Statutes of the association "DEJAVU, Gesellschaft für Fotografie und Wahrnehmung e.V." (Photography & Perception)
§ 1 Name, registered office, financial year(1) The name of the association is "DEJAVU, Gesellschaft für Fotografie und Wahrnehmung".
It is to be entered in the register of associations; after the registration the name is "DEJAVU, Gesellschaft für Fotografie und Wahrnehmung e.V.".
(2) The association has its seat in Berlin.
(3) The financial year of the association is the calendar year.
§ 2 Purpose, non-profit status(1) The association exclusively and directly pursues charitable purposes in the sense of the section "tax-privileged purposes" of the German Tax Code.
(2) The purpose of the association is the promotion of art and culture (§ 52 para. 2 No. 5 AO) and education (§ 52 para. 2 No. 7 AO).
(3) The purpose of the statutes is particularly realized by:
a) Promotion of art and culture
- Implementation of cultural projects and events with own members and third parties.
- Collaboration with non-profit institutions and public corporations that deal with documentary photography.
- Promotion of interdisciplinary dialogue between artists, writers, translators, journalists, designers, photographers and scientists.
- Processing and preservation of estate and historical photographs and photographic life's work.
- Creation and distribution of photographic images in our own publications for the promotion of art and culture.
b) Promotion of education
To carry out own cultural projects and to disseminate them as far as possible, which informs and educates the population in and outside Germany:
- The research field of image science and perception, with regard to an expanded concept of the image that goes beyond material images (e.g. photography) and also includes virtually distributed images (e.g. the Internet) as well as immaterial images and ideas (such as stereotypes and prejudices)
- The essence of photography, the philosophy of the image and the images themselves.
- Visual media competence for all generations.
- The relationship and interaction of image and text.
- Holding information and educational events, workshops, seminars, exhibitions and issuing publications;
- Inform the public about the aims of the association by disseminating information via classical media, the production and distribution of photographic images and own publications and by holding information events.
(4) The association is selflessly active; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.
(5) Funds of the association may only be used for the purposes set out in the statutes. The members do not receive any allowances from funds of the association.
(6) No person may claim expenses that are alien to the purpose of the association or receive disproportionately high remuneration.
(7) In the event of dissolution of the Association or if tax-privileged purposes cease to exist, the assets of the Association shall pass to the Förderkreis Fotografie Forum Frankfurt am Main e.V., non-profit according to the Tax Office Frankfurt am Main III, St.-Nr. 45 250 89286, which shall use them directly and exclusively for non-profit purposes, namely for the promotion of art and culture.
§ 3 Acquisition of Membership
Any natural person or legal entity of adult age as well as any association of persons who are willing to promote the objectives and statutory purposes of the Association in a sustainable manner may become a member of the Association.
(2) The prerequisite for the acquisition of membership is a written application for admission, which must be addressed to the executive committee.
(3) The Board of Directors decides on the application for admission at its own discretion. If the application is rejected, it is not obliged to inform the applicant of the reasons for the rejection.
§ 4 Supporting members
Supporting members are members who are not actively involved within the association, but who promote and support the aims and purpose of the association in an appropriate manner.
Supporting members have the right to speak at the general meeting of members, but no right to apply, and have no active or passive voting rights.
§ 5 Termination of membership
(1) Membership ends by death, exclusion, deletion from the membership list or withdrawal from the association.
(2) Resignation is effected by written declaration to a member of the executive committee. Resignation can only be declared at the end of a business year, whereby a notice period of two months must be observed.
(3) The exclusion of a member can be effected by the executive committee if
- the member is more than three months in arrears with the payment of an annual membership fee despite a single reminder
- the member has committed gross violations of the statutes or damaged the work and/or the reputation of the association.
Membership is suspended until the decision on the objection has been made.
§ 6 Membership fees and apportionments
(1) An annual subscription is charged to members. The amount and due date of the membership fees are regulated in a fee schedule to be adopted by the general meeting.
(2) For the financing of special projects levies of up to twice the amount of the annual membership fee may be levied.
(3) If necessary, the board of directors may, in cases of hardship, waive or defer annual fees and charges in whole or in part.
§ 7 Organs of the association
Organs of the association are the executive committee and the general meeting.
§ 8 Board of Directors
(1) The executive committee of the association consists of at least two members, the first chairman and a deputy chairman and up to three other members.
(2) The association is represented by two members of the board.
(3) The members of the executive committee carry out their activities on an honorary basis.
The members of the Board of Directors may, in principle, receive appropriate remuneration for their work, in addition to reimbursement of their expenses, which shall be determined by resolution of the General Meeting.
If necessary, offices of associations can be exercised within the scope of budgetary possibilities against payment on the basis of a contract of service or against payment of an expense allowance in accordance with § 3 No. 26a EStG. The decision on a remunerated activity is made by the general meeting. The same applies to the contents and conditions of the contract.
(4) The liability of the executive board is limited to intent or gross negligence.
§ 9 Responsibility of the Executive Board
The executive committee is responsible for all matters of the association, unless they are transferred to another organ of the association by the statutes.
It has in particular the following tasks:
a) Preparation and convening of the general meeting as well as setting the agenda;
b) Execution of resolutions of the general meeting;
c) Preparation of the budget, preparation of the bookkeeping and the annual report;
d) Passing resolutions on the admission and exclusion of members.
§ 10 Election and term of office of the board
(1) The executive committee is elected by the general meeting for a period of 2 years, counted from the election. However, it remains in office until the new election of the executive committee. Each member of the executive committee is to be elected individually. Only members of the association can be elected as board members. With the termination of membership in the association, the office of a board member also ends.
(2) If a member of the executive committee resigns prematurely, the executive committee may elect a successor for the remaining term of office of the resigning member.
§ 11 Meetings and resolutions of the Executive Board
(1) The Executive Board shall take decisions at meetings convened by the Chairman or, in his absence, by the Deputy Chairman.
The agenda need not be announced.
The notice period for convening meetings is ten days. The period begins on the day following dispatch.
(2) The executive committee has a quorum if at least two of its members are present. The majority of the valid votes cast is decisive in the passing of resolutions; in the event of a tie, the vote of the Chairman or, in his absence, that of the Deputy Chairman shall decide.
(3) The Executive Board may pass resolutions by written procedure if all members of the Executive Board agree to this.
§ 12 General Assembly
(1) Each member of full age has one vote in the general meeting. Another member can be authorized in writing to exercise the right to vote.
The authorisation must be issued separately for each general meeting; however, a member may not represent more than one other member's vote.
(2) The general meeting is responsible for the following matters:
a) Approval of the budget for the next financial year drawn up by the Executive Board; acceptance of the annual report of the Executive Board; discharge of the Executive Board;
b) Determination of membership fees and apportionments (§ 6);
c) Election and dismissal of the members of the board;
d) Passing resolutions on amendments to the statutes and on the dissolution of the Association;
e) Resolution on the objection against an exclusion decision of the board.
§ 13 Convening of the General Meeting
(1) The ordinary general meeting is to be convened once a year and must take place at the end of June at the latest.
It shall be convened by the Executive Board in writing (by post, fax or email) with a notice period of four weeks, stating the agenda. The period of notice begins on the day following the dispatch of the invitation letter. The letter of invitation is deemed to have been received by the member if it is sent to the last address notified to the Association in writing by the member.
(2) The agenda is set by the executive committee. Each member can request an addition to the agenda in text form from the executive committee at least two weeks before a general meeting.
The chairman of the meeting must announce the supplement at the beginning of the general meeting.
(3) The general meeting decides on applications for additions to the agenda that are made at general meetings.
§ 14 Extraordinary General Meeting
An extraordinary general meeting is to be convened by the board of directors if the interests of the association require it or if one tenth of the members apply for it to the board of directors in text form, stating the purpose and reasons.
§ 15 Resolution of the General Assembly of Members
(1) The general meeting is chaired by the chairman of the executive committee and, in his absence, by the deputy chairman. If no member of the board is present, the meeting shall appoint the chairman of the meeting. In the case of elections, the chairmanship of the meeting can be delegated to an election committee for the duration of the election and the preceding discussion. The chairman of the meeting appoints a keeper of the minutes.
(2) The type of voting is determined by the chairman of the meeting. The vote must be carried out in writing if one third of the members present and entitled to vote request this.
(3) The general meeting has a quorum if at least one quarter of all members of the association are present. In the event of the absence of a quorum, the Executive Board is obliged to call a second General Assembly of Members with the same agenda within two weeks; this Assembly of Members has a quorum regardless of the number of members present. This must be pointed out in the invitation.
(4) The general meeting passes resolutions with a simple majority of the valid votes cast; abstentions are considered invalid votes.
However, a majority of three quarters of the valid votes cast is required to amend the statutes, and a majority of nine tenths is required to dissolve the Association. An amendment of the purpose of the Association can only be decided upon with the consent of nine tenths of all members.
(5) In elections, a person is elected who has received more than half of the valid votes cast. If no one has received more than half of the valid votes cast, a run-off ballot is held between the two candidates who received the most votes. The candidate who has received the most votes is then elected. If the number of votes is equal, the lot to be drawn by the chairman of the meeting will decide.
(6) Minutes are to be taken of the resolutions of the General Meeting, which are to be signed by the respective secretary.
§ 16 Dissolution of the Association
(1) The dissolution of the Association can only be decided in a General Meeting with a majority of nine tenths of the valid votes cast (§ 15 (4)).
(2) Unless the general meeting decides otherwise, the chairman and the vice-chairman are jointly authorised liquidators.
§ 17 Place of jurisdiction/place of performance
Place of jurisdiction and place of performance is the registered office of the association.
§ 18 Authorisation of the board
The Executive Board is authorised to make changes and amendments to these Articles of Association on its own responsibility or to pass resolutions without the need for a resolution or confirmation by the Annual General Meeting, provided that these changes or amendments are required by the Berlin-Charlottenburg Local Court (Register of Associations) or other authorities.
Berlin, December 2019