MINISTER OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

HANDBOOK

 

 

 

This book has been put together to help and guide you in your job as MOAS.  It contains the basics you will need, but certainly does not contain everything.  It should serve as a place from which to begin, not as a box to stifle your work.  Consider working with past MOAS’s. Remember that these people not only have knowledge to share, but are often more than likely very willing to help where they can as well.  Members of the Order of the Laurel can be a good source of help and information and should be sought when appropriate. Do not, however, ignore the talents, experience, and abilities of other persons with A&S awards [from this Kingdom or others] or artists and craftsmen. Consider accepting aid and advice from any and every person interested and active in the arts and sciences.

 

I. DUTIES OF THE MOAS:

            This is a brief outline of the duties of the MOAS. Each section is explained in more detail below.

1. Reporting

            Each MOAS is responsible to report to their superior officer.

2. Membership

            The MOAS is required to be a paying member of the SCA.

2a. Northwatch

            The MOAS is required to receive the Northwatch at their home.

3. Files

            The MOAS is required to maintain a file for their office.

 

 

DEFINITION OF JOB IN CORPORA:

 

“VI. E.  SOCIETY MOAS: The Minister of Arts and Sciences is responsible for fostering the study of period culture and technology, and of methods for producing historically accurate artifacts and performances.  Duties include coordinating the efforts of Kingdom officers in the field (regardless of whether or not the functions related to “Arts” and “Sciences” are combined in one job or kept separate); promoting the dissemination of accurate information about the fields under study; and assisting the Chronicler of the Society and the editors of the corporate publications in confirming the validity of research presented to the membership.”

 

“VII. E.  KINGDOM MOAS: The minister of Arts and Sciences is responsible for supporting study into art forms, technologies, and those aspects of culture relating to their use, both in period and Society activities.”

 

 

WHAT THIS MEANS:  This means your job as MOAS is to support the Arts and Sciences in all of its forms; projects (group or personal), classes (setting up or helping with), and publication (in local, Kingdom, or Society newsletters).  This does not mean you are the only person that may do this, or that other people may not set things up without your help, but when asked, you will do your best to support the various aspects of A&S.

 

Help and encourage people in your group and in other groups.  This includes helping new people find others that can help them, encouraging people with ideas to try them out, and encouraging people to write about their discoveries and put them in local, Kingdom, or Society venues such as web pages, newsletters, and the many forms of A&S displays, Faires and competitions.

 

As an officer you are responsible to complete your reports in a timely manner, and to send them to all the appropriate persons.  You must be a paying member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (any level of membership is acceptable), and receive a copy of the Northwatch in your home.  Please supply your superior officers with your current contact information and inform them of any changes as soon as possible. You should have a copy of the MOAS handbook (it is available online or through the Information officer) and a copy of the A&S handbook (the rules for A&S Faire, also available on line or from the information officer).  While these should be part of the files, you may want your own copies.

 

While not a requirement you should have access to the Northstar, the A&S Newsletter of Northshield, and be aware of what is available on line to help people out.  This includes web pages and On-Line-Groups.  Putting a letter in your local newsletter about your activities would be nice also.

 

 

CANTON AND COLLEGE MOAS’S:  Canton and College MOAS’s are responsible to their groups and to the Barony that sponsors them.  Reports should be sent to your Seneschal, the Baronial MOAS and Seneschal, and the Kingdom MOAS.  Colleges, since they are usually inactive during the summer, should send their mid-year report at the end of their college year.

 

SHIRE MOAS’S:  Shire MOAS’s are responsible to their group.  Their reports should be sent to their Seneschal and the Kingdom MOAS.

 

BARONIAL MOAS’S:  Baronial MOAS’s are responsible to their groups and for their Cantons and Colleges (if any).  Their reports should be sent to their seneschal, and to the Kingdom MOAS.  To keep baronial status, all Baronies must have an MOAS.  They can have two people, splitting the office into a Minister of Arts and a Minister of Sciences if they wish.

 

KINGDOM MOAS: The Kingdom MOAS is responsible to the Kingdom, and all its groups and people.  Their reports should be sent to the Society MOAS per their schedule, and to the Kingdom Seneschal.  The Kingdom MOAS is also responsible for the Kingdom A&S Faire/Competition, and any future Kingdom level A&S venues.

 

 

REPORTING:  All MOAS’s are required to report.  Kingdom will report an the schedule set up by Society MOAS, and all other groups shall report twice a year (July 15^th and January 15^th), as well as after events or demos held by their groups.  These are due thirty days after the event or demo.  There are reporting forms with samples at the end of this handbook, and available online.  Copies should also go to the appropriate Seneschals (it helps them fill out their reports, and lets them know you are reporting).

 

The local arts and sciences officer is commonly perceived as someone whose sole purpose is to find out what everyone is up to, artistically speaking, and send this information into a black hole known as the Kingdom Arts and Sciences Office. – Kingdom of Meridies Arts and Sciences Handbook (2001).

 

Your reports actually do serve a purpose.  The SCA is a non-profit educational organization and your report is one way of recording how we meet our educational goals and mandate.  They also can be used to help develop events for artistic fields of interest, provide listings of artists and researchers [human resources], and support award recommendations.

 

MAINTAINING A FILE:

All officers must maintain and update a file of their office.  This file is passed to your successor when you hand over the office. You should have a file copy of the following things:

 

·        MOAS Handbook

·        A&S Faire/Competition Handbook

·        Current Kingdom Laws

·        Copies of your reports

·        Copies of reports sent to you if you are Baronial or Kingdom MOAS

·        Correspondence pertaining to your office

 

These may be in either hard copy or on disc/CD.  Other things that might be helpful to keep in the files are articles written by group members, articles with pictures written by local papers, and copies of Stallari or local officer’s meeting minutes.

 

 

WARRANTS:  Warrants are issued in accordance with Kingdom law.

 

II. RESOURCES:

MOAS WEB PAGE: There is an MOAS web page, which is a good source for information on the Arts and Sciences.  Besides links to other web sites, there is a list of artisans, what they are interested in, and what they are willing to teach.  There are back issues of the Northstar, pictures from past A&S Faires/Competions with examples of documentation, and lists of A&S based web groups.

 

The more this web page is used and supported, the better it can become.  If people in your group have web pages, suggest they link with the web page. 

 

The A&S Web Minister, who is a deputy of the KMOAS, and must report to the KMOAS and the Kingdom Web Minister, maintains the Web page.

 

MOAS NET: There is an MOAS discussion group set up for interaction and information between the various MOAS’s.

 

NORTHSTAR:  The Northstar is the A&S newsletter of the Kingdom or Northshield.  It is a publication devoted to research by the people of Northshield.

 

The editor of the Northstar is a deputy to the KMOAS, and must report to the KMOAS, and the Kingdom Chronicler.

 

The monies for the Northstar must be handled by a warranted exchequer, but is separate from the Kingdom funds.  The Northstar exchequer must report to the Northstar editor and the Kingdom Exchequer.

 

III. KINGDOM LEVEL EVENTS:

            It is hoped that Northshield will develop kingdom level A&S events. Current events are the Stellar University of Northshield and Kingdom A&S Faire/Display. The Stellar University of Northshield [SUN] is administrated by the SUN Chancellor under the direction of the KMOAS. Kingdom A&S Faires/Displays will be administrated by the KMOAS in conjunction with local autocrats. It is the policy of this office that such events will rotate throughout the kingdom as much as possible.

 

SUN CHANCELLOR:  The SUN Chancellor is a deputy to the KMOAS, and must report to the KMOAS.  The chancellor is responsible for setting up Stellar University events (see attached guidelines) and for encouraging, as well as coordinating or providing help and/or support for other A&S classes. 

 

ARTS AND SCIENCES EXHIBITIONS, FAIRE/COMPETITION:  The KMOAS is responsible for the setting up at least one A&S Activity per Reign.  One of these may be a Kingdom A&S Faire/Competition.  Information on the Faire and the criteria is found in the A&S Handbook.  Other venues would be Sponsored or themed A&S competitions or displays, a Stellar University Session, a glorious display of Kingdom Arts and Sciences with a lot of learning, sharing, networking, tokens and encouragement.

 

IV. OTHER:

 

GUILDS:  At this time there are no (official) Guilds in Northshield.  Policies governing guilds can be developed when it becomes necessary.

 

MONEY:  All money must be handled by a warranted exchequer.  The KMOAS funds are held by the Kingdom Exchequer, the Northstar funds are held by its own exchequer, local A&S funds, whether group or office, are held by that group’s exchequer.

 

COPYRIGHT POLICY: It is the policy of this office that the intellectual property rights of others be respected. Please be aware of corporate copyright policies. The KMOAS should have current guidelines and while not required at other levels, it is suggested. Be respectful of the intellectual property of others and cite it appropriately in publication. Consult with your chronicler if you have questions