Preamble
The New Works Festival shall exist to facilitate the development of new plays, to see those plays shared with an audience, and to provide opportunities for the University of Alberta student body to take roles in the production of aforementioned plays, all with the support of the University of Alberta Drama Department.
Article I: Name and Purpose
I.I Name
The name of this organization shall be the New Works Festival.
I.II Objectives and Goals
To successfully produce the New Works Festival in February of each academic year.
To provide artists with a full production experience that incorporates all the elements of a professional theatrical environment.
To encourage and facilitate the development of new plays by emerging playwrights.
To encourage and facilitate the development of all other artists (directors, dramaturges, stage managers, technicians, designers, and performers), as they work together to assist in the development and production of each play.
To provide the resources, space, and support system necessary for such a process and collaboration to occur.
To be open to the submission of and not discriminate against alternative works (non-script based theatre, devised theatre, dance, performance art, etc.).
For the New Works Festival to remain a sustainable and growing organization.
Article II: Membership
II.I Membership and Eligibility
Membership shall be open to any person who participates in the New Works Festival.
At the end of the winter term, membership in the New Works Festival shall expire for that year, and membership for the following year will open.
Membership may be revoked by a 2/3 majority vote in the Executive Committee, based on failure to fulfill responsibilities, or actions that interfere with the fulfillment of the responsibilities of others.
A minimum of two-thirds (2/3) of the New Works Festival’s membership must be full or part time students of the University of Alberta.
II.II Membership Dues
The New Works Festival shall require no membership dues.
Article III: Eligibility and Election of Executive Committee
III.I Eligibility
3/4 of the Executive Committee must be full or part time students at the University of Alberta.
In the event that an Executive member is dismissed as a student from the University of Alberta for any reason, that will constitute dismissal from the Executive Committee.
Membership in the Executive Committee will be open to any person wishing to participate in the organizing of the New Works Festival, and shall not limit the Committee member’s artistic involvement in other aspects of the Festival.
III.II Election Procedures
The Executive Committee will be selected by secret ballot* by current members.
The positions of Executive Director, Artistic Director, Secretary and Treasurer will be elected between the months of March and April, and will hold office from the day they are elected until the day of election of their successor.
Members at large will be selected each September for the academic year’s festival, and will hold office until the end of said academic year.
*Secret ballots will not be used for the selection of Production Manager and Technical Director. These positions will apply directly to the Executive Committee. Production Manager shall be selected by the end of winter term, and Technical Director in the September before the festival for which they hold office.
Article IV: Executive Committee
IV.I Executive Committee
The Executive Committee will be composed of:
Executive Director
Artistic Director
Secretary
Treasurer
Production Manager
Technical Director
Members at Large (up to 4)
It is understood that the Executive Director and Artistic Director will fulfill the roles of President and Vice-president, respectively, in fulfillment of U of A Student Group Services’ requirements.
IV.II Duties of Executive Committee Members
The Executive Director shall be responsible for overseeing:
Fund Development
Marketing
Festival Production (including scheduling, budget, and festival participants)
The Artistic Director shall be responsible for overseeing:
The development of the scripts and the artists, including but not limited to orientations, workshops, readings, meetings within artistic teams, etc.
Maintaining the artistic integrity of the festival
The Secretary:
Will be responsible for the recording and distribution of minutes for each meeting.
May assist all other members of the Executive Committee in their roles and responsibilities.
*In the event of the absence of an Executive Committee member, the Secretary may act on their behalf for the purposes of that meeting.
The Treasurer:
Will be responsible for the allocation and reporting of the annual budget.
Will be responsible for fund development.
May assist all other members of the Executive Committee as need arises
The Production Manager:
Will be responsible for the oversight of scheduling, budgeting, and the human resources for each project.
Act as the liaison between the Committee and the festival.
The Technical Director will:
Coordinate with the Production Manager over scheduling, budgeting, and the allocation of human resources for each project.
Be responsible for the execution of the technical elements of each project.
Oversee the formation and activity of all technical crews and crew members.
Executive Members at Large:
Will represent their program within the Drama Department, as well as their role in the festival (e.g. directors, designers etc.) by bringing forward concerns and questions, and assisting in finding appropriate solutions.
In the event that a position cannot be suitably filled for a festival season, those responsibilities shall be distributed amongst the Executive Committee by a majority vote.
IV.III Other Executive Members
Other members of the Executive Committee may include the Faculty Advisor, the consulting Graduate Student, and the Lee Playwright in Residence.
The consulting Graduate Student has voting privileges.
It is understood that the Faculty Advisor and Lee Playwright in Residence are non-voting Executive members.
IV.IIII Impeachment/Removal and Replacement of Officers and Members
Any member of the Executive Committee who commits an act negatively affecting the interests of the group and its members may be given notice of impeachment.
A minimum of five members, including at least one voting Executive Committee member, may bring forth a motion of impeachment to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will give the individual in question fair notice of the motion, and convene a general meeting at which a case shall be made for and against the impeachment.
A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of members present will result in the removal of the impeached individual from the group and the loss of any privileges associated with the group.
Article V: Committees
V.I Committees
The Executive Committee will have the authority to establish and disband any committees determined to be necessary to organize the projects of the New Works Festival.
Article VI: Meetings
VI.I Annual General Meeting
An Annual General Meeting will be held in September of each year. An email will be sent out one week prior to the AGM to inform members and potential new members of its location and time.
VI.II Meetings
The Executive Committee will be responsible for holding executive and general meetings on a regular basis, as necessary. These will meetings will be announced by email as soon as dates and times of meetings are determined.
A quorum shall be met with at least 2/3 members of the Executive Committee.
Meetings will be run according to Robert’s Rules of Order, with the exception that the president will have voting privileges.
Article VII: Amendments to the Constitution
VII.I Amendments
Each member of the New Works Festival will be provided with an electronic copy of the Constitution, with a hard copy provided by request.
Amendments to the constitution can be brought forth at any point, and must win a two-thirds majority vote of the members present.
Last update September 2013
