The Association

The association “otte1 – Schleswig-Holsteinisches Künstlerhaus e.V.” runs the residence Ottestr. 1 in Eckernförde and makes it available to (international) scholarship holders as a place to work.
The funds received by the association from membership fees and donations are used exclusively for the purposes set out in the statutes (cf. Statutes).
The Board of Directors is elected for a period of two years and is currently composed of the following persons:
Norbert Weber (1st Chairperson), Anja Römisch (Deputy Chairperson), Matthias Herrmann (Treasurer) and Klaus Buß (Assessor).
The ordinary general meeting takes place once a year, usually in spring.

Statutes

of the Förderkreis Schleswig-Holsteinisches Künstlerhaus e.V.

– English translation – the german version is binding –

• §1 Name and registered office of the Association

The name of the association is the “Schleswig-Holstein House of Artists” Association. Its registered office is Eckernförde. The financial year is the calendar year.

• §2 Purpose of the Association

The association pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes within the meaning of the section “Tax-privileged purposes” of the German Tax Code.

The purpose of the Association’s activities is to support artists by operating the Schleswig-Holstein Künstlerhaus. The Künstlerhaus is available as a place of work for scholarship holders from the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The association provides financial means for the promotion of artistic creation and arranges exhibition opportunities for artists.

The association is a non-profit organisation. It does not primarily pursue its own economic goals. Members do not receive any benefits from the association’s funds. No person may be favoured by expenses that are alien to the purpose of the association or by disproportionately high remuneration.

Members must pay a membership fee, which is determined by the General Assembly. The Association’s income from membership fees and donations etc. must be used exclusively for this statutory purpose. Expenses for administrative purposes may only be used to cover costs.

• §3 Membership

Membership is open to all natural and legal persons. Membership is by written declaration of membership. The Executive Board may refuse membership by a majority vote if an important reason is presented.

Membership ends

a) by death or dissolution of the association
b) by resignation,
c) by exclusion.

Resignation from the Association is only possible at the end of a financial year by giving written notice of termination of membership to the Executive Board.

A member may be expelled from the association by resolution of the General Meeting if it

a) culpably damages the reputation or interests of the association in a serious manner or
b) is more than three months in arrears with the payment of its membership fee and has not paid its arrears despite a written reminder threatening expulsion.

The member must be given the opportunity to comment on the reasons for expulsion at the General Meeting. The member must be informed of this at least two weeks in advance.

• §4 Bodies of the Association

The bodies of the association are

1. the Executive Board,
2. the General Meeting.

• §5 Executive Board

The Executive Board consists of at least three and a maximum of five persons. Of these, at least one person must have artistic expertise (art expert member of the Executive Board). The Executive Board is elected individually by the General Meeting for a term of two years.

Members of the Executive Board can only be members of the Association; membership of the Executive Board ends when membership of the Association ends.

Re-election or premature dismissal of a member by the General Meeting is permitted.

A member remains in office after expiry of the regular term of office until the election of his successor.

If a member of the Executive Board resigns, the entire Executive Board is authorised to appoint a new member on an interim basis until the next General Meeting.

The Executive Board shall elect the Chairperson, a Deputy Chairperson and the Treasurer from among its members. The Executive Board within the meaning of Section 26 (2) of the German Civil Code (BGB) (Executive Board) shall be the three members of the Executive Board listed above.

Judicial and extrajudicial representation of the association vis-à-vis third parties is carried out by two of the above-mentioned members of the Executive Board.

The Executive Board manages the day-to-day business of the association.

The Executive Board shall constitute a quorum if more than half of the members of the Executive Board, including the chairperson or the deputy chairperson, are present.

Board resolutions can also be passed in writing, by telephone or by means of modern telecommunications if all members of the Board are able to participate. The resolutions must be minuted.

Board meetings shall be chaired by the Chairperson or – if he/she is unable to attend – by the Deputy Chairperson. The Board decides by simple majority.

The resolutions of the Executive Board must be minuted. The minutes must be signed by the secretary and the chairperson of the meeting.

• §6 General Meeting

At least once a year, if possible in the first half of the year, the Executive Board shall convene an ordinary General Meeting. The meeting shall be convened in writing (including by means of modern telecommunications) with a notice period of two weeks, stating the agenda. The agenda is set by the Executive Board.

Any member of the Association may submit a written request to the Executive Board to add items to the agenda no later than one week before the General Meeting. The Executive Board shall decide on the request. The General Meeting decides on motions for the agenda that have not been included by the Executive Board or that are submitted for the first time at the General Meeting.

Resolutions of the General Meeting are passed by a simple majority of the members present. In the event of a tie, a motion is deemed to have been rejected. Abstentions are not taken into account.

Amendments to the Articles of Association, resolutions to dissolve the association and resolutions to exclude members require a 2/3 majority of the members present. Legal entities are entitled to vote through their legal representative.

Extraordinary general meetings must be convened under the following conditions:

1. upon written application to the Executive Board by at least 1/10 of the members stating the reasons at the same time,
2. by the Executive Board in special circumstances.

• §7 Tasks of the General Meeting

The General Meeting decides on

1. election and discharge of the Executive Board
2. amendments to the Articles of Association
3. acceptance of the annual report
4. determination of the membership fee
5. expulsion of members
6. election of the auditors
7. dissolution of the association

The Chairperson or his/her deputy chairs the General Meeting. The General Meeting is quorate regardless of the number of members present.

The members of the Executive Board are not entitled to vote on the resolution to discharge the Executive Board.

Auditors are elected by the General Meeting for a period of two years. One of the two auditors is replaced by a new auditor after one year. They must audit the cash management at least once a year. They are independent in their activities and are only responsible to the General Meeting.

Minutes of the resolutions are to be prepared and signed by the respective chairperson of the meeting and the secretary.

• §8 Dissolution of the Association

If the association is dissolved or if tax-privileged purposes cease to exist, the assets of the association shall be transferred to the City of Eckernförde, which shall use them directly and exclusively for non-profit cultural purposes.