Members Newsletter October 2020

A big "Thank You" to everyone that attended our recent Annual General Meeting and Fair Work Contract Event with Philip Hannay on Saturday 3rd October, we really appreciate your involvement and for taking the time to help us with this important Union business. The slides and further information from the AGM are available to view on our website at slides and weblink.

During the AGM we passed three motions; on Universal Basic Income, on a paid President's Role and on the updating of membership criteria, you can read these motions here.

SUB GROUPS

We are currently expanding the number of Sub Groups that we are hosting. These are meetings that allow members to get involved in specific subjects that they are interested in, and allows for an involvement with the union, without the same level of commitment that is required for the Executive Committee. 

• Intersectional /Equalities/ Diversity
• Newsletters/Campaigns 
• Sustainability/Climate/Green issues 

We are also in the process of developing 

• Youth/Recent Graduates 
• Health & Safety 

If you would like to get more involved with our activities on any of these subjects, or have ideas of how we could campaign further on any these issues, please get in touch. We would love for you to get more involved!  

FUNDING

Due to the unprecedented situation we are all living through, and the fast moving and ever changing circumstances of the Covid 19 pandemic, in this newsletter we aim to keep you up to date with some of the relevant funding information that we have received.

This includes the imminent announcement of the next round of Creative Freelancer Hardship Funding; we have been informed that this will be announced later this week so please check out the Creative Scotland website here for their announcement (possibly on Thursday) and "the fund will go live before the end of the month".

There are new Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards announced. These are local authority awards of £500 and £750, a programme of small grants schemes administered by 25 local authorities and art agencies across Scotland to support Scotland-based visual artists and craft makers in their creative and professional development; you can find out more here at VACMA awards.

We have received updated guidance on delivering workshops in studios, following concerns we raised at recent STUC /Scottish Government meetings. Read more about it here.

New members benefits

We are pleased to announced we have developed some new members benefits with relevant organisations - you can now claim members discounts from Jacksons; Edinburgh Art Shop; Trinity Art Shop, Dundee; Great Art; Mandors, Glasgow. There is more information about each individual discount on our website here. Other organisations that we have discount arrangements with are: Greyfriars Art Shop, Cass Art, Millers, Paint & Mortar, Mail Boxes (at selected branches), Dunns Art Stores, Perth. If you have any suggestions for other relevant art related businesses that might want to give members benefits, please let us know. 

Support your union  

There’s never been a more important time to be part of a union, help us fight for a new ‘normal’ that supports the arts and culture!! If you want to help SAU further please encourage fellow artists to join up, or get involved with the Executive Committee by attending our meetings (all currently online!). Email us and we will send you the link. 

Please help us promote the activities of the union on social media by following us and sharing posts.

We are here to help. We are a small team of part time workers and a voluntary executive, currently email is the best way to get in touch. 

Stay safe & healthy everyone.  

Yours in Solidarity, 
 
Everyone at Scottish Artists Union