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f15:foam_vzw [2015-06-08 16:06] – maja | f15:foam_vzw [2015-06-08 16:28] (current) – maja | ||
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==== What if we close FoAM vzw? ==== | ==== What if we close FoAM vzw? ==== | ||
- | To clarify: in the question above "to close FoAM vzw" means discontinuing the legal entity of the ' | + | To clarify: in the question above "to close FoAM vzw" means discontinuing the legal entity of the ' |
=== Associations === | === Associations === | ||
To warm up for the conversation we looked at the individuals’ thoughts and feelings that arise when we ask the question "what if we close FoAM vzw". The result was a clear dichotomy: | To warm up for the conversation we looked at the individuals’ thoughts and feelings that arise when we ask the question "what if we close FoAM vzw". The result was a clear dichotomy: | ||
- | |||
- | * **Why?** was the first association that has made the entanglement of issues apparent | ||
* **Chrysalis**: | * **Chrysalis**: | ||
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* **Loss**: not having a VZW would make some types of work impossible, there was a sense of wasted energy and dispersal, paired with sadness and abyssal uncertainty. Aside from the feelings of things being 'gone with the wind', there are practical, legal and financial complications, | * **Loss**: not having a VZW would make some types of work impossible, there was a sense of wasted energy and dispersal, paired with sadness and abyssal uncertainty. Aside from the feelings of things being 'gone with the wind', there are practical, legal and financial complications, | ||
- | An in-between solution that isn’t as drastic as complete closure | + | Aside from this dichotomy one of the associations was: **Why?**. Upon further inquiry the question was: why close a legal entity that could be useful to the members and their potential projects. The answer is another question: "who wants to carry the legal and financial responsibility for FoAM vzw post 2017?" This question opens a whole other Pandora' |
+ | |||
+ | Early in the discussion we talked about an in-between solution that isn’t as drastic as complete closure: a **hibernating vzw**: we can officially put the organisation to ' | ||
=== Known, presumed and unknown === | === Known, presumed and unknown === | ||
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== Known == | == Known == | ||
- | * There would be no day-to-day management required\\ | + | * Without a VZW (or with a VZW in hibernation) here would be no day-to-day management required |
* We would have no studio: no physical and psychological location to bind us\\ | * We would have no studio: no physical and psychological location to bind us\\ | ||
+ | |||
* We would lose the benefits of having the non-profit legal structure\\ | * We would lose the benefits of having the non-profit legal structure\\ | ||
* reputation\\ | * reputation\\ | ||
* track record\\ | * track record\\ | ||
* some types of funding wouldn’t be accessible\\ | * some types of funding wouldn’t be accessible\\ | ||
+ | |||
* The vzw facilitates particular types of collective collaborations, | * The vzw facilitates particular types of collective collaborations, | ||
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* A minimum requirement for the FoAM as a collective to keep existing (with or without a legal entity) is the online infrastructure (websites, emails, mailing lists, libarynth…). Without the vzw this is still possible, but new agreements would have to be made about the governance and the finances - which we’ll have to make anyway with the different studios in the coming months. | * A minimum requirement for the FoAM as a collective to keep existing (with or without a legal entity) is the online infrastructure (websites, emails, mailing lists, libarynth…). Without the vzw this is still possible, but new agreements would have to be made about the governance and the finances - which we’ll have to make anyway with the different studios in the coming months. | ||
- | * If we keep the vzw, but stop structural funding, we can shrink the governance structure back to a minimum of 4 members of which 3 board members. This means much less overhead related to governance, AGMs, membership etc. | + | * If we keep the vzw but stop structural funding, we can shrink the governance structure back to a minimum of 4 members of which 3 act as board members. The roles can rotate as well. This means much less overhead related to governance, AGMs, membership etc. |
== Presumed == | == Presumed == | ||
- | * FoAM is a collective entity in its essence, from a content/ | + | * FoAM is a collective entity in its essence, from a content/ |
* Without the vzw and the collective work, individuals would have to 'fend for themselves' | * Without the vzw and the collective work, individuals would have to 'fend for themselves' | ||
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* It is very likely that there would be more financial stress for each individual. In general: more stress, less time. | * It is very likely that there would be more financial stress for each individual. In general: more stress, less time. | ||
- | * "I would be alone" - if the collective wasn’t there, the bundling of energies would dissipate. In this point it became clear that we need to more clearly separate the issues surrounding the legal entity and the collective. | + | * "I would be alone" - if the collective wasn’t there, the bundling of energies would dissipate. In this point it became clear that we need to more clearly separate the issues surrounding the legal entity and the collective |
* In the current economic and political situation, "it is always useful to have legal entities around" | * In the current economic and political situation, "it is always useful to have legal entities around" | ||
* Up to now the funding and the legal entity have in some ways shaped the type of work we do. For the next period, we would like to find out how we want to work without worrying about the legal structure. | * Up to now the funding and the legal entity have in some ways shaped the type of work we do. For the next period, we would like to find out how we want to work without worrying about the legal structure. | ||
+ | |||
+ | * The current funding (for the vzw) encourages stability (and in some ways stagnation): | ||
* We presume that the minimum legal requirements for the active VZW is to have 1 AGM per year and submit the ' | * We presume that the minimum legal requirements for the active VZW is to have 1 AGM per year and submit the ' | ||
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* how and on what do we work together. | * how and on what do we work together. | ||
- | If the question is whether or not to keep the legal entity in existence, the answer became simple: yes we should. Taking into account all the pros and cons, we decided that closing the vzw would take quite a bit of effort and might prematurely close some doors to prospective funding and collaborations. Whether we keep the VZW active or in hibernation post 2016 depends on the developments in the next year (e.g. [[lab_for_rituals]], | + | If the question is whether or not to keep the legal entity in existence, the answer became simple: yes we should. Taking into account all the pros and cons, we decided that closing the vzw would take quite a bit of effort and might prematurely close some doors to prospective funding and collaborations. Whether we keep the VZW active or in hibernation post 2016 depends on the developments in the next year (e.g. [[lab_for_rituals]], |
The conclusion of the conversation is:\\ | The conclusion of the conversation is:\\ | ||
- | **WE KEEP THE LEGAL ENTITY FoAM VZW until further notice** | + | **WE KEEP THE LEGAL ENTITY FoAM VZW (until further notice)** |
In order to address the unsustainable elements of the current structure (among others: heavy operational and governance overhead) we have to find out: | In order to address the unsustainable elements of the current structure (among others: heavy operational and governance overhead) we have to find out: | ||
- | * What are the minimal requirements of an active vzw and of a hibernating vzw? Maja/Pieter to contact VSDC, Barbara to talk to Marc (sometime in autumn).\\ | + | * What are the minimal requirements of an active vzw and of a hibernating vzw? How can a vzw be activated after a period of hibernation? Maja/Pieter to contact VSDC, Barbara to talk to Marc (sometime in autumn).\\ |
- | * What do we do with the studio? A follow up discussion to be had about this in autumn, | + | * What do we do with the studio? A follow up discussion to be had about this in autumn, after several experiments as agreed |
* How do we want to work as a collective and a network (without structural funding)? To be discussed at the FoAM retreat and other individual ponderings and collective conversations over the coming year(s). | * How do we want to work as a collective and a network (without structural funding)? To be discussed at the FoAM retreat and other individual ponderings and collective conversations over the coming year(s). | ||
+ | * Who wants to carry the legal and financial responsibility for FoAM vzw post 2017 (board, director(s), | ||