1. Name. The name of the club shall be 'The Dorchester Art Club'
2. Aim of the Club. The aim of the Club is to encourage interest in, and the practice of, all forms of the visual arts (excluding Cinema, Photography and Theatre).
3. Officers of the Club. The Officers of the Club shall be President, Vice President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer, Exhibition Secretary, Membership Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Summer Programme Coordinator, Winter Programme Coordinator, and three further Committee members. In addition, an Auditor shall be appointed from outside the Club.
4. The Presidency.
a. The Presidency of the Club shall comprise a President and a Vice President
b. The President of the Club is its Titular and Ceremonial Head. The President has no role in the day-to-day running of the Club but is its chief representative in the local community. The Vice President deputises for the President.
c. The President and Vice President have the right to be consulted on matters of their choosing and the Committee is required to consider their views. The Committee may seek advice from the President and Vice President and enlist their help as required.
d. The President will normally hold the office for four years.
e. When a President comes to the end of his or her period of office, or resigns, he or she will be succeeded by the Vice President, and an election held for a new Vice President at the next Annual General Meeting from a list of candidates proposed by the President and Committee and nominated by the Members. If in the opinion of the new President and the Chairman of the Committee the interval before the Annual General Meeting is too long for the post of Vice President to remain vacant they may appoint a member to act as Vice President for the intervening period.
f. Nominations for candidates for election to the office of Vice President, or President and Vice President if the posts fall vacant simultaneously, are to be submitted to the General Secretary at least seven weeks before the Annual General Meeting.
5. The Committee. The Committee of the Club comprises the Club Officers, less the President, Vice President and Auditor. The Committee shall meet as and when necessary. At Committee meetings five members shall form a quorum. The General Secretary shall have the power to call a Committee meeting giving not less than seven days notice.
a. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt as considered necessary.
b. The Committee shall have the power to legislate on any point not provided for in the Rules.
c. All equipment ofthe Club shall be vested in the Committee.
d. Members of the Committee shall be elected by the Annual General Meeting for a period of three years after which their postion will be declared vacant. They may be nominated, and elected, for further periods. A member of the Committee may be required to resign before the three year point if a motion for them to do so is proposed and carried at the Annual General Meeting, or an Extraordinary General Meeting.
e. All nominations for Officers and any proposed amendment to the Rules shall be sent in writing to the General Secretary at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting.
6. The Club Year and Annual General Meeting. The Club Year shall terminate on 31 December and the Annual General Meeting shall take place as soon as possible after this date. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened if requested by not less than ten paid-up members who must give the General Secretary 28 days written notice.
7. Club Membership.
a. Any person interested in the visual arts (as defined in the Club's Aim), and over the age of 16, may become a member. A member shall have the right to participate in all Club activities and have the right to vote at Annual General and Extraordinary General Meetings.
b. Honorary Membership of the Club shall be offered to any person:
    i) who has been in membership of the Club for more than 25 years and is over the age of 80
    ii) who has rendered outstanding services to the Club as a Member
    iii) who has held the position of President of the Club
    iv) who currently holds the position of General Secretary
    v) outside the Club who has given outstanding support to the endeavours of the Club over a significant period
Honorary Membership shall, in each case, be subject to the approval of the Annual General Meeting. An Honorary Member shall pay no membership fees but shall have the rights of ordinary members.
8. Subscriptions and Rules of Membership.
a. The Club annual subscription is to be set at an amount which will pay the Club's annual routine running costs (hire of halls, stationary, postage, printing etc), with any profit from exhibitions used to pay for other expenses and to maintain a prudent reserve. The Committee is to set the level of subscriptions to achieve this.
b. The rates of the subscriptions for the following year will be announced in November each year, and these rates will specify the full rate, and a discounted rate. The full rate will be payable by any new member joining after 1st January of any year, and the amount paid will cover membership to 31st December of that year, except as provided in sub-section 8.d. below.
c. A prospective member may attend any two successive painting meetings on payment of any sessional member's fee for the meeting, after which the prospective member will be expected to become a member if he or she wishes to continue attending.
d. The rates of the subscription to be paid by members are as follows:
    i) New members joining the Club before the handing-in day of the Club's annual Open Exhibition (normally in August) are to pay the full subscription rate which will cover their membership to 31st December of the year of joining, but those joining on or after that day are to pay the full rate which will provide membership up to the end of the following calendar year.  This concession is not available to those who rejoin the Club, if they allow their membership to lapse.
    ii) Members whose subscription for the following year is received by the end of the current year may pay the discounted rate.
    iii) Members who do not pay their annual subscription for the coming year by the end of the current Club year will be removed from the mailing list and will not be permitted to attend the Annual General Meeting until their subscription has been paid in full.
    iv) If a member's subscription remains unpaid three months after the end of the Club year (i.e. on I April when the Club year ends on 31 December) their membership shall lapse. Should a person whose membership has lapsed rejoin the Club, at any time, they are to pay the full rate of subscription for the first year of membership.
          Illustrative Note: Under this rule, if the full annual subscription were set at £22 and the discounted   subscription set at £20, the amount due from members would be as follows:
£22 (Full Rate) : will be paid by (a) new members joining at any date during a calendar year; (b) members renewing their subscription within three months after the end of the current Club year; and (c) members who rejoin the Club after their membership has lapsed at the time of rejoining.
£20 (Discounted Rate) : will be paid by members who renew their subscription before the end of the current calendar year, except that new members who have joined during or after the last year's Open exhibition, will not pay a further annual subscription until the end of their next year of membership..
9. Activities. The Committee is to devise and arrange a programme of activities as follows:
a. During the Autumn and Winter months there is to be one evening and one afternoon meeting in most weeks. These meetings will normally be of 2 hours duration. The form of these meetings will include demonstrations by Club and visiting demonstrators as well as workshops and practical work sesions by members.
b. During the Summer months, there is to be one full-day meeting at an outdoor venue in most weeks.
c. The Club shall hold at least one Members' Exhibition and one Open Exhibition annually.
10.Liability of the Club. The Club shall in no way be responsible for any loss or damage to works or equipment presented at any activity of the Club.
11. Financial Matters.
a. The Committee may authorise the payment of accounts and incur any normal liabilities on behalf of the Club. The Committee members are hereby indemnified by the Club against any claim in respect of any liability and bona fide debts incurred on behalf of the Club.
b. All cheques drawn on behalf of the Club shall be signed by any two of the following: Chairman, Treasurer or General Secretary.
12. Winding Up. In the event of the Club being wound up the property and assets of the Club shall be disposed of by a two-thirds majority decision from an Extraordinary General Meeting convened to discuss the matter.