Ström (strom_photo@usa.net)
Tue, 29 Jun 1999 07:07:36 -0400 (EDT)
There seems to be good interest in the gallery in SF. Although I can't
participate because I'm on the East coast, I sent in the "premature" questions
as a cautionary offer. If you have hands on experience in organizing,
preparing, opening, and operating a collective, you have the experience and
knowledge already. If any of the artists is a lawyer or has a lawyer spouse,
the corporate details are easier to work out.
But again, before you jump, the list of issues I previously sent can be
ammended to include
Insurance
Occupancy license
Bylaws
Officers (required for Corporation and Corporation is needed for tax and legal
reasons)
Agent (for corporation papers)
Gallery operator (Director is the usual term) and helper (usually an artist)
Now, if someone else takes full responsibility for the operation and
liability, then no problem exists and no thinking is required. On the other
hand, if the artists together assume responsibility collectively, they must
elect officers, find an agent (can be one of the artists), create corporation
bylaws for electing officers and assigning responsibilities to the members,
file corporation papers, pay license fees, and have the necessary liability
and loss insurance.
The collective (artist owners of the business) may be small and exhibit
artists on an invitational basis (with a charge for hanging--to pay the rent),
or it might be larger, with a shared operation fee (depending on the number of
owners and the annual rent).
Beware--the board of directors particulary and members--can be sued for
collection of debts, injuries on the premises, etc., despite a corporate veil.
Whether they prevail or not, someone who sues you can drag you before a judge
for hearings that will take your time and your emotion and they can win under
circumstances defined by the city's corporation laws. This might be
complicated and onerous to the artistic thinkers on the list, but it is a fact
and I know--I have been sued as an officer of such a corporation.
Someone with very good business sense and who is highly organized to take care
of the preparation and obligations of opening a gallery is a good asset in
addition to the excitement and support of the artists.
Good luck!
Strom
--- garimo <omirag@cruzio.com> wrote:
> Hi all!
> I'm pleased that there appears to be interest in a
> collectively operated gallery (besides my own) in
> San Francisco.
>
> >
> >What about a "test run?" Let's say the space was
> spruced up a bit: cleaned
> >and painted. Lighting could be temporary to keep
> costs down.
> >
> >Then a small show could be held there with
> participants sharing costs or
> >maybe the building owner would offer $ gratis. See
> what attendance is like
> >and make a plan afterwards.
> >
> >
> *************************************************************************
> > WILLIAM LAVEN
> PHOTOGRAPHY
>
> I suspect Jay (building owner) will be responsible
> for painting and fixing up the place and getting it
> prepared for use. It's possible that since most of
> the remodel designing is left up to me, I'll get
> feed back from the collective as to what the floor
> plan design is desired. I think Jay should provide
> safe lighting and heating as well. He does want to
> create some kind of multi-use space in this building
> and often his ideas are (in my opionion) much less
> practial than my own. Our history working together
> has been that many of my ideas have worked out well
> for him in the past. His main concern is being able
> to collect rent from a space that till now has been
> unuseable. If creating this space does not work out
> for an alternative photography gallery, he still
> will have a rentable space. If letting us use the
> space as a gallery will get me more motivated to
> work on the building... He's all for that too!
>
>
> >I'm interested. What's the address in SF?
> >
> >Please notice, I send this off list.
> >
> >Steve Shapiro, Carmel, CA
>
> It's been over a year since I have been in the
> building... I'll get the address and maybe if I have
> time I'll go and measure the footage this coming
> weekend.
>
>
> >What will the monthly operating costs be?
>
> > Rent
> > Utilities
> > Cleaning
> > Taxes
> > Corporation fees
>
> >Also, who will be responsible for being there
> during open hours. Will you
> >have a regular, hired person. If so, what will the
> cost be? How will you
> >reimburse the "gallery director".
>
> >What security will you have? How will you protect
> the works that are
> >currently exhibited?
>
> >Who will be exhibited? Are you going to have
> membership and some form of
> >lottery scheduling? Or are you going to be
> invitational and have a jury?
>
> >These are important questions in operating a
> gallery.
>
> >Let me know what your thoughts are. You can send
> this to the list if you
> >would like, when you reply.
>
> Str–m
>
>
> These are interesting questions, but seem too
> premature. I don't even know if they are the right
> questions at this point. But I do know, I chose to
> not be solely responsible for decision making,
> operation and on & on. I am interested in working
> collectively, even though consensus making takes
> time talking it out...
> ..........
>
> And so, for those interested, I've set up 'another'
> E-mailing list for the talking about. To subscribe
> go to this URL and register <
> http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/gallerytalk >
> I'll start posting updates there as they happen and
> you all can add your ideas and questions there as
> well.
>
> >
> >Garimo, sounds like a fun idea -- but speaking as
> your editor, could I
> >make a suggestion?
> >
> >The following line might have been better up top:
> >
> >> check with list participants to see if there was
> interest in perhaps
> >> doing a gallery as a collective.
> >
> >good luck (sure could use a remodeller around
> here... !)
> >
> >Judy
> What? as an editor did my story not interest you?
> Do you think I should have given away the ending
> before draging you through the story? as for
> remodeling...if you want to cover mileage, I'll
> commute!
>
> >Garimo
> >I teach @ the San Francisco Art Institute.
> >This sounds like a great space. Maybe, and I write
> with a hesitancy, just
> >maybe, something could be owrked out so as to get
> the Institute's presence
> >felt downtown.
> >How about that?
> >I suppose the reason I write you is that not only
> do I teach there (since
> >1969), but that I've done a lot of house repairs
> myself. Seemed like a
> >kinship was there.
> >Jack Fulton
>
> Wow! another exciting possibility!
>
> Thanks to everyone who responded. I'll try to get
> the ball rolling, don't expect it to roll real fast,
> I always am in the middle of several projects at the
> same time... future comments about this project will
> be at the gallerytalk list.
>
> bye,bye,
> Garimo
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