Membership in the Society for the Arts of Corporation is open to any person or organization who wishes to participate in the life of the Society by pursuing activities appropriate to its purpose.  It should be understood that deliberation about what might constitute an “appropriate purpose” (i. e. about activities that are somehow characteristic of corporateness) itself constitutes one of the Society’s main activities and interest.

Membership in the Society must be public and may not be anonymous.  By joining the Society, members assent to the publication of their names and professional affiliations, if applicable, in the Society’s public materials, including on its website.

All members shall have the right to attend and vote, either in person or by proxy, at the meetings of the Society, which shall be held at least once annually, in a location announced no less than thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting.

I.  Declaration and Oath

Any non-member who wishes to become a member of the Society must submit a Declaration and Oath of Membership, with any supplementary documentation he or she wishes to provide.  The Declaration and Oath of Membership must be composed by the person seeking membership or, in the case of groups or other entities, by a designated representative and must be signed, dated, and located.  It should be addressed to the Society for the Arts of Corporation and submitted by email to artsofcorporation [at] gmail [dot] com.  The Declaration and Oath has no set form, voice, or content: it may be brief or long, personal or impersonal, simple or complex.  Whatever its form, it must clearly indicate:

1. Voluntary intent to join the Society;
2. Commitment to participate actively in the purposes of the Society and to refrain from any public statement, action, or work that might put at risk its non-profit status.

Persons, groups, or other entities seeking to become members may choose to adopt a version of this language in their Declaration and Oath.  Any questions about the Declaration and Oath of Membership may be directed to the Society at the email address above.   All Declarations and Oaths of membership shall be reviewed by an assembled body of members, who shall have sole power to authorize membership according to a majority vote.  This body shall not unreasonably withhold membership from any person and will review all statements with the intent to ratify them for membership.  Upon ratification, new members shall receive documentation from the Society, authorized by seal or other official designation, declaring them to be official members.  This documentation shall constitute proof of membership, and a copy shall be maintained in the Society’s Register of Membership.  If at any time a member is deemed to have willfully compromised the integrity of the Society or put at risk its non-profit status, the Society may choose to terminate his or her membership by majority vote and shall issue a statement to this effect to be recorded in the Society’s Register.

II.  Action and Report

In addition to filing the Declaration and Oath of Membership, members of the Society must perform at least one act, contribute at least one work, or participate in at least one documented public event per year that fulfills the purpose of the Society.  Like the Declaration and Oath of Membership, these acts, works, or events have no set form, type, scale, duration, content, or material: they are to be undertaken according to the judgment of each individual member.   However, each act, work, or event should be destined for the Society, i.e. it should undertaken in such a way that it affirms membership in the Society and the intent to further its purposes.  Members must submit a copy of this act, work, or event along with any supporting documentation to the Society’s public archives.  These copies and /or documentation are necessary in order to fulfill the requirements of membership.

Any questions about individual acts, works, or events may be addressed to the Society at artsofcorporation [at] gmail [dot] com.  From time to time, it will be desirable for an assembled body of members to consider individual acts, works, or events and their relevance to the Society.  In considering what acts, works, or events to submit to the Society, members may find it helpful to consider a series of questions:

• does the act, work, or event address the purpose of the Society in a meaningful way?  If asked, could you provide a clear explanation of how it does so?  Has the act, work, or event been undertaken for another purpose, and, if so, how would you explain its relevance to the Society?
• can the act, work, or event be considered to be public or to be addressed to a public audience (no matter what the scale)?
• what intentions motivate the act, work, or event?
• what are the consequences of the act, work, or event, regardless of its intentions?
• has the act, work, or event been undertaken in the spirit of a non-profit activity?
• does the act, work, or event threaten the continued existence of the Society or put in jeopardy its non-profit status?

Membership in the Society for the Arts of Corporation is voluntary and by participation only.  There are no dues, and no purchase or payment may be made to secure membership.  Donations and contributions to the corporation must be in the form of a public act or qualitative work of scholarship or art.  From time to time, financial contributions to the corporation may be solicited from or made by members to support the conduct of the corporation’s official activities, but this financial contribution shall not be considered a form of dues or any other purchase or payment of membership.

III. Restrictions on Assets and Activities

Any property or possessions made by, donated to, or purchased by the Society shall be irrevocably dedicated to educational, literary, artistic, or scientific purposes.  Upon the dissolution of the Society, its assets remaining after payment, or provision for payment, of all debts and liabilities shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for educational, literary, and/or scientific purposes and which has established its tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

No substantial part of the activities of the Society shall consist of carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided by Section 501(h) of the Internal Revenue Code), and the Society shall not participate in or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.