THE CONTEMPORARY ART SOCIETY The Annual General Meeting of the Contemporary Art Society will be held on Thursday 22 June, 1995 at the Clore Auditorium, Tate Gallery, Millbank, Londonswi 4RG, at 6.30pm. Agenda 1. To receive and adopt the report of the Com mittee and the accounts for the year ended 31 December 1994, together with the auditors' report. 2. To reappoint Neville Russell as auditors of the Society in accordance with section 384 (1) of the Companies Act 1985 and to authorise the Committee to determine their remu­ neration for the coming year. 3. To acknowledge the retirement from the Committee of John Keatiey. Anthony Oppenheimer and Sarah Wilson. 4. Any other business. By order of the Committee GEORGE YATES-MERCER Company Secretary 10 May 1995 Company Limited by Guarantee, Registered in London No.255486, Charities Registration N0.208178 / The Contemporary Art Society Annual Report & Accounts 1994 PATRON I • REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother PRESIDENT Nancy Balfour OBE The Committee present their report and the financial of activities and the year end financial position were VICE PRESIDENTS statements for the year ended 31 December 1994. satisfactory and the Committee expect that the present level of activity will be sustained for the foreseeable future. The Lord Croft STATEMENT OF COMMITTEE'S RESPONSIBILITIES Edward Dawe Company law requires the Committee to prepare RESULTS Caryl Hubbard CBE financial statements for each financial year which give a The results of the Society for the year ended The Lord McAlpine of West Green true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company 31 December 1994 are set out in the financial statements on The Lord Sainsbury of Preston CandoverKG and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In pages 23 to 30. preparing those financial statements the Committee are Pauline Vogelpoel MBE FIXED ASSETS required to. Details of changes in fixed assets are given in note2 to the COMMITTEE MEMBERS • select suitable accounting policies and then apply them financial statements. David Gordon Chairman consistently; Jeremy Rees Vice Chairman COMMITTEE MEMBERS • make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and Rupert Gavin Honorary Treasurer The Committee set out in the table below have held office prudent; during the whole of the period from 1 January 1994 to the Cecily Lowenthal Honorary Secretary • state whether applicable accounting standards have been date of this report unless otherwise stated. Mark Stephens Honorary Solicitor followed, subject to any material departures disclosed David Gordon Chairman; Jeremy Rees Vice Chairman; Anthony Oppenheimer and explained in the financial statements; and Rupert Gavin Honorary Treasurer. Mark Stephens John Keatiey • prepare the financial statements on the going concern Honorary Solicitor; Jenny Winkworth Honorary Secretary, Sarah Wilson basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the resigned 5 December 1994; Cecily Lowenthal Honorary Richard Cork company will continue in business. Secretary, appointed 16 January 1995; John Keatiey; Edward Lee The Committee are responsible for keeping proper Anthony Oppenheimer; Sarah Wilson; Richard Cork; Sean Rainbird accounting records which disclose with reasonable Edward Lee; Sean Rainbird; Hezlett Colganappo/nted Hezlett Colgan accuracy at any time the financial position of the 8 July 1994; Robert Hopper appointed 7 September 1004; Robert Hopper company and to enable them to ensure that the financial Jim Moyes appointed 7 September 1994; Penelope Govett retired 7 July 1994; Christina Smith retired 7 July 1994: Jim Moyes statements comply with the Companies Act 1985. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Marina Vaizey retired 7 July 1994; Julian Treuherz DIRECTOR company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the resigned 7 July 1994. Gill Hedley prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. AUDITORS STAFF REVIEW OF THE BUSINESS The auditors. Neville Russell, have signified their Leah Byrne and Edmund Hubbard Project Managers The principal activity of the Society continued to be the willingness to continue in office and a resolution proposing Mary Doyle Museum Liaison promotion of contemporary art and the acquisition of their reappointment will be put to the forthcoming Annual George Yates-Mercer FCA Accountant & Company Secretary works by living artists for presentation to public General Meeting. Sara Grant Thorold Administrator collections in Great Britain and elsewhere. Both the level DAVID GORDON Chairman 10May 1995 REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 1994 | 7 II • CHAIRMAN'S REPORT III • DIRECTOR'S REPORT: HOW IS THE CAS? 1994 has seen the Contemporary Art Society undergo a 'How is the CAS?' I am asked this question most days members, we do not earn enough to make the necessary change of direction and there are many people to thank and often search for an answer that is neither flippant impact as collectors on behalf of museums. By for their commitment to us. My fellow committee nor verbose. necessary, I mean that we need to be able to buy good members give sound advice and spread the gospel. 1994 has been my first full year responsible for the examples of works by established artists and by artists Members of the Society give us our identity, and an wellbeing of the organisation and to establish, with the who are on the brink of successful careers. We need active core attends all our events and encourages friends help of the Committee, the identity of the CAS. I now funds to be representative as well as to back our to join: we are delighted that this number is growing. feel confident that the CAS is a well-loved membership hunches. Our colleagues in museums, galleries and funding society with a remarkable track record for the purchase We make strenuous efforts to increase our spending bodies give us both financial support and encouragement of works of contemporary art, the gift of which has power, not least through our annual Art Market. This and we are particularly grateful to the Arts Council of enriched public collections throughout Britain and the year, with the continuing support of Sainsbury's. we England, the Crafts Council, the Henry Moore Founda­ Commonwealth. Today its activities are geographically took a risk and, after ten successful years at Smith's tion and the Elephant Trust as well as those other patrons and economically constrained but its function is no less Galleries, we moved to the South Bank Centre. We and benefactors listed within this report. vital. Indeed, its reputation is such that it is not seen increased the number of artists represented and made Sainsbury's have continued to give us not only the merely as a source of metropolitan largesse but as an the display a little more elegant while emphasising that sponsorship but also the ideology that make the annual organisation that actively advises on and advocates for this was still a participatory market and not an Art Market such a success and we were delighted that all aspects of contemporary art collecting. But how is it? exhibition. We persuaded many more distinguished our change of venue resulted in increased sales and I see the CAS as a great source for plagiarists. My artists to participate and increased our audience both by membership, which justified Sainsbury's act of faith in predecessors and past Committee members have set word of mouth and through the volume of visitors that our innovations. We also value our good relationship extraordinary standards of invention, with a history of comes to the concert halls and cafes of the South Bank. with all the artists with whom we work each year. worldwide art tours for collectors; parties and exhibi­ We made Ci 0.000 more in sales than 1993 and sold 450 works for £234,141. All achievements are due to the staff of the CAS who tions: the Art Market and, also since the 1980s, a work extremely hard to develop and sustain all the many corporate advisory service. Contemporary Art Society There were other occasions on which we felt that strands that make up this small organisation. Their Projects Ltd. All these splendid ideas have been copied much could be achieved by a change of style. The design various and individual contributions are vital and and extended leaving us flattered by the imitation and of this Annual Report, for instance, is elegant and spare, appreciated. They have been helped by a series of threatened by the competition. easy to read, contemporary in feel but extravagant temporary colleagues and volunteers and we acknowl­ Our membership is not large, although we have both neither in its cost nor claims. edge the contribution of Barbara Putt. Jeni Walwin and a loyal constituency of many members some of whom Most important of all during 1994 were the Tamsyn Woollcombe to the energy and good humour of have supported us for over forty years and a new exhibitions that we organised in ITN's headquarters at the CAS. Finally, I would like to thank Gill Hedley for generation of supporters who recognise the importance 200, Gray's Inn Road. The stunning light and spacious her tireless energy and enthusiasm. of our commitment to young artists and to regional design by Norman Foster lent itself perfectly to the museums. We have no endowment and, although we display of Antony Gormley and Alison Wilding's DAVID GORDON benefit from generous grant-aid from trusts and sculpture in an exhibition entitled A/r and Angels. This Chairman foundations that we pass directly on to our museum was followed in a contrast of colour, texture and scale by 8 I CONTEMPORARY ART SOCIETY REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 1994 | 9 IV TREASURER'S V • EVENTS IN 1994 REPORT an exhibition of eight British furniture designers. Every new image and purpose, acknowledging the importance The past year has seen solid progress by the Society JANUARY with regard to its financial position.