERIALS

Printed materials such as posters, leaflets, labels, name badges etc. are available to order from the team at the Centre. See retail.theartssociety.org/merchandise

AREA COMMUNICATIONS

When representing The Arts Society, AST Members must adhere to the agreed Brand Guidelines and Tone of Voice guidelines in all written and verbal communications. It is also essential that all communications comply with copyright and GDPR legislation.

BRAND ASSETS

ASTs have access to their Area’s own logo suite, the brand fonts and guidance on using the brand assets. More details can be found at theartssociety.org/resource/brand-information. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact rik@theartssociety.org or rowan@theartssociety.org

Arts Society email address accounts are available to AST Members and are recommended for use, so that they can be passed on to your successor when your time in the role comes to an end.

CONTENT - DOS AND DON’TS

To ensure that Arts Society communications are streamlined and not repetitive, and to avoid Members and Committees feeling bombarded or overwhelmed, Areas are asked not to repeat messages from the Centre, unless prompted to do so by the Support Team or the team at the Centre.

All content sent to you by the team from at the Centre should be considered private and confidential unless otherwise stated.

Areas are instead encouraged to share examples of best practice and local knowledge specific to the Societies in their Area. Helping to unify local Societies so that they may share ideas and concerns.

It is important that the information circulated by Areas is factually correct - please check with the Centre if you are unsure, and where possible copy text verbatim.

You should contact the Membership Director if you plan to send out a special campaign email to local Societies, e.g. a survey. The central team may already be planning such communication with Societies or may want to run a campaign developed by one Area across all Areas.

AREA WEBSITES

Dedicated sections for Areas in both the public area and Resources area of The Arts Society website have been provided to each Area. The sections use the same platform as that available to Societies. Area Webmasters (or other volunteers on the Area Support Team) are given full guidelines and support to update them in the same way that Societies are.

PUBLIC AREA

Designed for people visiting the website that may not be familiar with The Arts Society or for members looking for events in their neighbourhood, the Area section in the public area will contain:

• Explanatory text about the Area, such as what it does and the geographic area it covers.

• Details of Societies in the Area together with links to their websites and contact details.

• Details of Study Days, courses, outings and other events that are open to members and the general public.

• Details of volunteering activities in the Area with a link to the main ‘landing’ page for the three volunteering disciplines.

• News section for stories about the Area’s activities.

AREA MICROSITES

Designed for Area Support Teams and Society Committee Members, this section is a combination of a ‘noticeboard’ for your Societies and a repository of information about the Area. Typically this area contains:

• Information about forthcoming Area Meetings and other meetings together with agendas and other relevant information.

• Details of the Area Support Team

• Information about training.

• Information about Area Study days, courses and outings – this will appear in the public area too so you may not feel it necessary to replicate it here.

• A repository for past meeting agendas, minutes and other documents. This will remove the need for any one person to store paper copies at home and make handing over to new members of the team easier.

AREA EMAIL NEWSLETTERS

ASTs are encouraged to send regular email newsletters to keep connected with the Committees in their Area. Please consult the content table above for the do’s and don’ts of what should be included. The frequency of these will depend on the Area, but where possible please avoid days that newsletters from the Centre are going out (usually Tuesdays). Please see the current Communications Timeline.

AREA EVENTS

The Arts Society promotes upcoming Area events (study days and courses) both in the magazine and in the Monthly Highlights e-newsletter, linking through to a page on the website: theartssociety.org/study-days-and-courses

Area Coordinators for Education (ACEs) and other events organisers should share details of upcoming Area study days and courses by completing the online form:

theartssociety.org/arts-society-magazine-submission-form-aces

Where possible please use an Arts Society email account to administer the bookings. If details of an event change, or the event books up, please contact magazine@theartssociety.org and rowan@theartssociety.org

as soon as possible.

A key purpose of Area events is to raise awareness of The Arts Society and to help recruit new Members to local Societies. Where possible Area teams should promote their events to new audiences. Guidance on how to do this can be found here:

theartssociety.org/resource/planning-event

AREA SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media may be used by Area teams for the purpose of supporting Societies, sharing Society and Area stories and promoting upcoming events to new, local audiences.

PRESS AND PUBLICITY

Please contact rowan@theartssociety.org regarding publicity opportunities. Template press releases, images and wording are available in the Resources Area:

theartssociety.org/search/category/promoting-your-society

USEFUL LINKS

• Government guidance on GDPR: gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-general-data- protection-regulation

• Copyright guidance: https://theartssociety.org/resource/copyright-guidance

• Tone of Voice guidance: mcusercontent.com/59fac15a04a6b5144c6d222ad/files/7aa72087-6 2da-4f52-9eb7-dfc8de349fe9/Tone_Of_Voice_FINAL.pdf

• Brand information & templates: https://theartssociety.org/resource/brand-information

• Sourcing images: https://theartssociety.org/resource/sourcing-images

• Submitting a story to The Arts Society Magazine: theartssociety.org/resource/submitting-story-arts-society-magazi ne

• Planning an event: https://theartssociety.org/resource/planning-event

• Study Days and Courses listings: https://theartssociety.org/study-days-and-courses

• Mailing list sign up: https://theartssociety.org/join-our-mailing-list

• Bulletin archive: https://theartssociety.org/resource/bulletin

• Publicity materials: https://retail.theartssociety.org/merchandise

All links can also be found at: theartssociety.org/resource/useful-links-area-teams

AREA FINANCES

BACKGROUND

Areas and Area funds, unlike individual Societies and their funds, belong to The Arts Society centrally.

The accounts for each Area are consolidated and included in the Group Financial Statements for the Charity and its subsidiaries. The total Area income and expenditure is usually shown in note 2a to the Financial Statements and all Area funds are treated as Designated Funds. These are audited as part of the annual audit process, and although an Area will wish to present its annual financial position to its local Societies, there is no requirement for any form of independent examination: no expenses should be incurred for such an examination at Area level.

Accordingly, ultimate responsibility for the management and control of these assets (funds), rest with the Trustee Board. As with any charitable funds:

• they must only be used for purposes that are consistent with the charitable objects which all Area Support Teams should make sure they are familiar with. If Area Support Teams have any doubt whether particular proposed expenditure is consistent, they should immediately seek advice from the Finance and Resources Director;

• they must be managed and controlled in the same way as any other significant asset or expenditure of the Charity.

FINANCIAL YEAR

The financial year for The Arts Society and therefore all Areas is 1 January – 31 December.

BANKING

Areas are required to operate one bank account which should be in the name of the Area. An imprest system operates for Area funds and any funds over and above the amount agreed with the Finance and Resources Director will be held in a ringfenced designated fund on behalf of each Area.

Should the balance in the Area held bank account fall below the agreed imprest amount then a request should be made for a transfer of funds from the ringfenced designated fund. Similarly, if income is received which increases the balance to above the agreed imprest level then a transfer should be made to the centrally held designated fund.

RECORD KEEPING

It is a legal and regulatory requirement for financial records to be maintained and kept for 6 years.

The Area Treasurer (or equivalent) will be responsible for maintaining the financial records and reporting on the financial position to the Area Support Team and local Societies.

• As a minimum, a cash-book or computerised equivalent must be kept for the bank account maintained by an Area. These must record all payments whether by internet transfer, cheque, direct debit or standing order and all cash banked or credited direct, with appropriate analysis or explanation. It is vital to save back-up copies of computerised records, and financial records legally must be held for a minimum of 6 years.

• All payments should be supported by invoices or equivalent documents. Authority for any expenditure, which is not part of the core budget, must be authorised in advance by the Area Support Team (AST) in consultation with local Societies and evidenced by a minute.

• It is recognised that documentary support for cash received can be more difficult than for expenditure, but independent verification should be used wherever possible. Cash received should be reported gross; it should not be used for paying expenses or topping up a petty cash float.

• Bank mandates should normally specify that cheques require two signatures, and that internet payments require two separate authorisations. Single signatures may be used in exceptional circumstances where reasons of practicality dictate. The AST is recommended to appoint at least three signatories for the bank account. The Finance and Resources Director should be added to the account as a back-up and to deal with the checking of balances by the Auditors

• Wherever possible, payments should be made by cheque or bank transfer. Where it is necessary to maintain a petty cash float, this should not exceed an appropriate limit set by the AST. The same principles of record keeping apply as for bank accounts.

• An appropriate system for the independent approval of the reimbursement of personal expenses of AST members (travel, telephone costs, postage, subsistence etc) should be established whereby no individual is in a position to approve and pay their own expenses.

• Under no circumstances may monies due to The Arts Society paid into a private bank account.

• The bank account must be reconciled regularly and these reconciliations must be documented and retained.

CORE AREA OPERATIONAL COSTS

On an annual basis an activity programme of core operations will be agreed with Areas. This is likely to consist of 2 meetings and travel to undertake support activities within the Area. A budget will be agreed between the Area Treasurer (or Chair of the AST) and the Finance and Resources Director on how much will be required to deliver the core activities including travel and subsistence within the Area to provide effective support to local Societies.

The Finance and Resources Team will provide support and template documentation as required for this process (Appendix 1).

RECHARGING OF COSTS TO SOCIETIES IN A LOCAL AREA

The core operational costs will be recharged to the local Societies in each Area on behalf of the AST centrally by the central Finance department on the basis that has been agreed by the Area with its Societies. The funds will be collected and held centrally within the Designated Fund or transferred immediately to the Area bank account depending on what is required.

The Area Treasurer (or equivalent) will be responsible for recharging any costs to local Societies over and above the core operational costs in line with what may have been agreed locally with those Societies. The agreement will need to be documented by way of minutes of the meeting and although a majority of those in attendance would be sufficient, in the spirit of inclusivity unless a clear majority of above 75% is reached, then the AST may wish to revise or curtail the proposal.

EVENTS

Area events should always be planned in pursuance of the charitable activities of, or to promote the Arts Society and its local Societies, not with the sole aim of raising funds. Therefore, in budgeting and pricing events the aim should be for the event to breakeven. If a surplus does arise this can be used with the agreement of local Societies for purposes such as:

• funding grants (in accordance with the agreed criteria);

• local volunteering activities;

• supporting local Societies in recruitment and retention activities.

Income and expenditure for any Area events will be collected / paid by the Area Treasurer (or equivalent).

SURPLUS FUNDS

Where an Area generates a surplus in a financial period or holds higher reserves than is necessary it can consider the following uses:

• subsidising events;

• supporting Societies;

• awarding grants;

• developmental / strategic events and activities.

These considerations should only be made once a surplus is confirmed, i.e. once the accounts have been approved after the end of the financial year. It may then be committed in the current financial year, e.g. a surplus generated in 2021 can be committed in 2022, after the approval for the 2021 accounts.

GRANTS

There is no expectation for Areas to award grants. In the event that an Area is in a financial position to consider grants, they must be given in accordance with the Grant Giving policy of the Arts Society which is available at https://theartssociety.org/grants. The overall purpose should solely be to raise awareness, generate positive publicity and thereby ultimately and demonstrably support the local Societies in that Area.

Details of any grants which have been considered by the Area Support Team should be submitted to the Membership Director who will seek approval from the Chief Executive. This also ensures that the details are recorded so as to generate publicity and allow inclusion in activity reports.

Where a grant is approved the Area Treasurer (or equivalent) will be responsible for making the payment and the AST should seek to receive reports of how the grant was utilised and whether it supported the original purpose of the award.

MEETINGS

On an annual basis each Area will be encouraged to hold a meeting solely for Society Treasurers in that Area. This will be attended by the Finance and Resources Director if required and will provide a useful discussion forum alongside the centrally held Treasurers Networking Sessions.

At least once each year the Finance and Resources Director will convene (via Zoom) a meeting with all Area Treasurers (or equivalent) as a forum to share ideas and information.

RESERVES

Areas should regularly review the level of their reserves to ensure that they are only passing on costs / levying charges to local Societies that are actually required. If reserves are significantly higher than what they deem a suitable level then they should consider reducing the annual levy or liaising with their Societies about specific area projects to avoid simply holding excess monies.

The reserves policy should be agreed with local Societies and a copy passed to the Finance and Resources Director to hold on the audit file. No Area should hold more than 6 months of ‘free reserves’ (being reserves not earmarked for a specific project or purpose).

Any reserves which are not required can be held in the Patricia Fay Memorial Fund. Partnerships

In this context, partnerships are very widely defined and encompass any form of agreement (whether legal or informal) with an outside organisation to further The Arts Society’s charitable objectives; any agreement which does not seek to further the charitable objectives is a misuse of charitable funds and must not be entered into under any circumstances. If an AST has any doubts as to whether an agreement/arrangement that they are contemplating entering into would constitute a partnership for the purposes of this section they should consult at the earliest opportunity, and certainly before any commitment of any sort is given, with the Chief Executive or Finance and Resources Director.

YEAR END ACCOUNTS

The introduction of an imprest system in 2020 has allowed more visibility and removes the requirement for Area Treasurers (or equivalent) to provide a detailed annual return.

This will be replaced by a one-page financial summary from 31 December 2021 detailing income and expenditure, a summary of assets and liabilities, and a reconciliation of the locally held bank account.

AUDIT AND EXAMINATION

As Area accounts form part of the Arts Society annual accounts there is no requirement for Areas to have their accounts independently verified.

The accounts form part of the annual audit (currently undertaken by Moore Kingston Smith during the first week of February each year). During the audit three Areas will be selected (either at random or based on financial materiality) and asked to provide some supporting information as part of the audit fieldwork.

Changes to the audit requirements means that the auditors are now required to independently verify the balance of bank accounts at year end. To speed this up the Finance and Resources Director should be added as a user to online banking facilities.

BUDGET TEMPLATE

Budget for the period to 31 December 202x

DELEGATED POWERS

This section describes, in summary, the powers delegated by the Board of Trustees, via the Chief Executive, to the volunteers on the Area Support Teams. Delegating authority empowers and enables timely and effective action by volunteers and staff working in partnership for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries. The Board retains the right to revoke, at its sole discretion, any or all of the powers it delegates if, for example, the Board is concerned that:

• delegated powers are not being used effectively in the interests of our charitable objects and beneficiaries;

• the use of delegated powers is damaging the interests or reputation of the organisation;

• delegated powers are being used against the letter or spirit of the organisation’s agreed policies and procedures.

Since operational leadership and management of staff and volunteers as well as arrangements for volunteering and volunteers (other than for Trustees) are delegated to the Chief Executive, the delegated powers listed are monitored by the Chief Executive. The delegated powers are:

SUPPORT FOR SOCIETIES

• Hold meetings in line with the agreed budget and time table;

• Visit Societies;

• Attend Society events;

• Contact Societies to carry out support activities, as agreed with the Support Team and the Centre;

• Facilitate networking between Societies, including ‘clusters’;

• Field queries from societies about problems and issues and refer these to appropriate resources within The Arts Society centrally.

FINANCE

• Set budgets for Areas;

• Incur expenditure up to a spending limit, as agreed with the Director of Finance and Resources;

• Commit funds, as approved by the Centre;

• Generate income from events;

• Generate income from fundraising;

• Consider grant applications to area level and where appropriate recommended to the Centre for approval and award.

RUNNING EVENTS

Enter contracts to deliver events; Set and charge fees for events in accordance with the Area Handbook.

COMMUNICATION

• Communicate with Member Societies, Members and the public as agreed in the Communication Plan;

• Communication Re Area events (internal and external);

• Support Central communication as required;

• Manage website and any other content platforms as agreed with the Centre;

• Promote and support central policy, if and as required;

• Report on Area activities and liaise with the relevant Department for reporting purposes.

VOLUNTEERING

• Support local volunteering in Area;

• Facilitate Training of volunteers.

TRAINING

Facilitate Training content and modules as provided (or approved) by the Centre.

CULTURE

• Foster positive and constructive relations between Member Societies and the Centre and not to do anything that would be injurious to that relationship;

• Support and promote the terms of The Statement of Mutual Obligations between The Arts Society and its Member Societies.

All of these activities should be carried out with reference to agreed protocols and procedures as set out in the Handbook and the Code of Conduct for Area Team Members.

APPENDICES

ROLE DESCRIPTIONS CHAIRMAN OF THE AREA SUPPORT TEAM (CAST)

Purpose of role

The Chairman of the Area Support Team (CAST) has responsibility to represent The Arts Society in the Area internally and externally. To promote good relations between Member Societies and the Centre to avoid a ‘them and us’ culture. As part of The Arts Society support structure to provide support locally for Societies and, working with the Area Support Team, to facilitate networking, training and idea sharing opportunities.

RESPONSIBILITIES – SOCIETIES

• Visit each Society at least once during the term of office where possible

• Encourage and facilitate good relations between Member Societies, arranging informal meetings between groups of neighbouring Society Chairs as necessary

• Identifying training needs and liaison with the central Training Team and Area Training Co-ordinator as necessary

• Encourage and facilitate Member Societies’ participation in Training and other events

• Working with the Support Team and the Centre, identify and give help and support to Member Societies that are experiencing dificulties

• Encourage Societies to seek help before a problem becomes too insurmountable to deal with

RESPONSIBILITIES – NATIONAL

• Represent the Area at the AGM, the CAST’s Forum and other appropriate meetings

• Explain, assist and promote the implementation of The Arts Society policy to Member Societies in the Area

• Submit an annual report using the online form template

• Liaison with Chief Executive, Vice-Chair, Support Team, Membership Director and Training Team as required.

RESPONSIBILITIES – AREA

• Ensure a budget for the Area is in place

• Organise and lead two Area Meetings/Forums each year (in the spring and autumn) either in person or via Zoom

• Ensure regular liaison with members of the Area Support Team so that they are up to date with all Area matters

• Arrange three meetings per year with the Area Support Team

• Promote the development of The Art Society’s volunteer disciplines within the Area and liaise with the Volunteering Teams and Area Volunteering Representatives as necessary.

ANNUAL REPORT

The CAST should submit an annual report to the Membership Director each August using the online template. The template presents a succinct picture of the Area’s activities during the previous twelve months listing main achievements, challenges and details of grants given locally by the Area. When there has been a change of CAST, the outgoing CAST should prepare the report.

ADMINISTRATION

Working with the Area Secretary, the CAST should organise two Area Meetings and other ad hoc meetings. Maintain records of formal papers and correspondence such as agendas, minutes etc which can be stored online via The Arts Society website. The CAST should also monitor finances to ensure the Area is working within the agreed budget liaising with the Finance Department or Area Treasurer.

TERM OF OFFICE

The CAST is appointed for three years. S/He may serve for a maximum of three consecutive years.

ESTIMATED TIME COMMITMENT

Every Area is different therefore the time commitment required of CASTs will vary. Other factors such as the implementation of a new policy from The Arts Society or external factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic may also impact on the amount of time required for the CAST role. However, the following is given as a rough estimate:

• Attendance at events organised centrally such as the AGM including travel at least 6 days per year;

• Attendance at Area events at least 20 days per year;

• Telephone calls, emails and other administration, about half a day per week.

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE AREA SUPPORT TEAM

PURPOSE OF ROLE

To assist the Chairman of the Area Support Team (CAST) and to deputise in their absence. Responsibilities

The specific tasks of the Deputy may be decided by agreement with the CAST but could include:

• In the absence of the CAST attend the central AGM, CAST forums, Area Meetings and other events

• Assist the CAST in visiting Societies and their pastoral care

• Facilitate the training within the Area (in the absence of an Area Training Co-ordinator)

• Update the Area web pages (in the absence of an Area Webmaster)

• Assist the Support Team in identifying locations for potential new Societies.

TERM OF OFFICE

The Deputy is appointed for three years this may be extended if necessary.

AREA SECRETARY

PURPOSE OF ROLE

To assist the Area Support Team with the administration of the Area.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist with the administration of Area Meetings and other activities as required by the Chairman and other members of the Area Support Team

• Where appropriate to take notes at Area Meetings and other events and distribute as necessary

• Assist the CAST in maintaining up to date records of local Society committees and other relevant contacts

TERM OF OFFICE

The Deputy is appointed for three years this may be extended if necessary.

AREA TREASURER (OPTIONAL)

PURPOSE OF ROLE

The Area Treasurer assists the Area Support Team on all financial matters within and on behalf of the Area.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Administration of Area funds.

• Advising the Area Support Team on the financial position of the Area and on other financial issues.

• Preparing the accounts for the Area made up to 31 December each year.

• Presenting the Area accounts at the Spring Area Meeting at which they will be approved.

• Completing the Area annual financial return for The Arts Society financial statements and sending it to the Finance Department.

• Support the Finance team by providing source information in the event of queries raised by the external auditors.

• Maintain the Area bank account at the agreed imprest level

• Ensure that the Finance and Resources Director has access to the online banking facility of the Area.

• Work with the Area Support Team and Finance department to develop the annual core budget for the Area

• Development and implementation of a suitable reserves policy for the Area.

• Assisting and advising on the financial planning of Area activities.

• Liaising with and advising Society Treasurers.

TERM OF OFFICE

The Treasurer is appointed for three years this may be extended if necessary.

AREA CO-ORDINATOR FOR EDUCATION (ACE)

PURPOSE OF ROLE

To arrange study days (days of special interest), study courses, visits and other events that provide audiences the opportunity to look at subjects in more depth and to encourage and support the work of local Societies.

Area events are the ‘shop window’ of The Arts Society: they need to be open to the general public, introduce The Arts Society to wider audiences, showcase the full range of topics from the Directory, inspire local Societies to innovate programming. They should lead the way in terms of accessibility and inclusivity, and showcase a modern, open image for The Arts Society.

Area events should complement the programmes of local Societies and should promote and raise the profile of The Arts Society beyond existing members and reflect the broad spectrum of learning opportunities available at the organisation.

Events may be held in person at a suitable venue or via Zoom.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• To arrange study days, courses, visits and other events in the Area

• To deal with bookings and financial issues in accordance with the guidelines in the Area Handbook

• To upload or arrange to the uploading of Area Events to The Arts Society Website, Eventbrite and The Arts Society’s Area events forms (for inclusion in the magazine and other platforms)

• To spread awareness of The Arts Society to the wider world

• To attend Area Meetings, Area Support Team Meetings and other Area events as necessary

• To attend two ACE meetings per year as arranged by the centre, as well as training (as required eg technical, programme planning)

• To attend Directory Day and where possible, assist the Education Manager on the day

• To foster relations with local museums, galleries and other venues

• Optional: To support local Societies by arranging an annual meeting for Programme, Study Day and Visits Secretaries NB: No written reports about Lecturers should be circulated at these meetings

TERM OF OFFICE

The ACE is appointed for three years this may be extended if necessary. The role may be shared.

AREA TRAINING CO-ORDINATOR (OPTIONAL)

PURPOSE OF ROLE

Working with the Chairman of the Support Team (CAST), identify training needs within the Area and promote opportunities for Society committee members (and potential committee members) to develop and maximise their skills in running effective Societies. NB: Please note that it is not necessary that the Training Co-ordinator delivers training personally but that they can work in coordination with the Training & Content Manager and central Training Team.

If the Training Coordinator intends to deliver the training they must have received the relevant training and be familiar with the appropriate, most up to date materials. This ensures a consistency of message throughout the organisation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Organise at least two training events each year as appropriate, consulting with the CAST to ensure that S/He has budgeted for these

• Notify the Training & Content Manager of all training events being planned in advance

• After each training event supply the Training & Content Manager with feedback received and attendance lists including the name and Society of each participant

• Consult with the Head of Training and Membership Director if planning to hold a training event that goes beyond the usual/current Training offerings this will enable the central Training Team to incorporate this into the Training portfolio

• Attend Training Team meetings in order to be up to date with current training materials and policy and to network and exchange ideas with other members of the Training Team

• Attend Training events in other Areas as necessary

• Attend meetings of the Area Support Team and other Area events as necessary

• Attend Area Meetings to promote Training

TERM OF OFFICE

The Area Training Co-ordinator is appointed for three years; this may be extended if necessary.

AREA VOLUNTEERING REPRESENTATIVES (ALL THREE VOLUNTEERING DISCIPLINES)

PURPOSE OF ROLE

The Volunteering Area Representative is there to support and advise Society Volunteering Representatives (or Chair of Societies if there is no Society Representative) in all aspects of their work.

They report to the National Team of their discipline twice annually and meet them twice annually together with the Membership Manager and Membership Advisors for reporting the projects in their Area, discussion of issues, strategy and planning. They are encouraged to consult the Team or staff at any other point if they need advice or further support.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Promote interest in the work of their Volunteer discipline within their Area and to raise the profile of it and encourage members to participate.

• Represent ‘The Arts Society’ with Host Organisations, schools and other current or potential partner organisations in their Area to ensure good relationships are built and sustained within which projects can be delivered for public benefit.

• Maintain regular contact with all the Society Representatives and project leaders within their Area, keeping up-to-date with all current projects and ensuring that Societies report on their activities so that Membership Department has access to full and current information.

• When a project is registered (or Arts Volunteering project reported) on the database an email notification is automatically generated or manual notice produced and sent to the Area Representative so that they have a complete record of projects entered into in their Area.

• Advise and support Societies in establishing new volunteering groups or projects, circulate information on potential new projects to the Societies in the Area and help Society Representatives initiate new projects.

• Circulate notice of relevant training days to the societies so that new Society Representatives have the opportunity to attend an Information Day in London led by the Head of that Volunteering discipline.

• Organise a meeting annually for Society Representatives within the Area to enable them to meet each other, share ideas, experience and information, and to meet and hear from their Area Representative. This is an opportunity to pass on news of central developments and information pertinent to the volunteering activity.

• Encourage Societies to think of working together, combining resources for a project that a single Society could not manage alone.

• Consider initiating an Area Project which they set up and organise, coordinating Societies through the Society Representatives who wish, or are able, to support it either with funds or volunteers.

• An Area Representative is a member of the Area Team and will liaise with the Chair and other members of the Area Support Team.

TERM OF OFFICE

The Area Training Co-ordinator is appointed for three years; this may be extended if necessary.

• Attend all Area Meetings and Area Team Meetings and present a report on their volunteering activity.

• Attend the Area Representatives meeting (usually twice a year in London) which is held with the National Team and the Membership Manager and Membership Advisors. A written Area report should be submitted to the Membership Department in advance of the meeting for circulation to all attendees.

Reasonable expenses will be paid, and claims should be submitted to the Membership Department with receipts.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

For duties specific to each volunteering discipline please see:

ARTS VOLUNTEERING:

theartssociety.org/resource/how-help-arts-volunteering-area-coordinator

HERITAGE VOLUNTEERING:

theartssociety.org/resource/guidelines-arts-society-area-heritagevolunteering-representative

TRAILS OF DISCOVERY

theartssociety.org/system/files/TRAILS%20OF%20DISCOVERY%20AREA %20REPRESENTATIVE%20ROLE%20March%202021.pdf

TERM OF OFFICE

Area Volunteering Representatives usually serve for a term of three years however, this may be extended with the agreement of the Head of the National Team for their discipline and the Membership Manager.

STEPPING DOWN FROM THE ROLE

The Membership Department should be kept advised of any changes of Area Representatives. It is important that their database is kept up to date to ensure that everyone is included in the relevant communications.

At the end of their term an Area Representative should do a complete handover to their successor, passing on relevant documents, reports etc., and if at all possible, arrange for the designated successor to shadow the outgoing Representative prior to their leaving.

AREA WEBMASTER (OPTIONAL)

PURPOSE OF ROLE

To ensure the Area’s web resources on The Arts Society website are fresh and up to date. NB: Training and support will be given for using the content management system provided. Responsibilities

• To update web pages as necessary, removing any out of date or obsolete content.

• Working with the Chair of the Area Support Team(CAST), co-ordinate and collect content for the Area’s web pages from other members of the Area Support Team and Societies as necessary.

• Support ACEs in promoting events and activities in the Area and assist in uploading events to the relevant online booking system such as Eventbrite

• Support local Societies in setting up their pages on the central website.

• Attend meetings if required with other Area Webmasters or the Centre.

TERM OF OFFICE

The Area Webmaster is appointed for three years; this may be extended if necessary.

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR AREA SUPPORT TEAM MEMBERS

Areas form part of the overall support structure of the Arts Society. It follows that all members of Area Support Teams are responsible for supporting the delivery of the charitable objects and promoting the vision of the organisation. A commitment to inclusivity is a fundamental tenet of The Arts Society and this Code of Conduct seeks to help our volunteers understand that aspect of our vision and the important part they play in achieving it.

OUR VISION

The belief that the arts have the potential to enrich peoples’ lives is at the heart of everything we do. We want to be the most inclusive and influential Arts Society.

OUR ETHOS

Our vision cannot be achieved unless we commit ourselves fully to diversity within our organisation. We believe that everyone involved in the Arts Society must feel they belong within The Arts Society and that we all share responsibility to create and sustain an inclusive environment.

We believe that inclusion and diversity are fundamental to our culture and core values and that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences, such as age, ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, religion or sexual orientation. Such rich diversity makes us stronger - more welcoming, more innovative, and more creative, and helps us better serve our communities.

THE CODE

This code applies to anyone who volunteers for The Arts Society at Area level, either as a Member of the Area Support Teams or in association with the Area Support Teams.

1. Members of Area Support Teams must seek to foster constructive relationships between Member Societies and the Centre, while also not doing anything that would be injurious to that relationship.

2. Members of Area Support Teams must conduct themselves in a manner which does not damage or undermine any strategies, plans and initiatives approved by the Trustee Board.

3. Members of Area Support Teams must support and promote the terms of The Statement of Mutual Obligations between The Arts Society and its Member Societies.

4. Members of Area Support Teams should conduct themselves in a manner which does not damage or undermine the reputation of The Arts Society, or its staff / Trustees / Members / volunteers individually or collectively and should not take part in any activity which is in conflict with the objects as set out in the Statement of Mutual Obligations between The Arts Society and its Member Societies, The Arts Society’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, or which might damage the reputation of The Arts Society.

5. Members of Area Support Teams must demonstrate high personal standards of conduct and must not behave in ways that damage or undermine the reputation of The Arts Society. This applies not only to behaviour at Arts Society events but also to any serious misconduct unrelated to The Arts Society such as committing a criminal offence, engaging in activities that are unlawful, likely to cause offence or to undermine public trust and confidence.

6. Members of Area Support Teams must maintain the highest standards of behaviour towards all individuals at all times.

● Interactions with each other, with Members, employees, volunteers, supporters and partners, and with the wider community, should be characterised by a respect for the views of others, honesty and openness, even when there are differences of opinion.

● There is no place for prejudice, discrimination, harassment or victimisation, whether intended or not, nor is there any place for malicious of vexatious activity. In this, it is critical to be aware that it is how such behaviour is received or perceived, and not how it was meant that matters.

The Arts Society is committed to creating an environment where everyone is treated equally, fairly, with dignity and respect, free of harassment and bullying.

● The Arts Society aims to create an inclusive environment that celebrates and values everyone, and will challenge unacceptable behaviour.

● All members of Area Support Teams should support and uphold the aims, objectives and values of The Arts Society, comply with the Area Support Team Handbook and its policies and guidance.

7. Members of Area Support Teams must not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might influence them in the performance of their responsibilities.

8. Members of Area Support Teams must aim to foresee and avoid any conflict of interest. Where one arises, a member of the team must (at once) declare the interest and absent themselves from any discussions taken on the matter. (Any transaction under which the individual will benefit either directly or indirectly must have proper authority.)

9. Confidential information or material (relating to beneficiaries, Members, staff, commercial business etc.) provided to, or discussed must remain confidential. (and within the confines of the organisation and must not be discussed outside.)

In the event that a member of an Area Support Team has been found to be in substantial breach of any material part of this Code of Conduct, procedures may be implemented resulting in the individual being asked to resign from the Area Support Team.

Should this happen the individual will be given the opportunity to be heard, however, in the event of being asked to resign from the Area Support Team the individual should do so with immediate effect.