Farmland Preservation Artists of Central PA

At this time, the FPA wishes to maintain a membership ceiling of 22-23 Artist Members. All membership issues must be approved by at least a 2/3 majority of the Artist Members present at any meeting.

For the greatest comfort, interested applicants will not attend the approval meeting, but instead will provide three samples of their original art and a brief statement. The artwork will be viewed and the statements will be read for all applicants at the same meeting, and approval will follow. If more candidates apply than the FPA has room for, the members present at the meeting may vote to raise the ceiling by one slot to create more room.

The Artist Membership or Associate Membership ceilings may be raised by one number at any meeting. If there is a desire to raise the ceiling beyond that, then a Policy Committee must be formed to propose a new membership policy for approval.

• FPA members must be an Art Alliance member. No separate FPA dues are required.
• Submit art work for at least one exhibition a year.
• Help with at least one exhibition a year, i.e., assist with organization and publicity of show, set up show, represent artists and promote sales at a show.
• Contribute with new ideas, places to paint and/or exhibit.
• Attend meetings regularly. There will be a minimum of 3 meetings annually.
• If a current member has not complied with membership requirements, the President will discuss the matter with that member, and bring the information to the membership meeting for a decision by the group.

Candidates for Artist Membership or Associate Membership will provide a current member with the following:

1. An artist resume which should include any art shows and exhibitions, awards, training, gallery representation, etc.
2. Three to five images of their work. These works should reflect the vision and goals of the Farmland Preservation Artists of Central Pennsylvania.
3. A one-page artist statement. This statement should briefly describe their artistic experience and goals as well as their interest in the group, explaining why they would be a good fit for the FPA, and what their art and other skills would contribute to the FPA.

The artwork will be viewed, and the statements will be read at the following meeting. Approval for Artist or Associate Membership will be based on the applicant’s background and work relative to FPA goals. 

Former members are welcome to rejoin by providing samples and an artist statement for review by the group.

FPA also wishes to have no more than 4 Associate Members who express enthusiasm and support for the group and who may have interest in becoming an Artist Member. These Associate Members do not need to adhere to the requirement of the Artist Members, but their assistance with organizing shows, representing the FPA at shows by promoting artwork and sales, and help to find exhibit and painting locations will be greatly appreciated. 

Associate Members are encouraged to join us on our painting days, to attend meetings and to contribute to the group’s discussions and thinking, but will not have a vote in the group’s decisions and will not be allowed to exhibit.

FPA wishes to have a member of the Art Alliance (preferably the executive director) and at least one member of the Centre County Farmland Trust in our membership, when necessary.

Partner members are present to help guide the general direction of our collaboration and to contribute ideas for shows, fundraising and sites on which to produce art.  They will vote on the business of the organization, but will not vote on issues pertaining specifically to Artist members such as acceptance of new artist members.

The FPA will nominate and elect officers annually in November and those elected will take those roles immediately.  There will be, at least, a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

The President will set the agenda for and preside over meetings, keep the organization’s mission in the forefront, solicit discussion when appropriate, delegate tasks and/or ask for volunteers, keep members alert to up coming events and duties of the group.

The Vice President will assist the President with his/her tasks.

The Secretary will record meeting minutes and get them out to members by e-mail in a timely fashion, redo membership roster when new officers are elected, or membership changes, periodically review minutes to bring up items for the agenda that we suggested or tabled for future meetings.

The Treasurer will keep accurate accounts of funds; coordinate with representative of the Art Alliance for distribution of sales after an exhibit, report earnings and treasury balance at meetings, write checks and pay bills as necessary.

The FPA will:

1. Identify publications to submit information to for prospective shows
2. Work up standard press releases with blanks for dates, times and places to be sent to the CDT, other publications that are appropriate and timely as well as radio and public bulletins.
3. If invitations are in order the members will approve to have a flyer or post card created by an FPA member.   The number of flyers needed will be determined based on location of show and data  based mailing lists at the Art Alliance, and submitted  to a  copy service for copying.   If the cost of the flyers is under $75, it will be assumed that the group authorized the cost by approving a flyer.  Should the cost exceed $75, an e-mail to members for confirmation of payment of the additional cost will be sent out for approval.  The bulk mailing logo of the Art Alliance will be utilized for postage and printed on the back side of the flyer.
4. All mailing labels for FPA shows to which we can invite the public will be in a data base at the Art Alliance.  They will include FPA members mailing lists (FPA members will be responsible for entering their own lists into the data base at the Art Alliance), Art Alliance mailing lists, CCFT mailing lists.
5. Mailing labels specific to the upcoming event will be obtained from the Art Alliance by whomever is working on sending out flyers. The addressed flyers will be sorted by zip code and then taken to the Art Alliance for mailing.  The Art Alliance will assume the costs of the bulk postage mailings.

The FPA will:

1. Develop locations for shows each Fall and commit to the place and number of shows by November for the coming year.  The names, dates and location of shows will be posted on the FPA web site by the web master.
2. Limit to 3 or 4 planned shows per year, and the possibility of 2 additional spontaneous shows, i.e. unplanned, per year.  A minimum of 5 FPA artists will be needed to consider it a FPA sponsored show.
3. Minutes will reflect decisions about the shows so that members can remain informed.
4. Identify volunteer chair or co-chairs for each show to work with representative at show location.
5. Leader and co-leader will evaluate the space for the show for which they are responsible.  Assessment will include such issues as lighting, security, size of space and possible number of paintings to be hung, options for hanging such as portable screens and/or walls.
6. Get a commitment from artists as to who will be able to submit art work, and then determine how many pieces each artist will be submitting, bearing in mind size.
7. Engage volunteers from FPA membership for tending the show and promoting sales, and develop a schedule for these “tending” responsibilities.

FPA show organizers will:

1. Create an 8 1/2 by 11 inch poster with information about the show and sale to be posted on the 2 boards promoting the group for entrance to exhibit boards promoting the show are stored with the screens.
2. Obtain display screens from storage and set up for art work if being utilized.
3. If show is at a location at which we must oversee sales, obtain credit card machine, cash box, red dots, credit card sales receipts, procedures for credit cards from the Art Alliance.
4. If a show is at a location such as a gallery where an owner or manager is in charge of sales, negotiate the issue of percentage of sales with the approval of the FPA membership and determine payment mechanism for check and credit card sales prior to opening. (Inform the treasurer of the percentage distribution for the event.  The usual percentage distribution is 6% Art Alliance, 6%CCFT, 6%FPA, & 6%EventHost.  If the booth/space is paid for by the FPA, then no percentage goes to the event host and 12% goes to the FPA.)
5. Receive work at designated location
6. Each artist will provide an inventory list of the work to be hung.
7. Label cards will be available for each artist to complete with information about the work, i.e. title, medium, price, artist’s name.
8. Hang art work for show
9. Attach labels to screen or wall for each piece of art (Art Alliance will make labels)
10. Obtain copy of schedule for overseeing show and names and phone numbers of sales promoters in the event of any necessary changes.
11. Create inventory of sold works and picked up works at end of show.
12. Create final accounting of sales and get information, checks, cash and credit card receipts to the Art Alliance representative who will do the final distribution of cash to organizations and artists based on the percentages set for the event.  (Treasurer will inform AA rep of event percentage distribution.)  A copy of the final accounting will be sent to the FPA treasurer and president using our designated format.
13. Return cash box, credit card machine, screens etc.
14. Note who purchased paintings and send notices to respective artists so they will have a record.

Promotional materials that should be on display at each show include:

• Flyers/brochures/business cards for FPA, Art Alliance and CCFT.
• Name tags for artists.
• Posters for entrances