From The Star And Shadow Cinema Wiki
New Side Cinema Constitution
August 2002
Name: Side Cinema
Status: Unincorporated Group (Collective)Aim
The Side Cinema is a small independent cinema that aims to facilitate discovery, dialogue and experimentation of moving images and ideas by providing access to alternative film and multi media screening and participation programmes.
Objectives:
1. To run a cinema to engage and develop local film producers, artists, diverse grass-roots audiences and activist networks.
2. To provide access to innovative and challenging alternative and marginal films that are not widely distributed or promoted by commercial cinema or exhibition spaces.
3. To respond to developments in technology, and revalue old technologies, presenting film, DV, Internet based, and video work.
4. To value all levels of creative production: amateur and professional, non-commercial and commercial, using both old and new technology, examining or reflecting upon social and political strategies and ideas.
5. To support experimentation and emerging talent in local Audio Visual production through a participation programme of informal workshops, commissioning, talks and discussion forums.
6. To target and engage diverse audiences represented within the film programme. For example: socially excluded groups, especially young people, ethnic minorities, refugees and displaced people; gay and lesbian audiences; artists and film - makers.
7. To work in partnership with other cultural organisations in the city to deliver and promote the programme.
8. To work in partnership with similar organisations nationally and internationally, to exchange, tour and promote film education and the Side Cinema Programme.
9. To further develop and raise the profile of a previously under-used cultural venue in the Greater Quayside area of Newcastle upon Tyne, contributing to the diversity of cultural activities in the city.Organisational Structure
To further the aims and objectives of the Side Cinema the Management and programming structure will include people who are part of a range of communities in Newcastle upon Tyne with connections across the region, nationally and internationally, enabling the cinema to engage and develop diverse grass-roots audiences artists, and activist networks.
Side Cinema Committee
1. The committee consists of five people who have joint and equal control over the project and its finances.
Chair:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Marketing Co-ordinator:
Press Co-ordinator:
2. The committee has been set up to organise the management and operations of the Cinema including programming, finance, staffing, and fundraising.
3. The committee will meet every two weeks to organise management and operations, programming and marketing.
4. Each committee member has a specialist area of knowledge or interest and has sole responsibility and control for the direction, selection and presentation of their designated programme.
EC, Programme Director, Aside: Artists film and video
MF and CW, Programme Directors, Cineside: Avant-garde, independent media, multimedia and classical cinema.
JB, Programme Director, The Otherside: Lesbian, gay and queer film.
AT, Programme Director, The Radical Side: Political radical film and video.
5. Each Programme Director is responsible for the specialist content of their programme and organising a programme support group to enable a wider group of people to contribute ideas and contacts and give administrative support.
6. If any one member of the committee stands down, another individual with similar skills and interests will be invited to join. Preference will be given to members of the appropriate programme support group.
7. The committee may make amendments to the constitution with a majority of 3 / 5ths.The Side Venue Co-ordinating Group
Representatives of the Side Cinema Committee will meet once a month with representatives from Amber Films, the Side Gallery and the Side Café to ensure the smooth operation of the Cinema, identify joint programming opportunities to help develop a profile for the venue as a whole.
Side Cinema Membership
1. Membership is open to any member of the public irrelevant of gender, age, race, religion, and sexuality.
2. Membership cost is £1, to be reviewed on an annual basis, according to financial viability.
3. Membership can be applied for on the door.
4. Membership is subject to renewal every year.
5. Membership entitles individuals to admission for all Side Cinema events and screenings, on payment of an additional admission price.
6. Admission prices will be set by individual programme directors.
7. The Committee withholds the right to cancel membership if a member’s behaviour is disruptive or offensive to other members.
Closing Down
The group may be closed down in the event that it becomes financially unviable due to low membership or lack of external funding. This must be agreed by a meeting of all five committee members. In such a situation any surplus funds or assets after the satisfaction of any outstanding debts or liabilities will be donated to an organisation, deemed by the committee, to be in the same spirit of the Side Cinema.
Finances
1. A Bank Account will be set up in the name of Side Cinema with several signatories from the committee.
2. The Side Cinema group will fundraise for the running costs of the cinema.
3. The Side Cinema will endeavour to contribute towards programme content.
4. Each programmer is responsible for financing the delivery of their programme.
