EUROPEAN-MEDITERRANEAN ART ASSOCIATION, E.M.A.A. REGULATIONS
1. The Name of the Association and Its Location
- The full name of the association is European-Mediterranean Art Association, abbreviated version is E.M.A.A.
- EMAA central office is located in the following address: 101, Reşadiye Street, Nicosia, Cyprus.
2. The Objectives of the Association
- To promote and prolong contemporary artistic practices,
- To organise exhibitions, concerts, conferences, workshops, and similar art events home and abroad,
- To promote in Europe artists and intellectuals active in North Cyprus, and their works; to organise art events, exhibitions, conferences, and workshops related to visual arts (such as painting, sculpture, ceramic, graphic, photography, and architecture), film, music, and literature in various countries; to bring artists and intellectuals active in Europe to North Cyprus and organise cultural events such as exhibitions, concerts, and workshops,
- To reinforce cultural bonds between North Cyprus and Europe,
- To organise cultural events in collaboration with Austria-North Cyprus Artists Association, located in Austria, and other cultural associations of similar status centred in Europe.
3. The association cannot be involved actively in politics.
4. Members and Membership
- Anyone who holds a citizenship of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), who is over 18 years old, and who actively produces material or intellectual works in the fields of visual arts, music, architecture, and literature can apply for a membership. These entities are defined as “essential members”.
- Membership applications are strictly evaluated upon the submission of completed membership forms to the Executive Board. The application is put to vote and confirmed only when absolute majority is attained.
- Members can resign by submitting a written letter of resignation to the Executive Board. In such a case, the result is communicated to the member with a letter of notification. The letter of notification must be delivered to the resigner no later than 30 days.
- The membership is annulled when a member does not pay the membership fee for two years.
- TRNC citizens who provide material and spiritual support to the association can become “honorary members” upon the suggestion of the Executive Board. Honorary membership is granted only when absolute majority is attained. Honorary members are entitled to join General Assembly meetings and to have their say in discussions. However, honorary members do not hold suffrage rights. Honorary members are not required to pay membership fee.
- Founding members
Name/Family Name Profession Address
Nilgün Güney Painter 5, Defne Street / Nicosia
İhsan Gürel Musician 1, Suludere St., Gönyeli / Nicosia
Anıl Işık International Relations 1, Şht. Münir Dilaver St., Gelibolu / Nicosia
Çimer Ergene English Teacher 10, Yüzbaşı Tekin Yurdakul St. / Nicosia
Necdet Turgay Architect Şht. Mustafa Y. Hacı Sok. 1/8, Yenişehir / Nicosia
Erdoğan Uzunahmet Ceramic Artist 6, Sosyal Konut Apt. Blok 2 Kaymaklı / Nicosia
Ateş Kozal Musician 5, Defne Street / Nicosia
Mustafa Göze Musician 28, Soyak Sitesi K.Kaymaklı / Nicosia
Çınar Uluçay Sculptor 22, Sosyal Konut Apt. Blok3 Kaymaklı/ Nicosia
Gülperi Sevengül Painter Yıldız Sok. Uzun3 Apt. D: 4 Karakol / Famagusta
Ercan Sevengül Painter Yıldız Sok. Uzun3 Apt. D: 4 Karakol / Famagusta
Hakan Karahasan Radio-TV-Cinema Dağıstanlı Street 7/B Gönyeli / Nicosia
Hüseyin Çavuşoğlu Model 61, Mehmet Akif St., Dereboyu / Nicosia
5. Incomes and Revenues
- Membership registration is free of charge. Annual membership fee is 30 TL (thirty Turkish Liras). Membership fee is collected once in four months, as 5 TL (five Turkish Liras) loans. The fee can be redefined by the Executive Board when necessary. The fees are collected by the auditor. Donations: Any institutiton, corporation, individual, association, member or honorary member can make donations to the association.
- Proceeds from social and cultural events organised by the Executive Board are sources of income for the association.
- Fees, donations, and other incomes are received with a receipt. The income is accumulated at a bank account, which is defined with the association’s name in a bank agreed upon by the Executive Board (proved with signatures of the chairperson, secretary, and auditor).
- Members who fail to pay their membership fees until the General Assembly are denied their suffrage rights.
- The association can sell publications as a source of income.
6. The Bodies
The bodies of association are as follows;
- General Assembly,
- Executive Board,
- Supervisory Board,
- Disciplinary Board.
Executive Board, which is mentioned in (b), can alternatively be referred to as the Administrative Board.
7. General Assembly
General Assembly is the supreme body of association and is composed of essential members. Essential members who have paid their annual membership fees hold suffrage rights in the General Assembly meetings. General Assembly meetings are held once in two years in the month of November upon the call of the Executive Board. The presence of more than half of the registered members are required to launch the meeting. Should the majority be not attained at the specified day and time of meeting, the commencement is suspended for thirty minutes. After this period of time, General Assembly meeting is launched as if the absolute majority was attained. The General Assembly meeting is opened by the chairperson, or his or her deputy. A presidential board composed of a president and two secretaries are elected to govern the meeting. Verdicts are only taken by absolute majority. The verdicts are then communicated to governmental entities in letter form, and publicised in the bulletin board in the headquarters office. Emergency meeting of the General Assembly can be called by at least one fifth of the members. Minutes of the General Assembly meeting and voting papers are handed over to the newly elected General Assembly under the signatures of the presidential board to be kept until the next meeting.
8. Duties and Responsibilities of the General Assembly
Duties and responsibilities of the General Assembly are as follows:
- To vote and verify the activity and financial reports presented to the General Assembly by the Executive Board.
- To vote and confirm the plans, programmes, and draft resolutions presented to the General Assembly by the Executive Board.
- To elect the members who will compose the bodies of association for two years.
9. Executive Board (Administrative Board)
Executive Board is composed of 7 (seven) essential members elected by the General Assembly. Two essential members who received the most votes after these 7 (seven) essential members become reserve members. Executive Board elects a chairperson, a deputy chairperson, a secretary, an auditor, and three active members in its first meeting. Executive Board meets at least once in every month to discuss the agenda and take decisions accordingly. Verdicts are taken by absolute majority. Should the votes be equal, the privileged value of chairperson’s vote determines the result. Should the chairperson be absent in the meeting, his or her deputy governs the meeting. Any member who fails to attend the Executive Board meetings three times consecutively is suspended from Executive Board membership and a reserve member is assigned to his or her post. The assignment decision is taken by the remaining members of the Executive Board. Executive Board verdicts are recorded in a ‘Book of Verdicts’ and signed by members present in the meeting. At least 4 (four) members of the Executive Board must be present in a meeting to be able to produce a verdict.
10. Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Board
Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Board are as follows:
To implement the verdicts of the General Assembly. To hold an Executive Board meeting at least once in every month. To take verdicts in the presence of at least 4 (four) members, to inscribe the verdicts in the Book of Verdicts, and sign. To prepare draft resolutions when there are activity and financial reports to be presented to the General Assembly. To prepare and communicate to the members the agenda for the General Assembly and to notify members the date, time, and place of the General Assembly meeting at least 7 (seven) days in advance via a local newspaper. To call an emergecy meeting of the General Assembly when necessary. To notify members of the date of the emergency meeting via a local newspaper 3 (three) days in advance. To call a meeting for the Disciplinary Board when necessary to report related topics. To prepare the Disciplinary Board report prior to the General Assembly meeting. To prepare publications related to the association. To make necessary arrangements for the visiting artists and outgoing artists. To organise events in line with the association’s objectives and to collaborate with institutions and corporations organising events for similar purposes.
11. Supervisory Board
Supervisory Board is composed of 2 (two) essential members and 1 (one) reserve member elected by the General Assembly. Supervisory Board monitors the incomes and expenditures of the association. Accounts of the association are recorded in related books, which are later presented to the General Assembly via the Executive Board for confirmation. Annually, the accounts are recorded in a Book of Accounts, which is later presented to the General Assembly via the Executive Board for confirmation. As the General Assembly verifies the accounts, they are finalised. Supervisory Board also prepares a supervision report to submit to the General Assembly.
12. Disciplinary Board
Disciplinary Board is composed of 3 (three) essential members and 1 (one) reserve member elected by the General Assembly. The reserve member is assigned to the post of an essential member in the case of his or her suspension from the duties.
The operation policy of the Disciplinary Board is as follows:
Disciplinary Board elects a chairperson in its first meeting and reports the decision to the Executive Board. Disciplinary Board demands a written defense from the alleged member within 15 (fifteen) days starting from the day he or she is filed for an offense to the Disciplinary Board. The call for a defense letter is communicated to the alleged member by a letter which explicitly describes the charges against him/her. Within 15 (fifteen) days following the delivering of the call for defense, a written defense must be received by the Executive Board. Otherwise, it means that the right of defense is denied. In this case, the Disciplinary Board discusses the topic and takes a decision, which is communicated to the alleged member and the Executive Board within 5 (five) days.
The Disciplinary Board is liable to come up with a verdict latest by 3 (three) months concerning the files submitted to them. Executive and Disciplinary Boards may collect information from related individuals during the inspection process and encloses them to the file of allegation.
The Disciplinary Board’s verdict is communicated to the Executive Board. Executive Board is liable to implement the verdict.
The Disciplinary Board’s verdict can be appealed against to the General Assembly by the alleged individual and/or by the Executive Board. The Disciplinary Board and the Executive Board do not hold the power to discuss or decide against the verdict of the General Assembly. The verdict of the General Assembly can only be undone by the General Assembly.
Files which are not concluded within 3 (three) months in the Disciplinary Board after submission can be re-submitted to the General Assembly by the decision of the Executive Board. Board members who have neglected their duties and the alleged individual are then judged by the General Assembly.
Inspections and other such activities of the Disciplinary Board are carried on in secret. The Disciplinary Board is liable to keep an official report of inspection. Action is taken for disciplinary offense about those who publicise in one way or another the inspections and activities of the Disciplinary Board before the file is completely closed. These individuals are judged by the General Assembly.
The Disciplinary Board holds the right to open or secret ballot for an internal decision. Should there be an equality in the votes, the chairperson is entitled to a second vote.
13. Disciplinary Actions
- Admonition;
Failing to obey the regulations and comply with the objectives of the association, or taking a stand against these. Admonition can be communicated either verbally or written to warn the member. Admonotion is given to the members who commit a disciplinary offense for the first time.
- Censure;
Bringing or causing material and spiritual damage to the association; failing to fulfill either partly or completely one’s duties trusted by the regulations or the verdict of the Board. Censure is given to the members who neglect the admonition they received and who continue their mischievous actions.
- Temporary Suspension;
Disturbing the peace and brotherhood in the asssociation, engaging in mischievous behaviour that spoils the honourable name of the association, and causing material loss to the association. Temporary suspension can be 1 (one) year longest.
- Dismissal;
Trying to harm personal rights of individuals. Dismissal is given to the members who were previously suspended from their posts temporarily and who continued their mischievous actions that break disciplinary rules. Dismissal denotes the annulment of the membership of a member.
14. Dissolution of the Association
The verdict of dissolution can only be taken at an emergency meeting of the General Assembly called particularly for the agenda of dissolution and with the majority of the two third of the members’ votes, following the model for the alteration of association’s regulations. After dissolution, association’s assets are donated to a charitable institution which is determined by the Assembly.
15. Elections
All elections are performed on a secret ballot voting system and open counting of the votes. Only presidential board elections are put to open ballot. Voting papers which are stamped and signed by the presidential board are used in elections. Electors are obliged to vote as many times as the number of persons to be elected. 1 (one) essential member can only be elected for one position. An elected essential member who completed the period of his/her duty can be elected once more. Presidential board is responsible for the voting papers and the counting of the votes. Honorary members may be present at the General Assembly, but cannot vote.
16. Alteration of Regulations
Regulations can be altered upon the written proposal of at least 5 (five) members and in a General Assembly session where at least two third of members are present. Absolute majority is required in voting.
Alteration proposals by members must be submitted in written form to the Executive Board at least 15 (fifteen) days prior to the General Assembly meeting.
17. Association House
Should there be an Association House, a social meeting point, only members are allowed to attend.
18. Branch Offices
The Association does not have any branch offices.
Sincerely,
Representative of Founding Members
The Chairperson