STANDING RULES
of
THE ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS, INC.
Last Amended July 14, 2021
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
- PURPOSE OF THE STANDING RULES……………………………………………………………………… 2
- VOTING MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES OF THE ACADEMY…………………………………………… 4
- VOTING MEMBERSHIP CLASSES…………………………………………………………………. 4
- SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS WITHIN VOTING MEMBERSHIP CLASSES………………….. 5
- NON-VOTING ………………………………………………………………………….. 5
- ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE ……………………………………….. 8
- INITIATION ……………………………………………………………………………………… 9
- DUES AND ………………………………………………………………………. 10
- RESIDENCY DETERMINATION………………………………………………………………….. 11
- PRO-RATIONS………………………………………………………………………………………… 11
- SPOUSES/DOMESTIC PARTNERS OF …………………………………………. 11
- TERMINATION/SUSPENSION OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE …………………………. 12
- RIGHTS OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE ACADEMY………………………………………………………… 13
Page
- RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS……………… 18
- COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS………………………………. 19
- COMMITTEES AND OTHER APPOINTED PERSONS…………………………………………………. 23
- MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MEMBERSHIP………………………………. 29
- AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS……………………………………………………………………………… 30
- ANNUAL AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS GRANTED BY THE BOARD OF
TRUSTEES……………………………………………………………………………………………… 30
- AWARDS GRANTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS……………………………………. 32
- ANNUAL PERFORMING AWARDS SELECTED BY THE MEMBERS…………………… 32
- OPERATIONAL RULES PERTAINING TO THE MAGIC CASTLE……………………………………. 35
- DRESS CODE………………………………………………………………………………………….. 35
- ENTRANCE TO THE MAGIC CASTLE…………………………………………………………… 37
- AGE RESTRICTION………………………………………………………………………………….. 37
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- ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 37
- …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38
- NON-DISCRIMINATION…………………………………………………………………………… 38
- PHOTOGRAPHY, AUDIO AND VIDEO ……………………………………… 38
- GUESTS/ GUEST PASSES………………………………………………………………………….. 38
- CONDUCT OF MEMBERS AND GUESTS AT THE MAGIC ……………………. 43
- FILMING AT THE ACADEMY OF MAGICAL …………………………………………. 43
- WEAPONS……………………………………………………………………………………………… 44
- SOCIAL MEDIA……………………………………………………………………………………….. 45
- VIDEO AND OTHER MEDIA……………………………………………………………………… 45
- OPERATIONAL RULES REGARDING THE ACADEMY………………………………………………… 45
- INTELLECTUAL ………………………………………………………………………. 45
- SIGNING OF CHECKS AND …………………………………………………….. 45
- RELEASE OF INFORMATION…………………………………………………………………….. 46
- MAGIC CASTLE ………………………………………………………………………… 46
- MAGIC CASTLE ………………………………………………………………………… 46
- SCHEDULING OF USE OF ROOMS AND AREAS WITHIN THE MAGIC
CASTLE…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 47
ATTACHMENT “A”: ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS – MAGICIAN MEMBER’S PLEDGE ATTACHMENT “B”: ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS – CODE OF ETHICS
ATTACHMENT “C”: CONDITIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE ATTACHMENT “D”: BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ CODE OF CONDUCT, DISCLOSURE AND
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY FOR DIRECTORS and TRUSTEES.
- Communications that are subject to the attorney-client privilege and/or attorney work
- Employee matters, including but not limited to compensation and benefits, matters in employee files,
- Trade secrets relating to the AMA’s operations; and
- Confidential discussions, negotiations and/or transactions with third parties or
ATTACHMENT “E”: HOUSE RULES
ATTACHMENT “F”: WILLIAM W. LARSEN MEMORIAL LIBRARY – RULES AND PROCEDURES
- Primary Objective
- Access to the Library
- Copying Library Materials
- General Use of the Library ATTACHMENT “G”: ORGANIZATION CHART ATTACHMENT “H”: JUNIOR GROUP RULES ATTACHMENT “I”: ASSOCIATE MEMBER’S PLEDGE
STANDING RULES
of
THE ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS, INC.
Amended and Restated as of July 9, 2019
I. INTRODUCTION
The Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. (referred to in these Standing Rules as the “Academy” or the “AMA”) is a California Non-Profit Mutual Benefit Corporation established in 1962 by the filing of its initial Articles of Incorporation with the State of California on March 9, 1962 by William Larsen, F. Michael Shields, George L. Boston, Alvin Jansen and Norman Carroll. Amended from time to time by a vote of the Members, the Articles of Incorporation set out the basic purposes and foundational matters governing the Academy.
The By-Laws of the Academy were adopted, and are amended from time to time with the approval of the Members, and set forth in more detail the overall governing principles for the Academy. The Academy’s By-Laws are the general rules that have been adopted for the operations of the Academy.
The Standing Rules of the Academy are the policies adopted by the Board of Directors which implement the provisions of the Articles and By-Laws in furtherance of the purposes of the Academy as set forth in the Articles and By-Laws and following the provisions of Article IV of the By-Laws, that “The business and affairs of the Academy will be governed by a Board of Directors…”
Copies of the Academy’s Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and Standing Rules shall be available to Members for viewing on the Academy’s website, www.magiccastle.com (the “Official Website”), and in the Academy’s offices during normal business hours.
All Members of the Academy (referred to as “Voting Members”) and all affiliates who are granted privileges (referred to as “Non-Voting Members”) are required to abide by the Articles, By-laws and Standing Rules, including the Code of Ethics. Failure to do so may subject the Voting Member and/or the Non-Voting Member to disciplinary action as set forth in the By- Laws and these Standing Rules. If a Secondary Member violates these Standing Rules, any sanctions imposed may be imposed on both the Secondary Member and Voting Member.
When the word “Member” is used in these Standing Rules without differentiating between a Voting Member and a Non-Voting Member, it generally reflects that the Standing Rule is applicable to both Voting Members and Non-Voting Members.
Magic Castle® is a registered trademark of Magic Castle, Inc. Irma® is a registered trademark of Magic Castle, Inc.
II. PURPOSE OF THE STANDING RULES
These Standing Rules are the policies of the Academy’s Board of Directors (“Board”), adopted by the Board, modified from time to time, and published for the guidance of Academy Members, employees and staff regarding the operations of the Academy and the Magic Castle, in accordance with the authority vested in the Board by the Articles of Incorporation and By- Laws. References in these Standing Rules to the Amended and Restated By-Laws are to the By- Laws current as of the most recent amendments.
Changes to these Standing Rules shall be by Resolution of the Board, as reflected in the Minutes of the Board’s meetings.
Responsibility for publishing changes or modifications to these Standing Rules shall be with the Secretary of the Academy.
III. ORGANIZATION OF THE ACADEMY AND THE MAGIC CASTLE
The Academy is a Non-Profit Mutual Benefit Corporation, which exists under the provisions of the California Corporations Code, whose membership is established by the Articles, By-Laws and Standing Rules and whose affairs are governed by the Board. The Magic Castle® is the name that the AMA licenses for the use at the premises located at 7001 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, California, operated by the Academy under the general supervision of the Board of Directors, and operated by the Academy’s officers and employees subject to the policies and guidance of the Board. While the Academy is a nonprofit corporation and conducts its functions with and for its Members subject to the overall requirements of the California Corporations Code, the Articles, By- Laws and these Standing Rules, the Magic Castle’s operations are subject to the many other laws, regulations and requirements applicable to all restaurant, bar and entertainment operations. The Magic Castle is sometimes referred to as the “clubhouse” of the Academy.
Effective as of January 1, 2005, the facility at 7001 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, California is leased by the Academy from Magic Castle Park, LLC.
A. ORGANIZATION OF THE ACADEMY.
The Academy’s officers are elected every two years by the Board of Directors from among its members at the first regular meeting of the Board after the biennial Membership meeting at which the Board is elected.
- The President presides over annual and other Membership meetings and the meetings of the Board. All other officers of the Academy and the General Manager report to the President. The President must be a Magician Member of the Academy.
- Vice-President. The Vice-President has the powers and exercises the duties of the President in case of the President’s death, absence, incapacity or refusal to act. Assumption
of the duties of the President by the Vice-President shall only be by resolution of the Board. The Vice-President must be a Magician Member of the Academy.
- Secretary. The Secretary keeps the official record of the meetings of the Board and of the Membership, and performs such other functions as are delegated to the Secretary in the By-Laws and these Standing Rules or directed by the President or Board. The Secretary may be a Magician Member or Associate Member of the Academy.
- The Treasurer has primary responsibility, in conjunction with the President and the General Manager, for oversight of the Academy’s internal accounting staff in the collection of all money due or belonging to the Academy, the payment of obligations of the Academy, the appropriate keeping of the financial books and records of the Academy, budgeting and reporting to the Board and the Membership regarding the financial affairs of the Academy. An annual financial statement shall be distributed at each Annual Meeting of the Academy and a report given by the Treasurer on the financial status of the Academy and other financial matters as he/she deems appropriate. The Treasurer may be a Magician Member or Associate Member of the Academy.
- Other Officers. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, create other offices, appoint persons to fill such offices and designate the term of such offices and the duties assigned to such offices.
B. ORGANIZATION OF THE MAGIC CASTLE.
- General Manager. Under the overall guidance of policies established by the Board, the day-to-day operations of the Magic Castle are supervised by the General Manager, who is an employee of the Academy selected by the Board. The General Manager is supervised by the President of the Academy and reports to the President on the day-to-day operations of the Magic Castle, and to the Board as requested. Employees of the Academy (such as Hosts, accounting staff, etc.) report to the General Manager.
- Department Heads. Under the supervision of the President, the General Manager has authority to supervise departments and organize the workforce of the Academy, and with the approval of the President and Board, to hire department heads. All employees of the Academy who work at the Magic Castle are supervised and directed in their day-to-day operations by the General Manager under the supervision of the President and subject to the overall direction of the Board. All department heads shall be compensated at a rate to be approved by the Board of Directors. Compensation for the Director of Entertainment shall also be subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.
- Floor Managers. From its inception, the Academy has employed “Hosts,” now known as Floor Managers who have overall responsibility for the efficient operation of the Magic Castle during operating hours. Floor Managers are easily identified by their tuxedos and the fact that they supervise the operations of all shows at the Magic Castle, introduce performers, and admit guests to Magic Castle showrooms.
Floor Managers are Academy employees who report to the General Manager. In the absence of the Academy President and General Manager, Floor Managers have primary responsibility for all decisions regarding the Academy’s operations at the Magic Castle during operating hours. Specifically, subject to the overall supervision and direction of the President and the General Manager, it is the Academy’s Floor Managers that have the authority to make decisions regarding admission to the Magic Castle, dress code, age determinations, shows and appropriate conduct of Members and guests at the Magic Castle, within the guidelines and policies established by the Board of Directors.
- The above roles, as well as those of the entire Academy staff, are shown in the organizational chart in Attachment
IV. VOTING MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES OF THE ACADEMY
A. VOTING MEMBERSHIP CLASSES.
There are two classes of Members in the Academy who are “Members” as defined under California Corporations Codes §5056: Magician Members and Associate Members. Within each of the two classes some Members may be designated Honorary, Life or Legacy Members. The requirements, rights, privileges, initiation fees and dues of each class of membership, and each category with each class, may be changed from time to time by the Board, consistent with the By-laws. Within these Standing Rules, they are referred to as “Voting Members.” The following rights (the “Voting Member Rights”) are reserved solely for Voting Members:
- The right to vote for Directors and Trustees;
- The right to hold office as a Director or Trustee;
- Any rights as Members upon any dissolution of the Academy; and
- The right to sign petitions for Director and Trustee
- Magician Members. To become a Magician Member, an applicant must either be an Associate Member or fill out a form provided by the Academy to become a Magician Member of the Academy and submit it to the Membership Director. The applicant must then pass an audition which is monitored by the Magician Member Audition Committee and, once approved by the Committee, be approved by the Board of Directors.
- Associate Members. To become an Associate Member, an applicant must fill out a form provided by the Academy and submit it to the Membership Director and be approved by the Board of Directors.
B. SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS WITHIN VOTING MEMBERSHIP CLASSES
- Life Members. Life Memberships are granted by resolution of the Board of Directors, awarded to Fellowship Recipients, or awarded to Board Members of the Academy (Director or Trustee) after two full terms of service. Such Life Memberships shall be either Associate or Magician Memberships, as determined by the Board and will carry the privileges of the class of membership bestowed, as well as such other privileges set forth below, or as specified in the resolution bestowing such Life Membership. (Currently there is no Paid Life Membership available. A resolution by the Board of Directors would be required to institute a Paid Life )
- Legacy Members. Each Life Member who obtained his or her Life Membership prior to January 1, 2019 may designate either a surviving spouse or a natural or adopted child of the Life Member to become a Legacy Member upon the Life Member’s death. A Legacy Member is not required to pay either initiation fees or dues. This Legacy Member must be specified by the Life Member in advance of the Life Member’s death with the Membership Manager and be kept on record. This membership expires upon the death of the Legacy It may not be passed on to anyone. A Legacy Member will have the privileges of an Associate Member unless approved by the Magician Membership Audition Committee. Except as set forth herein, a Legacy Member has privileges generally comparable to a Life Member, but does not have house charge privileges.
- Honorary Members. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, bestow Honorary Membership upon any person that the Board determines has made substantial contributions toward the advancement of the history and/or the art of magic. The class of membership (Magician or Associate), privileges and duration of an Honorary Membership will be set forth in the resolution bestowing such membership. Upon election to the Board of Trustees or the Board of Directors, an Honorary Membership will be awarded for the duration of the Board Member’s term. This will be converted to Life Membership after the two full terms as described under “Life Members.”
C. NON-VOTING MEMBERS.
In addition to voting members, the Academy recognizes and grants privileges to a number of other individuals, including but not limited to Secondary Members, Senior Members, Junior Members, staff of the Magic Castle, Complimentary Members and Global Members. Although referred to as “Members,” such individuals are not members as defined under the California Corporations Law § 5056, and while they are granted certain privileges, they do not have any Voting Member Rights. The requirements, rights, privileges, initiation fees and dues of these non-voting members are established by the Board and are those expressly set forth in these Standing Rules and may be changed from time to time by the Board, consistent with the By- laws. Within these Standing Rules, they are referred to as “Non-Voting Members”.
- Secondary Members. A spouse or domestic partner of a Voting Member in good standing may be designated as a Secondary Member and will be granted his/her own AMA card
with the same number as the Voting Member. A Secondary Member is granted the privileges of an Associate Member (other than Voting Member Rights) unless he or she chooses to audition for Magician Membership in front of the Magician Membership Audition Committee. Having passed that audition, he or she will be granted the privileges accorded Magician Members (other than Voting Member Rights). Should the Voting Member spouse predecease the Secondary Member, the Secondary Member will be entitled to remain a Secondary Member provided he or she continues to pay dues. If such surviving spouse/domestic partner remarries, the new spouse shall not be entitled to any rights as a Secondary Member or otherwise.
- Senior Member. At the request of the Member, the Board of Directors may designate a Member who is at least 70 years old, and has been a member of the Academy for at least 30 continuous years, and is experiencing financial hardship, as a Senior Member. Senior Members shall be non-voting Affiliates, without Member Voting Rights and with limited rights and privileges, and they shall pay reduced dues as established by the Board of Directors from time to time. A Member designated as a Senior Member shall be entitled to retain that designation for the duration of his or her life, so long as he or she continues to timely pay the dues required of Senior At no time shall there be more than 25 Senior Members.
Members who desire to be considered for Senior Membership must notify the Director of Member Services in writing. The Board will consider such requests each year at its October meeting (except in the initiation year of 2018 when requests will be considered in the November meeting.) If the maximum of 25 Senior Members has been reached, the Board may establish a waiting list for consideration for any openings that arise prior to the next October board meeting. If a Member is not granted Senior Membership, he or she may re-apply in subsequent years.
Senior Members (i) shall not be entitled to receive any VIP passes or Charity VIP passes, but may request regular guest passes; (ii) shall not be entitled to vote in any elections or for awards; (iii) shall be entitled to attend Sunday Lectures; (iv) shall be entitled to visit the Magic Castle up to, but not exceeding, one time in each calendar month (in addition to attending any lectures); (v) shall be entitled to bring up to 5 guests to accompany them, without payment of door charges; and (vi) will be entitled to the regular member dining discount.
- Employee Members. Upon request, Academy employees may be granted privileges during the time that they are employed by the Academy, at no cost to the employee. Employee members who are Senior Staff are granted the privileges accorded an Associate Member (other than Voting Member Rights) unless they had previously been Magician Members, in which case they are granted the privileges of a Magician Member (other than Voting Member Rights). Other part-time/full-time employees are granted limited privileges accorded Employee Members as set forth in the Employee Handbook. Details and conditions of these memberships can be found in the Academy’s Employee Handbook.
- Junior Group Members. The Academy has established a Junior Group for persons under 21 years of Membership in the Junior Group is by written application on
such form as shall be approved by the Board of Trustees and by audition. The applicant must pass an audition with the Junior Group Committee, be approved by the Chair of the Junior Group who is designated by the Board, and then be approved by the Board. Privileges are granted to Junior Group Members in accordance with the Junior Group Rules attached as Attachment “H.” Upon reaching the age of 21, a Junior Group Member ceases to be a Junior Group Member, but may upon payment of the initiation fee, then become a Voting Magician Member.
- Complimentary Members. A Complimentary Membership may be issued by the Board of Directors through a resolution, or by the President with the approval of the Secretary and at least one other member of the Board, in exchange for services rendered or products contributed by any person, or in recognition of a gift made to the Academy. A Complimentary Member is granted the rights and privileges of either a Magician or Associate membership (other than Voting Member Rights), as determined when the Complimentary Membership is given, shall have a duration of one year and shall not be subject to the payment of initiation fees or dues. A Complimentary Membership may be converted to a Magician or Associate Membership by the payment of the normal initiation fee, dues and compliance with any other requirements for such membership at the discretion of the Board of Directors. A Complimentary Membership should be accompanied by a letter from the President or General Manager acknowledging and thanking the recipient for the services, products or gift, and shall clearly set forth the one-year duration of the membership and the privileges to be granted.
- Global Members. Global Membership is designed for out of country magicians (excluding the U.S. and Canada). Benefits are limited.
To apply to become a Global Member, the applicant must:
- Complete a Global Application form;
- Provide a written statement providing intent of membership;
- Provide performance materials: Promo package, DVD, online links, ;
- Provide references with contact information;
- Have one AMA sponsor;
- Provide proof of residency;
- Provide identification photo; and
- Be approved by the Board of Directors. A Global Member is granted:
- Entrance to the Magic Castle® up to three times per year;
- Door charges and dinner requirement waived for member and one (1) guest;
- In-person access to one lecture and one “Castle Perk” event each year;
- Access to the Academy’s world-famous Library on each visit during library hours;
- Full online access to the Academy website, members-only forums and social- media sites; and
- Right to proclaim oneself as a Member of the Academy.
A Global Member does not have any Voting Member Rights or any other rights or privileges not expressly granted.
D. ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE ACADEMY.
- Magician Members. To be considered for Magician membership in the Academy, an applicant must (i) practice or have at any time practiced the magical arts, or any branches or phases thereof, as an amateur or professional, (ii) pass an audition in front of the Magician Membership Audition Committee, and (iii) be at least 21 years of age.
- Associate Members. To be considered for Associate membership in the Academy, an applicant must (i) satisfactorily demonstrate his/her interest in the magical arts and in the purposes for which the Academy has been formed (although he or she need not practice the magical arts), and (ii) be at least 21 years of
- Nondiscrimination Commitment. No person shall be excluded from membership on the basis of race, color, citizenship, marital status, registered domestic partner status, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics, genetic information”) religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, creed, age, sexual orientation or any other consideration made lawful by federal, state or local laws.
- Employees of the Academy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, excepting for Magician Members who are employees of the Academy and elected prior to January 1, 2016 to continue to pay dues and be a Voting Member, no person may be a Magician Member or an Associate Member while an employee of the Academy, and a membership in the Academy shall automatically terminate upon a Member’s employment by the Academy. However, the employee shall be entitled to privileges as an Employee Member as set forth herein. Once no longer an employee, the individual shall be entitled to reinstitute his or her membership without payment of any initiation fee or penalty.
- Application Process. Each applicant for membership in the Academy will apply using an application form which has been approved by the Board and which will provide and state that the applicant agrees to abide by the Articles, By-Laws and Standing Rules of the The application shall state the name, address and occupation of the applicant, as
well as such other information as may be deemed necessary for such purposes. An applicant shall not become a Member until he or she is approved by the Board of Directors, has delivered the appropriate Initiation Fee and Dues (except in the case of Complimentary Members or Honorary Life Members), if a Magician Member applicant, signed the Magician’s Pledge and Code of Ethics, and if an Associate Member applicant, signed the Associate Member’s Pledge and Code of Ethics.
- Magician Member Audition Committee. There shall be a Magician Member Audition Committee of the Academy composed of not less than six (6) Magician Members in good standing, the Chairperson and members of which shall be appointed annually by the Board of Trustees for the purpose of examining applicants for Magician Membership. The Board of Directors and Board of Trustees shall set conditions and guidelines for the Magician Member Audition Committee to follow in carrying out its duties in examining applicants for Magician Membership. The Conditions and Guidelines for the Magician Member Audition Committee set by the Academy Board of Directors and Board of Trustees are attached hereto as Attachment “C” and may be changed from time to time by agreement of the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees. The Magician Member Audition Committee shall have authority to determine the acceptability of any applicant for Magician Membership, in accordance with the conditions and guidelines so established, subject to a final determination by the Board of Trustees.
- Magician Member’s Pledge and Code of Ethics. Persons admitted as Magician Members shall sign the Academy of Magical Arts Magician Member’s Pledge (a copy of which is attached as Attachment “A”) and shall acknowledge receipt and agreement to be bound by the Academy of Magical Arts Code of Ethics (attached hereto as Attachment “B”) and Standing Rules.
- Membership Determination. The Board of Directors shall establish, by resolution, all other terms and conditions of membership, including fees, residency, pro-rations, forms to be completed and all other operational matters. The Board of Directors has the final authority to accept or reject an applicant. Cause for rejection may include but are not limited to:
- Prior misconduct at the Magic
- Knowingly entering the Magic Castle outside the parameters of the Standing
- Any other reasonable cause for rejection deemed appropriate by the Board of
E. INITIATION FEES.
Initiation Fees shall be determined by the Board and shall be payable at the time of application for membership in the Academy. Initiation Fees may be changed, from time to time, by the
Board. Secondary Members shall not be required to pay any Initiation Fees, either upon being granted privileges as Secondary Members or upon becoming Voting Members upon the death of their spouse/domestic partner.
F. DUES AND ASSESSMENTS.
Annual membership dues are determined by the Board and may be changed from time to time by Resolution of the Board. Assessments may be made by Resolution of the Board.
- Payment of Dues and Assessments. Membership dues are billed annually and are due and payable by December 31st of each year for the following year. Assessments are due and payable in accordance with the Resolution of the Board which establishes the Exceptions to this policy may only be made by express consent of the General Manager or the Board of Directors. A payment plan for dues may be arranged before December 1st for the following year’s dues. These payments are to be made by the 25th of ten
(10) consecutive months starting in January. It is strictly a ten month plan during which the Member may vote if dues are current within the monthly plan. The specifics of this contract are available through Member Services.
- Delinquency. Members who have not paid their dues as of January 31st or who are not current with their pre-arranged monthly plan are delinquent and shall not be permitted access to the Magic Castle, or entitled to vote, sign petitions or exercise any other Voting Member Rights. Membership status will be checked by the Lobby Receptionists when a Member arrives and presents his or her Membership Card or number. Guest passes for guests of delinquent Members will not be honored. Members who have not paid an assessment in accordance with the policies adopted by the Board with regard to such assessment, shall be delinquent and such delinquency shall be treated as a delinquency in the payment of dues. From February 1st – March 15th Members are required to pay a late fee of $50. As of
March 15th of that same year, Members who have still not paid their dues in full (with the exception of arranged payment plans) will be required to pay a re-instatement fee equal to 25% of the current year’s membership dues to reactivate their membership.
- Termination of Membership for Non-Payment of Dues or Assessments. Any Member whose dues for the current year have not been paid by the last day of February of that year will be notified of such delinquency in writing by mail to the Member’s last known address as shown on the records of the Academy, which shall advise the delinquent Member that the Member’s membership in the Academy will be terminated on March 15th. Termination of membership for failure to pay dues or any assessment by March 15th shall be subject to the provisions of the By-Laws governing such failure, and such other policies as may be adopted by the Board regarding such assessment, not inconsistent with the provisions of the By-Laws.
- Good Standing. A “Member in Good Standing” is defined as a Voting Member of The Academy who has paid all dues then due or is current on a pre-arranged payment plan and is not under any disciplinary action at the moment of determination of such. The Member must also be current with all house accounts.
G. RESIDENCY DETERMINATION.
Members who are not Residents (as defined below) shall pay non-resident fees, dues and assessments as set from time to time by the Board.
A Member is a “Resident” if the Member maintains either a business office or a residence (or both) within a 60 mile radius of the mailing address of the Academy. A Member who claims non-residency who does in fact maintain a business office or residence within 60 miles of the Academy will be subject to suspension or expulsion.
To the extent a Member wishes to claim that he or she is a non-resident, the Member shall
(i) sign an affirmation that he or she does not have a business office or a residence (or both) within a 60 mile radius of the mailing address of the Academy and that he or she will immediately notify the Academy if that changes; and (ii) provide documentation showing his or her residences and business offices are located outside the residency area. The Membership Committee determines and maintains the list of acceptable documentation for demonstrating non-residency. The Membership Committee is charged with reviewing and providing a recommendation regarding Non-Resident Status to the Board of Directors. The transition by current members who have left the area to Non-Resident Status is subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
H. PRO-RATIONS.
- New Members. When a new Member is admitted to the Academy, the Member shall pay the initiation fee in full, appropriate for his/her type of membership, and a pro-rated amount (based on the month joined) for their annual dues.
- Change in Membership Category. When an Associate Member becomes a Magician Member (or vice versa) the Member’s status will be changed immediately. The Member’s dues will be billed on the next billing cycle at the new rate. If a Member’s residency status changes, the Member’s dues will be changed at the next billing cycle following the change of status as carried on the membership records of the Academy. The Academy does not issue refunds on dues already paid for the year during which the Member’s status changes.
I. SPOUSES/DOMESTIC PARTNERS OF MEMBERS.
Members whose spouses or domestic partners are not otherwise members of the Academy may obtain, upon written request and proof of marriage or partnership (if requested), a Secondary Membership card for their spouse or domestic partner. Such membership card shall be issued with the name of the spouse or domestic partner, the same membership number as the Member, but with an Associate Member designation; exceptions to this policy may only be made by express consent of the Board of Directors. A spouse or domestic partner who is issued a membership card under this policy shall have the rights and privileges of an Associate Member only (other than Voting Member Rights), unless the Board of Trustees and the Magician Member Audition Committee determine the spouse or domestic partner is also a
qualified Magician. The Secondary Member would then be awarded all of the rights of a Magician Membership (other than Voting Member Rights), as long as the Secondary Member is married/partnered with the Voting Member. There will be no charge for issuing such a membership card and such card shall continue to be valid so long as the membership of the Member remains in full force and effect.
In order to qualify for issuance of a membership card to a domestic partner, the Member must prove, upon request, that the person to whom such card is to be issued is either legally married to the Member or that all of the following are true:
- The Member and his/her domestic partner have an exclusive, committed relationship that is expected to last indefinitely;
- The Member and his/her domestic partner live together and are responsible for each other’s welfare on a continuing basis;
- The Member and his/her domestic partner are not of an age or related to each other in such a way as would prohibit legal marriage;
- The Member and his/her domestic partner are not married to other persons; and
- The Member and his/her domestic partner have not had another domestic partner within the previous six months (except in the case of death).
Proof that the Member and his/her spouse or domestic partner qualify under this paragraph for the issuance of such a card may be required in any of the following forms: marriage certificate; utility bills; driver’s licenses; other forms of formal identification showing residence addresses; telephone bills, etc.
V. TERMINATION/SUSPENSION OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE ACADEMY.
- Termination of Membership. Membership in the Academy, either Magician or Associate, may be terminated in the following manner:
- By Resignation. Any Member of the Academy in good standing may voluntarily resign from membership upon giving written notice to the Secretary and such resignation shall be effective upon receipt by the Secretary.
- By Failure to Pay Dues, Assessments or Life Member House Charges. Membership in the Academy may be terminated by the Board upon the failure of a Member to pay annual dues, assessments, or Life Member House Charges, as set forth herein.
- By Expulsion. Membership in the Academy may be terminated by expulsion of the Member as provided in Article VII of the By-Laws and Article XV of these Standing Rules.
- Suspension of Membership. Suspension of membership in the Academy can occur in accordance with the provisions of Article VII of the By-Laws and Article XV of these Standing Rules. During any period of suspension, a Member shall not be permitted access to the Magic Castle, such Member shall be deemed not to be in good standing, shall not have any of the rights and privileges of Membership (including any right to vote or sign petitions) and shall be deemed not to be a Member during the period of such suspension.
- Discipline Generally Pursuant to Article VII of the By-Laws. Violations of these Standing Rules, or of any of the Attachments to these Standing Rules, shall be grounds for discipline in accordance with Article VII of the By-Laws and Article XV of these Standing Rules which may include private or public reprimand, suspension of Membership or expulsion by termination of Membership.
VI. RIGHTS OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE ACADEMY
All Members of the Academy are required to abide by the requirements of the Articles and By- Laws of the Academy, and to abide by these Standing Rules. Failure to do so may subject the Member to disciplinary action as set forth in the By-Laws and these Standing Rules.
A. VOTING RIGHTS.
Each Magician Voting Member and Associate Voting Member shall be entitled to one vote on any matter on which a Member is entitled to vote, provided that such Member is, on the record date established by resolution of the Board of Directors, a Member in good standing, and not delinquent in the payment of any dues or assessments. In any matter upon which a vote is taken, only one vote will be allowed for each membership number. Secondary Members, Employee Members, Junior Group Members, Complimentary Members and Global Members are not Voting Members of the AMA and are not entitled to vote.
B. MAGICIAN MEMBERS.
Magician Members shall have the right to access to the Magic Castle, upon the terms and conditions set forth by the policy of the Board of Directors in these Standing Rules, and shall have the right to attend lectures and access the William W. Larsen Memorial Library. Magician Members shall have such additional privileges as are designated from time-to-time by the Board of Directors as for Magician Members only.
C. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS.
Associate Members shall have access to the Magic Castle, upon the terms and conditions set forth by the policy of the Board of Directors in these Standing Rules, except at such times as
may be designated as times that the Magic Castle is open to Magician Members only. Associate Members shall not have the right to attend lectures, or access the magic sections of the William
- Larsen Memorial Library without prior approval from the Librarian. The Board of Directors may make exceptions to the limitation on Associate Members attending lectures, Castle Perks, or accessing the magic sections of the Magic Castle Library in appropriate cases of individuals who make written request for such an exception, and the authority to delegate the right to make such exceptions may be made to appropriate officers or employees of the Academy.
D. LIFE MEMBERS.
- Charge Privileges. Life Members shall have the right to charge their Magic Castle food/beverage expenses upon presentation of their Life Membership card. All such expenses shall be paid within thirty (30) days of billing by the Academy. Upon written notice of a delinquent account, such charge privileges will be suspended if such delinquent charges are not paid within sixty (60) days of the billing and all charge privileges shall remain suspended until the account is paid current. Failure to pay such delinquent charges, or make arrangements acceptable to the Academy for payment, within (90) days of the billing may result in termination of the Member’s Membership in the Academy. While a Life Member’s charge privileges are suspended, the Life Member shall be required to surrender his/her Life Membership Card to the receptionist upon entry to the Magic Castle and the card shall be returned to the Life Member upon departure from the Magic Castle. Reinstatement of a Life Member’s charge privileges after suspension shall require (1) payment in full of all outstanding charges; and (2) payment of the current reinstatement fee.
- Survivorship of Life Membership. A Life Membership obtained prior to January 1, 2019 may be transferred at most once, either to the Life Member’s surviving spouse/domestic partner or to one adult child of the Life Member, who shall become a Legacy Member, in accordance with the procedures in paragraph E below. Upon the death, resignation, termination or expulsion of the Legacy Member, the Membership shall expire and
may not be transferred again. A Life Membership obtained on or after January 1, 2019 may not be transferred, but the surviving spouse/domestic partner of a Life Member who became a Life Member on or after January 1, 2019 shall be entitled to remain a Secondary Member for the duration of his or her life, without payment of dues.
Transfer of Memberships. Memberships may not be assigned, sold, or otherwise transferred, and no person shall have the right to succeed to or assume a Member’s membership before or after the Member’s death, except as follows and conditioned upon compliance with the procedures set forth in these Standing Rules:
- Each Life Member who obtained his or her Life Membership prior to January 1, 2019 may designate either a surviving spouse or a natural or adopted child of the Life Member to become a Legacy Member either during the Life Member’s lifetime (in which case the Life Member shall cease to be a Member and have no further rights or privileges) or effective upon the Life Member’s death, by executing the Academy’s form of Legacy Member Designation A Legacy Member Designation Form must either
be signed at the Club and witnessed by the Club Manager or Membership Director, or the Member’s signature on the Academy’s Legacy Member Designation Form must be notarized and the original provided to the Club. A Life Member may revoke a Legacy Membership Designation which is effective upon death at any time. A transfer during a Life Member’s lifetime may not be revoked or re-designated. If no Legacy Member Designation Form executed in accordance with these requirements is on file with the Academy, the Life Member’s surviving spouse/domestic partner will be deemed designated. The Legacy membership expires upon the death of the Legacy Member and may not be further transferred.
- Should a Life Member who obtained his or her Life Membership on or after January 1, 2019 predecease a spouse/domestic partner who is a Secondary Member, the Secondary Member will be entitled to remain a Secondary Member without any requirement to pay dues. If such surviving spouse/domestic partner subsequently marries, the new spouse shall not be entitled to any rights as a Secondary Member or
- Should a Voting Member (other than a Life Member) predecease a spouse/domestic partner who is a Secondary Member, the Secondary Member will be entitled to remain a Secondary Member provided he or she continues to pay dues. If such surviving spouse/domestic partner subsequently marries, the new spouse shall not be entitled to any rights as a Secondary Member or
VII. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A. ELECTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
The Members of the Board shall be elected by the Voting Members every two years, as set forth herein, and the results of such election shall be announced at the Annual Meeting of the Members held in March of every even-numbered year. The procedures for election of the Board shall be as set forth in Article V of the By-Laws.
- Elections Committee Rules and Procedures. The Elections Committee shall ensure that the process by which Directors are elected is conducted in accordance with the By- Laws and the procedures set forth herein.
- All candidates for election to the Board of Directors shall deliver to the Secretary a photograph of themselves together with a written statement of not more than 150 words stating why such candidate wishes to be elected or re-elected and, with the exception of incumbent Directors, a fully executed and legible Candidacy Petition on a form approved by the Board of Directors, along with a signed Pledge by Candidates for Board of Directors. Only Candidacy Petitions timely delivered per the form approved by the Board of Directors shall be For purposes of determining the number of words on a written statement the standards set forth in Microsoft Word’s word count program shall be applied and all words in excess of 150 shall be deleted from the written statement. Policies for such documents, and the conduct
of such election, shall be established by the Board of Directors and published not later than
July 15th of the year preceding the election. Such documents shall be delivered to the Secretary not later than 11:59 PM PST, on October 25th of the year preceding the Annual General Meeting in which the election results are to be announced. The Secretary will immediately deliver the documents to the Election Committee Chairperson no later than 12:00 PM PST on October 26th, at which time no additional documents will be accepted by the Election Committee. Only candidates who have submitted compliant documents which have been received by the Election Committee Chairperson by the final deadline shall be eligible to be nominated for the Board of Directors. Excepting the Board of Directors, no Member (including any candidate) may have access to the pending or final list of candidates until the list is published to all Members and until such list is published it shall be treated as confidential by the Board of Directors and the Election Committee and all other persons.
- To be eligible, each candidate must be able to attend meetings of the Board on a regular basis and must be a Member in good standing. If a proposed candidate is not current on financial obligations to the Academy, a notice will be given to the proposed candidate as to the amount of delinquency of any dues, fees, assessments or other obligations and the proposed candidate shall have ten (10) days to pay the amounts owed. Failure to pay such amounts shall disqualify the proposed candidate from being a candidate. At all times during the election period, candidates must maintain a status of good standing and remain current on financial obligations to the Academy. Failure to do so will render the candidate ineligible to serve on the Board of Directors.
- The Elections Committee will prepare an Official Ballot and arrange for the printing of the Official Ballots and envelopes under the supervision of the Secretary and subject to the overall guidance of the Board of Directors. The order in which candidates are listed on the Official Ballot shall be determined by random drawing conducted by the Election The Official Ballot shall designate which of the candidates are incumbents and shall list separately Magician candidates and Associate candidates. Status of a candidate as to Magician or Associate shall be determined according to the candidate’s official status on the records of the Academy as of January 1st for Associate members, and as of July 15th of the year preceding the election for Magician members. An outside mailing firm will be engaged to mail the Official Ballots to all Members in good standing. A pre-addressed ballot return envelope with spaces for the Member’s signature, name and Membership Number will be sent with each Official Ballot. Only Official Ballots that are returned in the pre-addressed ballot return envelope and which have the Member’s name and Membership Number on the return envelope will be considered valid ballots and will be counted.
- Official Ballots shall be returned directly to the outside agency appointed by the Board of Directors to conduct the counting of the ballots, in the pre-addressed return envelopes mailed to the Members. Ballots must be received by the designated outside agency by the date designated and announced by the Board of Directors prior to the date of the Annual Meeting at which the election results will be
- Based on the principle of “one Membership number – one vote,” each Voting Member may vote for up to, but not more than, four (4) Magician candidates listed on the ballot and up to, but not more than three (3) Associate candidates listed on the ballot. Ballots which contain votes for more than four (4) Magician candidates and/or more than three
(3) Associate candidates will be void and not counted.
- The final item on the agenda for the Annual Meeting at which the election is scheduled will be the announcement by a representative of the outside agency appointed by the Board of Directors to conduct the counting of the ballots, of the names of the candidates elected to the seven (7) seats on the Board of Directors and the number of votes cast for each candidate.
- Recount Procedures. Any candidate not elected shall have the absolute right to request a recount within seven (7) days of the announcement of the election results. Such request must be in writing, signed by the candidate, dated, and delivered to the Secretary on or before the seventh day following the announcement of the election results. Any candidate requesting a recount shall, as a condition of the recount, submit with the written request for a recount payment of a non-refundable fee of $100.00 payable to the Academy. The recount shall be conducted by at least three (3) members of the Elections Committee. The Elections Committee shall have the sole and final authority to determine the validity of all ballots, in accordance with these Standing Rules, upon a recount. Within seven (7) days of receipt of a proper request for recount, the Chairperson of the Elections Committee shall schedule a date for the recount, which must be within thirty (30) days of the Secretary’s receipt of the request for the recount. The Chair of the Elections Committee shall promptly notify all candidates, in writing, of the date, time and place of the recount. All candidates shall have the right to attend the recount, or to be represented at the recount by one person designated by the candidate in writing to the Chair of the Elections Committee. All candidates, or their written designees, shall have the right to observe the recount but may not touch any ballot or in any way interfere with the members of the Elections Committee who are conducting the recount. The results of the recount shall be promptly reported by the Chair of the Elections Committee to the Secretary who shall immediately inform all candidates and the Board of the results in writing. All decisions of the Elections Committee upon a recount shall be final, binding and non-appealable.
- Procedure in the Event of a Tie for the Seventh Seat on the Board. In the event of a tie for the seventh seat on the Board, the Chairperson of the Elections Committee shall announce the names of the candidates who are tied for the seventh seat at the Annual Meeting at which the results of the election are scheduled to be announced. The members of the Elections Committee present at the Annual Meeting shall immediately meet and appoint one of their members to be Election Auditor. The Secretary shall announce to the Members present at the Annual General Meeting the rules for the conduct of the tie-breaking election, as set forth herein and the name of the Election Auditor. In the unlikely event of a tie for the fourth Magician seat and the third Associate seat, resulting in the sixth and seventh seats being unresolved, the procedure shall be the same except that two ballots will be distributed, collected, and counted; one for the fourth Magician seat and one for the third Associate
- Members of the Elections Committee shall immediately distribute to each Member in attendance at the Annual Meeting a ballot upon which the Member may print the name of one of the candidates who tied for the seventh seat. No Member may vote for more than one candidate. Members of the Elections Committee shall then collect all of the ballots and deliver them to the Election Auditor.
- The Election Auditor shall count the ballots in a separate area with the Secretary or his designee present as an observer. Each of the tied candidates shall have the right to be present to observe the counting, however no person other than the Election Auditor shall be permitted to touch the ballots and no person shall be permitted to interfere with the Election Auditor during the process of counting the ballots.
- Ballots which are, in the sole discretion of the Election Auditor, illegible or which contain the names of more than one candidate shall be void and not
- The candidate who receives the most votes for the seventh seat on the Board, shall be elected to fill the seventh seat. As soon as the counting is completed, the Election Auditor shall announce to the membership at the Annual Meeting the name of the successful candidate. The decision of the Election Auditor as to the outcome of the count and the identity of the successful candidate shall be final, binding and non-appealable.
B. RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
- Honorary Life Membership. A Member automatically becomes an Honorary Life Member after serving at least two (2) full terms on the Board.
- Privileges for Directors. Subject to approval from (and limitations set by) the Board of Directors, internal accounts will be established for Directors to handle both in-house food and beverage charges and (at the option of the account holder) server gratuities. Charges in excess of the established limits will be charged to and paid for personally by the Board All charge slips shall be signed by the Director.
While they serve in office, Directors will have their valet parking fees waived by the Academy.
- Involvement of Board Members in Operations. Infractions of Academy policies by Academy employees should be handled by the General Manager, not individual Board For insurance, and other reasons, Board Members should refer all matters involving Academy employees to the General Manager and refrain from becoming involved in any personnel or other operational matters on a day-to-day basis.
- Viewing of Performances. Subject to the discretion of the Floor Managers, and after guests of performers have been seated, Board Members and up to one guest may go into any showroom prior to admission of the audience to view performances.
- Attendance at Meetings. Board members are expected to attend all meetings of the Board and the Annual Meeting of Members. Except in cases of illness, travel or
extraordinary circumstances, Board Members should not be absent from Board meetings or Annual meetings. Any Director who fails to attend thirty percent (30%) or more of the meetings of the Board in any calendar year shall, to the extent permitted by the By-laws, automatically be removed as a member of the Board and such Director’s office shall become vacant, unless the Board, by majority vote, excuses such absences.
- Code of Conduct. Board Members shall adhere to the Academy of Magical Arts Board of Directors Code of Conduct, a copy of which is attached hereto as Attachment “D.”
- Emeritus Status. A Board Member who has served on the Board for fifteen years or more, upon leaving the Board (whether by vote or voluntary retirements) shall be granted the title “Board Member Emeritus.” Unless approved by the Board, there shall be no further additional responsibilities or privileges associated with departure from the Board.
- Disciplinary Action by the Board of Directors Against a Director. The Board of Directors may take disciplinary action against a Director subject to the following guidelines. By the affirmative vote of not less than four (4) Directors held at a duly noticed meeting of the Board, disciplinary action may be proposed against a Director. Promptly following such vote, the Director against whom disciplinary action is proposed shall be notified in writing of such proposal and the reasons therefore. Not less than 15 days following such notification, a duly noticed meeting of the Board shall be held to determine whether disciplinary action shall be taken and, if so, the nature of the disciplinary action. The Director against whom disciplinary action is proposed shall be entitled to be present at such meeting and shall be afforded an opportunity to address the Board regarding such proposed action. The imposition of disciplinary action against a Director shall be determined by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of a quorum of Directors necessary to conduct business, not counting the vote of the Director against whom disciplinary action is proposed to be taken. Disciplinary action against a Director may include, but is not limited to, public or private
- Open Positions On The Board During Term. If a position on the Board of Directors should become open during the two (2) year term, that position shall be filled by a person selected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors who is or will be eligible to serve. This selection would be effective through the end of the current term and be subject to elections for the next term as an incumbent or not and as outlined in the current Standing
C. COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
Members are encouraged to communicate with members of the Board or the Academy’s officers regarding any matters involving the Academy or the Magic Castle. Contact information is available in the “Members Only” section of the Academy’s Official Website. However, communications to the entire Board or to the officers of the Academy that are intended to be official communications under the Corporations Code, Articles or By-Laws, should be directed to the Secretary of the Academy. Official statements of the Board are identified as such in the Academy’s Newsletter or on the Academy’s Official Website. Statements and opinions made by
individual Board members do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Board or its policies or decisions. Actions taken by the Board, whether at regular Board meetings or at special meetings of the Board, are reflected in the Minutes of the Board which are posted on the Academy’s Official Website and which are available for review in the Academy’s business office or library upon reasonable request during normal business hours.
VIII. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Board of Trustees was created by the Amended and Restated By-laws approved by the Members of the Academy in December, 2004. The Academy Board of Trustees is composed of seven (7) Magician Members of the Academy who elect one of their members as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, one as Vice-Chairperson and one as Secretary. The Board of Trustees is a separate group of Magician Members of the Academy elected by the Voting Members of the Academy to oversee the creative and artistic operations of the Academy, including awards and fellowships, the Magic Castle Library, the Junior Group, the Outreach Committee, Magician Member eligibility, Membership activities and such other matters as may be designated by the Board of Directors. While the Board of Trustees functions autonomously, the Trustees are subject to the overall supervision of the Board of Directors and some decisions of the Board of Trustees are subject to being overruled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Originally, one of the matters delegated to the Trustees by the Board of Directors was the administration of the Dai Vernon Foundation, established in 1989 by an initial donation of
$10,000 by Dai Vernon. The Dai Vernon Foundation, Inc. was incorporated as a California Non- profit Charitable organization on February 14, 2012. It is a separate entity and operates under its own By-laws and Rules and under its own board of directors. It has been granted 501(c)(3) non-profit status as a charitable organization. Net proceeds from Soapy Smith Nights as well as donations which are made by Members with their dues renewals via the Academy are contributed to the Dai Vernon Foundation.
A. ELECTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
The Members of the Board of Trustees shall be elected by the Voting Members of the Academy every two years and the results shall be announced at the Annual Meeting of the Members held in March of every even-numbered year. The procedures for election of the Trustees shall be as set forth in Article V of the By-Laws.
- Elections Committee Rules and Procedures. The Elections Committee shall ensure that the process by which Trustees are elected is conducted in accordance with the By- Laws and the procedures set forth herein. Procedures for the election of the Board of Trustees shall be the same as for the Board of Directors, except as indicated below.
- All candidates for election to the Board of Trustees shall deliver to the Secretary of the Board of Directors a photograph of themselves together with a written statement of not more than 150 words stating why such candidate wishes to be elected or re-
elected and, with the exception of incumbent Trustees, a fully executed, legible, Candidacy Petition on a form approved by the Board of Directors.
Only Candidacy Petitions timely delivered on the form approved by the Board of Directors shall be valid. For purposes of determining the number of words on a written statement the standards set forth in Microsoft Word’s word count program shall be applied and all words in excess of 150 shall be deleted from the written statement. Policies for such documents, and the conduct of such election, shall be established by the Board of Directors and published not later than July 15th of the year preceding the election. Such documents shall be delivered to the Secretary not later than 11:59 PM, PST, on October 25th of the year preceding the Annual General Meeting in which the election results are to be announced. The Secretary will immediately deliver the documents to the Election Committee Chairperson no later than
12:00 PM, noon, PST on October 26th, at which time no additional documents will be accepted by the Election Committee. Only candidates who have submitted compliant documents which have been received by the Election Committee Chairperson by the final deadline shall be eligible to be nominated for the Board of Trustees. Excepting the Board of Directors, no Member (including any candidate) may have access to the pending or final list of candidates until the list is published to all Members, and until such list is published it shall be treated as confidential by the Board of Directors and the Election Committee and all other persons.
- To be eligible, each candidate must be able to attend meetings of the Board of Trustees on a regular basis and must be a Magician Member in good standing. If a proposed candidate is not current on financial obligations to the Academy, a notice will be given to the proposed candidate as to the amount of delinquency of any dues, fees, assessments or other obligations and the proposed candidate shall have ten (10) days to pay the amounts owed. Failure to pay such amounts shall disqualify the proposed candidate.
- The Elections Committee will prepare an Official Ballot and arrange for the printing of Official Ballots and envelopes under the supervision of the Secretary and subject to the overall guidance of the Board of Directors. The order in which candidates are listed on the Official Ballot shall be determined by random drawing conducted by the Elections Committee and shall designate which of the candidates are incumbents. An outside mailing firm will be engaged to mail the Official Ballots to all Members in good standing. A special ballot envelope and a pre-addressed return envelope with spaces for the Member’s name, signature and Membership Number will be sent with each Official Ballot. Only Official Ballots that are returned in the pre-addressed ballot return envelope and which have the Member’s name and Membership Number on the return envelope will be considered valid ballots and will be
- Official Ballots shall be returned directly to the outside agency appointed by the Board of Directors to conduct the counting of the ballots, in the pre-addressed return envelopes mailed to the Members. Ballots must be received by the designated outside agency by the date designated and announced by the Board of Directors prior to the date of the Annual Meeting at which the election results will be announced.
- Based on the principle of “one Membership Number – one vote,” each Voting Member may vote for up to, but not more than, seven (7) candidates listed on the Ballots which contain votes for more than seven (7) candidates will be void and not counted.
- The penultimate item on the agenda for the Annual Meeting at which the election is scheduled will be the announcement by a representative of the outside agency appointed by the Board of Directors to conduct the counting of the ballots, of the names of the candidates elected to the seven (7) seats on the Board of Trustees and the number of votes cast for each candidate.
- Recount Procedures. Recount procedures for the election of members of the Board of Trustees shall be the same as for the election of members of the Board of Directors.
- Procedure in the Event of a Tie for the Seventh Seat on the Board of Trustees. Procedures in the event of a tie for the seventh seat on the Board of Trustees shall be the same as the recount procedures in the event of a tie for the seventh seat on the Board of
B. RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
- Honorary Life Membership. A Member automatically becomes an Honorary Life Member after serving at least two full terms on the
- Privileges for Trustees. Subject to approval from (and limitations set by) the Board of Directors, internal accounts will be established for Trustees to handle both in-house food and beverage charges and (at the option of the account holder) server gratuities. They will be assigned Honorary Membership while serving on the Board of Trustees until Honorary Life Membership is bestowed. During this time, they will be issued an Internal Account. Charges in excess of the established limits will be charged to and paid for personally by the Board All charge slips shall be signed by the Trustee.
While they serve in office, Trustees will have their valet parking fees waived by the Academy.
- Involvement of Trustees in Operations. Infractions of Academy policies by Academy employees should be handled by the General Manager, not Trustees. For insurance, and other reasons, Trustees should refer all matters involving Academy employees to the General Manager and refrain from becoming involved in any personnel or other operational matters on a day-to-day
- Viewing of Performances. Subject to the discretion of the Floor Managers, and after guests of performers have been seated, Trustees and up to one (1) guest may go into any showroom prior to admission of the audience to view performances.
- Attendance at Meetings. Trustees are expected to attend all meetings of the Board of Trustees and the Annual Meeting of Except in cases of illness, travel or
extraordinary circumstances, Trustees should not be absent from Trustees Meetings or Annual Meetings.
- Emeritus Status. A Trustee who has served on the Board of Trustees for fifteen years or more, upon leaving the Board (whether by vote or voluntary retirement) shall be granted the title, “Trustee Emeritus.” Unless otherwise approved by the Board of Directors, there shall be no further additional responsibilities or privileges associated with departure from the Board of Trustees.
- Disciplinary Action by the Board of Directors Against a Trustee. The Board of Directors may take disciplinary action against a Trustee subject to the following guidelines. By the affirmative vote of not less than four (4) Directors held at a duly noticed meeting of the Board, disciplinary action may be proposed against a Trustee. Promptly following such vote, the Trustee against whom disciplinary action is proposed shall be notified in writing of such proposal and the reasons therefore. Not less than 15 days following such notification, a duly noticed meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held to determine whether disciplinary action shall be taken and, if so, the nature of the disciplinary action. The Trustee against whom disciplinary action is proposed shall be entitled to be present at such meeting and shall be afforded an opportunity to address the Board regarding such proposed action. The imposition of disciplinary action against a Trustee shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of a quorum of the Board of Directors necessary to conduct business. The Disciplinary action against a Trustee may include, but is not limited to public or private censure, referral to Ethics and Grievance Committee and temporary suspension or removal from office as a Trustee.
- Open Positions On The Board During Term. If a position on the Board of Trustees should become open during the two (2) year term, that position shall be filled by a person selected by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees who is or will be eligible to serve. This selection would be effective through the end of the current term and be subject to elections for the next term as an incumbent or not and as outlined in the current Standing Rules.
C. COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
Members are encouraged to communicate with members of the Board of Trustees regarding any matters within the purview of the Board of Trustees. Contact information is available in the “Members Only” section of the Academy’s Official Website. However, communications to the entire Board of Trustees should be directed to the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.
IX. COMMITTEES AND OTHER APPOINTED PERSONS
A. COMMITTEES’ MISSIONS AND GUIDELINES
- Committees Supervised by the Board Of Directors. The following Committees shall be supervised by the Board of Directors and one or more liaisons shall be appointed by the Board of Directors:
- Committee on Member Conduct. The mission of the Committee on Member Conduct is to conduct investigation and hearings on matters received from a designated person or persons pursuant to Article XV, Section A. of these Standing Rules, to consider all evidence provided to the committee by parties of the action, and to render a report and recommendation concerning the grievance to the Board of Directors — all in accordance with the AMA Bylaws and Standing Rules, as fairly to both parties as possible. Furthermore, the committee members are pledged to confidentiality regarding all proceedings of the hearings to protect the privacy of all the participants and witnesses.
The Committee on Member Conduct has primary responsibility under Article VII of the Bylaws for considering violations of the Standing Rules, Code of Ethics, Member Pledges, House Rules, policies, and any and all other guidelines or rules of the Academy after an official grievance has been registered against any member of the Academy to a designated person or persons as determined by the Board of Directors. It is the policy of the Board of Directors that it will consider recommendations from the Committee on Member Conduct based on proceedings before the Committee. The procedure by the Committee on Member Conduct will be informal, speedy and not subject to formal rules of evidence or procedure that might otherwise govern proceedings in a court of law.
Accordingly, subject to the notice and other requirements specifically set out in Article VII of the Bylaws and the rules set forth in Article XV of these Standing Rules, the Committee on Member Conduct shall have the authority to determine in its own discretion, the procedures to be followed in its hearings, the information and evidence to be received or not received by the Committee, the order of witnesses to be heard, the number of witnesses to be heard, the duration of testimony by witnesses or statements by any person (including the Respondent), and the weight to be given to any information or testimony received by the Committee.
- Elections. The Elections Committee shall be appointed every two
(2) years in accordance with the By-Laws and shall have primary responsibility for the supervision of all elections, subject to the overall supervision of the Board of Directors, the requirements of the By-Laws and these Standing Rules and shall guide the process in a fair and equitable manner in accordance with the By-laws and Standing Rules.
- Technology. The Technology Committee acts as a source of expertise to advise the Academy on technology issues as directed by the Board of Directors or General The Technology Committee also serves as a communicator to the membership, to inform our members of the AMA’s online resources and other digital services available to them as a part of their membership. The Committee is comprised of members with knowledge of information technology, media, streaming, mobile devices, and other such technologies.
- Castle Knights. The Castle Knights act as Goodwill Ambassadors for the Academy of Magical Arts. Their goal is to enhance the experience for our guests and members by listening to members and guests, helping plan visits, offering tours of the AMA clubhouse, escorting guests to the various venues inside the clubhouse, and assisting Castle employees as
- Membership. The mission of the Membership Committee is to oversee and advise the Board of Directors on the membership application process for the The Membership Committee shall consider and make recommendations to the Board on all membership matters. All applications for membership shall be submitted to and considered by the Membership Committee which shall provide a report to the Board.
- Decorating. The mission of the Decorating Committee (known informally as the “Boo Crew”) is to assist our Staff in decorating the Castle during (1) Halloween Week,
- the Winter Holidays, (3) other occasions as directed by the Board of Directors or General Themes for each decoration period must be submitted and approved in advance by the Board of Directors.
- Committees Supervised By The Board Of Trustees. The following Committees shall be supervised by the Board of Trustees and one or more liaisons shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees:
- The mission of the Outreach Committee is to share magic with organizations within our community benefiting those who are underprivileged, hospitalized or with special needs, with a particular emphasis on children.
- The AMA Junior Program offers support for young magicians by providing membership, fellowship, instruction, guidance, and opportunities to perform. Our goal is use the collected knowledge and opportunities provided by the AMA to foster new generations of magicians, as well as those that appreciate magic.
- Media & Heritage. The mission of the Media & Heritage Committee is to acquire, preserve, and share information about the history of the Academy and the Magic The Committee is tasked to curate and maintain an archive of photographs, ephemera, historic videotape, and memorabilia relating to the history and growth of the Academy. The Committee is responsible for ensuring that all work products are transferred to the William Larsen Memorial Library, where they are to be retained and made accessible to the Academy’s membership.
- Committees Supervised Jointly By The Board Of Directors And The Board Of The following Committees shall be supervised jointed by the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees:
- Magician Member Audition. The mission of the Magician Member Audition Committee is to evaluate applicants for Magician Membership in an unbiased manner, according to the criteria established by the Articles and By-laws of the Academy, the Standing Rules and the guidelines provided from time to time by the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees (acting collectively for the Academy). The mission is also to establish procedures to carry out the evaluation and audition process for membership of potential Magician Members pursuant to the established criteria, to ensure that the results of the Committee’s decisions benefit the Academy and maintain the highest possible value for all its members and to uphold
- Committees Supervised By The Board Of Trustees. The following Committees shall be supervised by the Board of Trustees and one or more liaisons shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees:
the excellent reputation of the Academy and our clubhouse, the Magic Castle, as the finest magical organization and club in the world.
- Marketing (ad hoc). The mission of the Marketing Committee is to guide the brand of the Academy, harmonize its visual language, and steward communication of the Academy’s identity across all media.
- Women in Magic (ad hoc). The mission of the Women in Magic Committee is to advise the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees on issues relating to women within the Academy and magic generally. The Committee is to advise the Boards on ways to facilitate the instruction of new female magicians, as well as make the Academy a welcoming environment for female members, performers, and guests. The Committee also is responsible for outreach and research to identify qualified female performers both domestically and abroad to the Board of Trustees. The Committee is also charged to provide recommendations to the Board of Directors and Staff on approaches for membership outreach to business women to solicit as Associate
- Structure of Committees. Except as otherwise provided in the By-laws, all committees shall have one or more Chairpersons and such additional members as shall be appointed by the Board of Directors annually, each of whom shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors . The Board of Trustees shall annually submit to the Board of Directors the names of those Academy Member they recommend to serve as Chairpersons and as members of each committee supervised by the Board of Trustees. Chairpersons of each committee shall annually submit to the Board of Directors the names of those AMA Members they recommend to serve on their committees.
Recommended changes in committee membership may be submitted to the Board of Directors by the Chairperson(s) and the Board of Trustees.
- Budgets and Reports. Each Committee shall submit to the Board of Directors by November 1st of each year a proposed, detailed annual budget for the following calendar year. The Board shall review and approve or amend Committee budgets prior to January 1st and notify the Committee Chairperson(s) of the approved budget. Any expenditure not approved on the Committee’s annual budget shall be submitted to the Treasurer, in advance, for Reports from Committees should be submitted to the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees at least seven (7) days prior to their respective meetings. Committee reports which are to be included in the Magic Castle Newsletter must be approved in advance by the Board of Directors. Such reports should be emailed or faxed to each member of the Board at least seven days prior to submission to the Newsletter Editor.
- Rights and Duties of Committee Members. Membership on a committee is voluntary and committee members should not expect remuneration of any kind. Each committee member will be allotted two drink tickets for their use only, to be used on the evening of the committee meeting. Drink tickets will be distributed by the Committee Chairperson(s) who will be responsible for signing any bar tabs and any other charges incurred
by the committee. Any committee that has been granted dinner privileges is allotted one free dinner per committee member in attendance at a monthly meeting, subject to the budgetary limitations established by the Board of Directors. Although Committees may schedule more than one meeting per month, meals and drinks will be provided, as set forth above, for only one meeting per month. All tips and gratuities must be paid in cash by individual committee members. Committee members may not park in the employees’ parking lot at the Magic Castle. Only Committee Chairperson(s) are permitted access to the Academy’s office photocopying machines.
B. DIRECTOR OF ENTERTAINMENT.
- Duties of the Director of Entertainment – Overview. All performers for the showroom performances at the Magic Castle (Close Up, Parlor, Palace, W. C. Fields and Peller) are booked by the Entertainment Director of The Academy of Magical Arts, and with the discretion of the Entertainment Director and/or the General Manager.
- Entertainment Choices. The Entertainment Director may consider marketing input, trends in entertainment, special events, or opinions about particular acts; these may come from the Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors, the General Manager, or Stage Final entertainment choices will be determined by the Entertainment Director’s judgment and according to the following guidelines:
- No Preference for Members: Membership in the AMA does not guarantee an opportunity to perform in the showrooms. The Entertainment Director must make choices based on the known quality of the act, and not simply club associations or professional
- Preference for Award Winners: AMA Award Winners are not guaranteed any particular number of weeks or specific bookings, but their awards and popularity will be considered, to the best of the Entertainment Director’s ability, in booking
- Single Bookings or Multiple Bookings throughout the Year: A performer may be booked for one week during the year. Depending on popularity or opportunity, they may be asked to return for more than one week of bookings. As a guideline, it is encouraged that a performer in showrooms not earn more than $4,200 per calendar year as a Magic Castle performer (performers are currently paid $1,400.00 per spot, per week). This includes work in all the showrooms, including Brunch shows. Most performers will not reach the allotted amount, due to booking opportunities or restrictions.
- Private Parties: The Event Manager of The Academy of Magical Arts will from time to time delegate the task of booking acts above and beyond the normal showroom needs to the Entertainment Director. These bookings are for private events held at the Castle and booked through the Events Department. The Entertainment Director will book performers based on the Events Department’s needs. The normal price for a private magician is $500.00,
which is charged to the client. Magicians are paid $400.00 with a $50.00 commission to the Entertainment Director. The AMA generates $50.00 in revenue per performer, per party.
- Professionalism: The AMA works with a great number of acts each year and we seek professionalism onstage and backstage. The Entertainment Director must take into account acts that are professional, responsible, dependable, and who work well with our staff and within our system. The Entertainment Director must also consider the difficulty of working with acts that have, unfortunately, earned complaints from audiences or staff.
- Balance: The Entertainment Director should recognize audience reactions (or approval) at the club, current popularity, availability, and current trends in magic. As a guideline, his bookings should seek to best balance the following elements:
- Popular or favorite acts, which have been featured at The Magic Castle for a period of time and are established with our audiences.
- Trendsetting or unique shows, which represent new styles or new experiments, who will draw special attention from the
- Performers from outside the area or outside the
- Special performers who may not regularly work at The Magic
- Special performances of a unique, artistic, historical, or one-of-a-kind
- Conclusion: The AMA actively seeks to promote magic as an art, and will recognize artistic excellence in performers in many forms. At the same time, our showrooms must provide a balance of popular acts, which please our audiences and will draw magicians and their guests back to the club. The Entertainment Director is charged with determining this balance and making adjustments to best reflect programs best suited to the club.
- Cancellation and Replacement of Acts and Performers: The Director of Entertainment, with the concurrence of the President or General Manager, may cancel and replace any unsatisfactory act or performer who, after having been notified, continues to violate any policy of the Academy. In the absence of the Director of Entertainment, the Entertainment Liaison may recommend to the President or the General Manager the cancellation and replacement of any unsatisfactory act or any performer who, after having been notified, continues to violate any policy of the Academy. Such recommendation shall be made directly to the Director of Entertainment or to the President or General Manager. Promptly upon the cancellation of any act or performer booked to perform at the Magic Castle, the Director of Entertainment shall provide a detailed report regarding such cancellation to both the Board of Directors and the Board of
C. LIBRARIAN.
The Academy Librarians are employees of the Academy, recommended by the Board of Trustees and serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The Academy Librarian(s) shall have responsibility for the William W. Larsen Memorial Library, and for the organization, safekeeping and accessibility of Academy books, articles and multimedia items to the membership, subject to the William W. Larsen Memorial Library Rules, a copy of which is attached hereto as Attachment “F.” The Academy Librarian(s) shall be subject to the overall supervision and direction of the Board of Trustees. Members and others who use the William
- Larsen Memorial Library shall abide by the Library Rules. Violations of the Library Rules may subject a Member to disciplinary action pursuant to Article VII of the By-Laws.
D. NEWSLETTER EDITOR.
The Board of Directors may supervise the Academy of Magical Arts Newsletter by proxy through the General Manager. The General Manager may assign the responsibility of the formation and publishing of the newsletter to existing “in house” employees or contracted professional, who will have the responsibility for the layout and the content of the newsletter, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors and consultation with the Board of Trustees.
X. MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND MEMBERSHIP
A. MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
The AMA Board of Directors shall meet at least monthly at the Magic Castle or such other place as established by the Board. The dates of meetings shall be determined at the preceding Board Meeting, or as called by the President.
The Board of Directors may meet more frequently and may hold meetings by conference call or in any other manner that may be agreed upon by a majority of the Board of Directors, or which is otherwise consistent with the provisions of the California Nonprofit Corporations Law. A person who wishes to address the Board of Directors must give 30 days’ written notice to the Secretary of the Academy and a summary of the issues about which he/she wishes to address the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will determine the date, time and amount of time allotted for such person to address the Board.
Minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors shall be kept by the Secretary and, after approved by the Board, shall be posted on the Official Website, where they will be maintained for at least six (6) months, or as otherwise directed by the Board. Copies of all minutes of the meetings of the Board will be maintained in the Library and will be made available for review by Members upon reasonable request during normal business hours at the Academy’s business office.
The President, or in his/her absence, Vice-President shall preside at meetings of the Board. If both the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are unavailable, the Secretary shall preside at the meeting. Robert’s Rules of Order shall apply to the conduct of business at Board Meetings.
B. MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
The AMA Board of Trustees shall meet monthly at the Magic Castle or such other place as established by the Board. The dates of meetings shall be determined at the preceding Board of Trustees meeting or as called by the Chairperson. A person who wishes to address the Board of Trustees must make a request in advance of the meeting. Such requests are to be made to the Chairperson and the Secretary who will determine the date, time and amount of time allotted for such person to address the Board of Trustees.
The minutes of the meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be kept by the Secretary and, after approved by the Board, shall be posted on the Official Website, where they will be maintained for at least six (6) months or as otherwise directed by the Board of Trustees. Copies of the minutes of the Board of Trustees will be maintained in the Library and will be made available for review by Members upon reasonable request during normal business hours at the Academy’s business office.
The Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, or in his/her absence, Vice-Chairperson shall preside at meetings of the Board. If both the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are unavailable, the Secretary shall preside at the meeting. Robert’s Rules of Order shall apply to the conduct of business at Board of Trustees meetings.
C. MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERSHIP.
Annual Meetings of the Members shall be held in accordance with the By-Laws on a Sunday, commencing at 4:00 p.m. or such other time as shall be determined by the Board of Directors in the announcement of the meeting. The President, or in his/her absence, the Vice-President or other person designated by the Board, shall preside at Meetings of the Members. Robert’s Rules of Order shall apply to the conduct of business at Meetings of the Members. At meetings at which a vote will be taken, the Board of Directors shall appoint an Inspection Committee, comprised of three Members, to verify at the door the current membership status of all Members attending the meeting and to determine whether such Member has voted by mail.
The Inspection Committee shall report to the Secretary.
XI. AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS
A. ANNUAL AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS GRANTED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
The Board of Trustees will, by majority vote, select recipients of the following annual awards and fellowships:
Masters Fellowship
The Masters Fellowship is the Academy of Magical Arts’ highest honor, recognizing a combination of skills. This designation of “master” represents skills and achievements that have demonstrated true mastery in the field: in understanding, philosophy and inspiration, as well as artistry, virtuosity, and showmanship. The designation of Master is not simply the recognition of an entertainer, but represents a magician who has furthered the art of magic beyond individual performances, providing a lasting legacy that will be celebrated throughout the history of magic.
Lifetime Achievement Fellowship
The Lifetime Achievement Fellowship recognizes a lifetime of work devoted to the art of magic. It does not require one to be a world-famous magician, but rather someone who has contributed to the art in a particular area or multiple areas of interest, representing a lifetime of devotion to furthering the art of magic.
Performing Fellowship
The Performing Fellowship recognizes notable, distinct, and exemplary work in the field of performing through innovation, personal skills, and unique artistic achievements focusing on the experience of audiences who have been able to witness this performer’s abilities.
Creative Fellowship
The Creative Fellowship recognizes a unique body of work as a creator or innovator in the field of magic through contributions to his or her own performances, or inventions and techniques that have been disseminated to others in the field.
Media Fellowship
The Media Fellowship recognizes a unique body of work by a writer, publisher, author or producer of media in some form, in the field of magic, that furthers the understanding of the art. This award celebrates successful and important communication to inform, teach, or bring honor to the field of magic.
Special Fellowship
The Special Fellowship recognizes specific services to magic which have furthered the art. These Special Fellowships may fall outside of the usual categories of magic, but still seek to honor important contributions that are a part of the magic world or contribute to the magic world in important ways.
Magician of the Year
The Magician of the Year Award recognizes significant contributions to the art of magic, as it is perceived by the public was well as magicians. It acknowledges popular performers and trends in the art, and celebrates performers who have brought magic to new audiences in new situations. Although the goal of the award is to be current and topical, the designation of Magician of the Year may not strictly define the work of the most recent year, but may take into account a magician’s growing mastery and popularity over recent years.
The Board of Trustees shall be the sole arbiter of whether or not an award shall be presented in any category in any given year.
Although it is preferable to have only one recipient annually in each category, a second recipient of the same Fellowship may be awarded in the discretion of the Board of Trustees in special circumstances.
No person may receive the Magician of the Year award more than twice, and no person may receive an Academy Fellowship more than once. Recipients of the Masters Fellowship will automatically become Honorary Life Members of the Academy. Recipients of the Magician of the Year Award and Fellowships other than the Masters Fellowship will automatically be awarded an Honorary Membership in the Academy with a duration of 5 years.
B. AWARDS GRANTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Trustees will, by majority vote, select recipients of the following award:
Award of Merit
The Award of Merit recognizes specific services to the Academy of Magical Arts, which have furthered the aims of the organization and the achievements and influence of the club.
The Board of Directors shall be the sole arbiter of whether or not an Award of Merit shall be presented. The Board of Trustees may, by majority vote, recommend to the Board of Directors that an Award of Merit be considered for magical or artistic contributions to the Academy. All Award of Merit recommendations from the Board of Trustees shall still be subject to a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
No person may receive an Award of Merit more than once. The Award of Merit is to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Members or, in special circumstances, at the Academy Annual Show, subject to sole determination by the Board of Directors.
C. ANNUAL PERFORMING AWARDS SELECTED BY THE MEMBERS.
The following Performing Awards shall be awarded annually at an Academy Awards Show:
- Close-up Magician of the Year
- Parlour Magician of the Year
- Stage Magician of the Year
- Lecturer of the Year
Except for Lecturer of the Year, winners shall be determined by vote of all of the Members of the Academy (Magician and Associate). Only Magician Members shall vote for Lecturer of the Year. Voting shall be conducted as set forth below and subject to the following eligibility criteria:
- Close-Up Magician of the Year. To be eligible:
- a person must have performed at the Magic Castle in the Close-up Gallery for at least one full contracted week of regularly scheduled shows during the previous calendar year. Additionally, Cocktail Hour and W.C. Fields Bar magicians who have completed at least two full contracted (4-day) weeks, or one 7-day week, or at least one full contracted (4-day) week in each room during the previous calendar year, shall be eligible in the
Close-up Magician of the Year category;
- a person may not have previously received the Close-up Magician of the Year Award twice; and
- a person may not have previously received a Masters Fellowship, Lifetime Achievement Fellowship, Performing Fellowship, or Magician of the Year
All performers shall be eligible in their respective categories without regard for the type of act (e.g. magician, mentalist, variety artist, etc.)
- Parlour Magician of the Year. To be eligible:
- a person must have performed at the Magic Castle in the Parlour of Prestidigitation for at least one full contracted week of regularly scheduled shows during the previous calendar year;
- a person may not have previously received the Parlour Magician of the Year Award twice; and
- a person may not have previously received a Masters Fellowship, Lifetime Achievement Fellowship, Performing Fellowship, or Magician of the Year
Note: In the case of an act containing multiple performers, if any individual performer is ineligible, all will be deemed ineligible.
All performers shall be eligible in their respective categories without regard for the type of act (e.g., magician, mentalist, variety artist, etc.)
- Stage Magician of the Year. To be eligible:
- a person must have performed at the Magic Castle in the Palace of Mystery for at least one full contracted week of regularly scheduled shows during the previous calendar year;
- a person may not have previously received the Stage Magician of the Year Award twice; and
- a person may not have previously received a Masters Fellowship, Lifetime Achievement Fellowship, Performing Fellowship, or Magician of the Year
Note: In the case of an act containing multiple performers, if any individual performer is ineligible, all will be deemed ineligible.
All performers shall be eligible in their respective categories without regard for the type of act (e.g., magician, mentalist, variety artist, etc.)
- Lecturer of the Year. To be eligible:
- a person must have delivered at least one scheduled lecture to Members of the Academy during the previous calendar year. “Dealer night” lectures do not constitute a scheduled lecture for purposes of this award. Lecturers who are paid on a per attendee basis may not be considered for this award;
- a person may not have previously received the Lecturer of the Year Award twice; and
- a person may not have previously received a Masters Fellowship, Lifetime Achievement Fellowship, Performing Fellowship, or Magician of the Year
Note: In the case of a lecture given by multiple presenters, if any are ineligible, all will be deemed ineligible. Likewise, in the case of an eligible lecture by multiple presenters, there will only be one listing on the nomination and final ballots, and a single award will be presented if the lecture wins.
Selection Procedures. Each year the Board of Trustees shall establish the manner in which selection of such awards shall be made, in consultation with the Board of Directors and the Elections Committee, and the selection procedures so established and approved shall be promptly announced on the Official Website and in the Newsletter. Balloting for those awards upon which voting of the membership is required shall be supervised by the Elections Committee.
XII. OPERATIONAL RULES PERTAINING TO THE MAGIC CASTLE
A. DRESS CODE. Evening Dress Code
The Magic Castle is an elegant environment that has a dress code. All members and guests are required to dress in business attire or evening wear that is conservative, formal, and elegant.
In the event of a question as to the appropriate attire of a Member or guest, the Floor Manager on duty shall have the sole discretion to determine whether the Member or guest is appropriately dressed and whether such Member or guest shall be admitted to the Magic Castle.
Guidance:
- Formalwear, business suit or coat with dress shirt, tie*, and dress slacks
- Formal or cocktail dresses, elegant skirt and blouse, or stylish tunic and slacks combinations, and pant-suits (matching blazer)
- Military dress, ethnic attire, and/or religious garb are allowed as exceptions to our dress requirements.
- Elegant sweaters or shawls are recommended to cold-natured guests.
- Leather jackets with buttons, dressy blazers, leather pants, linen suits, and one- piece jumpers with long pants may also be accepted.
*Acceptable neckwear includes bow ties, bolo ties and ascots. In addition, full turtlenecks (not mock) and banded collars may be permitted.
Please keep all suit jackets/blazers on when moving throughout the club. It is acceptable to remove one’s jacket while seated in a showroom or to temporarily wrap another guest who is cold. However, walking through the club without a jacket is not permitted.
Thank you for not wearing:
- Denim
- Casual Footwear (for example: work boots, sneakers, sandals, flip-flops)
- Military Fatigues
- Casual or Athletic Clothing
- Outer-wear
Guests who do not meet the dress code or minimum age requirement will not be admitted to the clubhouse. If you have any questions about the dress code, please call the Castle before you make your visit.
Dress code for Saturday & Sunday Brunch Only
Members and guests (all ages) are expected to dress in conservative, ‘country club casual’ or formal party-wear.
In the event of a question as to the appropriate attire of a Member or guest, the Floor Manager on duty shall have the sole discretion to determine whether the Member or guest is appropriately dressed and whether such Member or guest shall be admitted to the Magic Castle.
Guidance:
- Khakis or long pants with a dress shirt, casual button-down, or polo shirt with a
- Summer dress, skirts and dressy top, or long pants with a stylish top. Capri pants and sleeveless blouses are allowed.
- Ties, suit coats, and blazers are
- Dress shoes are required
- Military Dress, ethnic and/or religious attire are allowed as exceptions to our dress
- Sneakers or sneaker-like shoes will be tolerated for young children
- Sweaters or shawls are recommended to cold-natured guests
Thank you for not wearing:
- Denim
- Shorts
- Casual Footwear (for example: work boots, sneakers, sandals, flip-flops, unless considered a young child)
- Military Fatigues
- Casual or Athletic Clothing
- Excessively revealing clothing
- Outer-wear
Guests who do not meet the dress code or minimum age requirement will not be admitted to the clubhouse. If you have any questions about the dress code, please call the Castle before you make your visit.
B. ENTRANCE TO THE MAGIC CASTLE.
Entrance to the Magic Castle by all Members and guests is through the Grand Entrance only and only after Members have presented their membership cards to the Receptionist and non- hosted guests have presented their Guest Passes or identified themselves by having a printed online Guest Pass. If a Member in Good Standing has made a reservation for them, they must still show a government issued photo ID. Only Members in good standing and their guests and guests with printed Guest Passes will be allowed entrance to the Magic Castle. Members and their parties may step past any guests with passes and proceed directly to the Receptionist’s desk for admission. For Members who do not have their membership cards, appropriate picture ID and their membership number must be presented to the receptionist for verification of membership status. Questions as to admission to the Magic Castle shall be referred to the Floor Manager on duty who shall determine whether conditions for admission have been met. Absolutely no beverages may be brought into or taken out of the Magic Castle unless previously authorized by the General Manager and communicated to the Floor Manager at that time.
Absolutely no food may be brought into the Magic Castle unless pre-arranged with the General Manager.
No animals are allowed inside the Magic Castle with the following exceptions:
- Animals being used in a scheduled performance/act that have been previously approved by the Entertainment Director and/or the General Manager.
- Service animals with proper licenses compliant with the laws of the State of California and identified by the Floor Manager on duty. This does not include “comfort” animals.
C. AGE RESTRICTION.
No one will be allowed entrance to the Magic Castle unless they are 21 years of age or older, except for performers booked to appear by the Director of Entertainment, guests at Saturday or Sunday Brunch, “Young Adults Night” or through special permission granted by the President or General Manager. Having been approved prior to arrival, the underage guest will be issued a wrist band, may not be at a bar nor drink any alcoholic beverage whatsoever and is always under the supervision of a parent or guardian. In case of doubt regarding the age of a guest, receptionists must verify age through an acceptable picture ID. In all cases, the manager on duty shall determine whether appropriate proof of age has been presented and whether admission to the Magic Castle shall be permitted.
D. PARKING.
Parking for Members and guests at the Magic Castle is handled by the Academy’s valet service. The employee parking area is for the use of employees only and may not be used by Members or guests, including committee members and chairperson(s). Payment for parking may not be
made by check. The parking area may not be rented for use by anyone other than Members and guests without the express written approval of the Board of Directors.
E. SMOKING.
Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the Magic Castle. This includes electronic (vapor) cigarettes or pipes of any kind.
F. NON-DISCRIMINATION.
It is the policy of the Board that no person shall be excluded from entrance to the Magic Castle on the basis of race, color, citizenship, marital status, registered domestic partner status, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics, “genetic information”) religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, creed, age, sexual orientation or any other consideration made lawful by federal, state or local laws. (Subject to the requirement of being at least 21 years of age.)
G. PHOTOGRAPHY, AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING.
Photography, audio and video recording are strictly prohibited within the Magic Castle except with the express written permission of the General Manager. “Google Glass” or any other wearable communication or transmitting devices, may not be used beyond the lobby of the entrance to the Magic Castle.
A designated commercial photographer may be approved by the Board of Directors to provide photographic services to Members and guests at the Magic Castle or elsewhere. Video recording of the acts of magicians performing at the Magic Castle may be requested, subject to the policies established by the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees from time to time, and upon execution by the performer and all others who will be recorded of an appropriate agreement as approved by the Board of Trustees.
Only performers who have been hired by the Academy may have their performance videotaped inside the Magic Castle. Exceptions to this policy may be made only through express consent of the General Manager or the Board of Trustees.
H. GUESTS/ GUEST PASSES.
Other than occasions specifically designated as “special events” (which might carry their own restrictions), Members are allowed to bring in parties of up to five persons (which includes all persons sharing the given membership number, plus the Member making the 6th) per visit without door charge, provided that the Member accompanies the guests and remains with them at the Magic Castle during the visit. (Showroom performers may have different limits; see Section XIII below for details.). Guests beyond those limits shall be required to pay the door fee. On Mondays and Tuesdays of each week, a member may bring in up to seven guests, plus
the Member making the 8th. Guest cards will remain the same. Also, on Mondays and Tuesdays, performers are allowed 8 guests. Guests beyond those limits pay the door fee.
Members may use their “VIP” Passes in cases where they wish to waive door charges on guests beyond these stated limits. Guests actively serving in any branch of the U.S. military, U.S. law enforcement or U.S. fire departments (inside or outside of the Los Angeles area) may have their door charges waived upon presentation of proper identification.
Members may obtain Guest Passes free of charge either in person at the Academy’s office during normal business hours, by mail or through use of the electronic guest pass system available through the Official Website. Members are only permitted to give out Guest Passes printed or supplied by the Academy; Members may not duplicate Guest Passes or create their own Guest Passes. Guest Passes presented at the Magic Castle that have not been issued by the Academy will not be honored. Guest Passes may be used solely for the Member’s friends and/or business associates/acquaintances and may not be sold, bartered or otherwise used for financial gain under any circumstance either by the Member or any other person. No Member may distribute, participate in or allow the distribution of Guest Passes for the financial gain of the Member or any other person or entity without the express written permission of the Board. Guest Passes must be completely filled out with the name of the guest, the Member’s number and signature. Members may obtain up to 4 VIP guest Passes each year from the Academy office which require dinner reservations but waive the door charges. No Member may charge an individual or group for the privilege of accompanying the Member as a Guest.
Charitable Guest Passes may be offered by Members in connection with a charitable auction or event, but only after a Member has made a written request to the President, the General Manager or the Board of Directors, disclosing the details of the charity, the event and the manner in which Guest Pass will be offered, and the request has been approved by the President, General Manager or the Board of Directors. Upon approval, a charity certificate will be issued which waives the door charges for up to four people when they come in and dine at the Magic Castle.
To request a charity certificate, the Member must complete a charity request form which will be emailed upon request. The completed charity request form must be sent to memberservices@magiccastle.com or faxed to 323-851-4899. Once approved by the President, General Manager or the Board of Directors, the Member will be provided with an Official certificate prepared by the Academy to be used by the charity in connection with the auction or event, signed by the President, General Manager or other appropriate Officer or Director.
Under no circumstances are members allowed to use (nor allow a third party to use) any Website to offer Guest Passes or guest admission for auction, sale, trade, or barter, for the purpose of personal or financial gain. Violations of the Academy’s policies with regard to guest admission shall be grounds for discipline pursuant to Article VII of the By-Laws.
XIII. SHOWS.
It is the policy of the Board to maintain the highest quality of magic performances at the Magic Castle. Having performed previously at the Magic Castle shall not be a criterion for performance at the Magic Castle, and membership in the Academy shall not be a criterion. The Director of Entertainment may request of any prospective performer an audition or re-audition. Submissions must be in DVD format of the exact act the performer wishes to perform at the club, or via a link to an Internet posting. The performer cannot change his/her act during the performance week, unless approved by the Entertainment Director.
All submissions must be of a “recent performance,” in “real time,” and not one from the past. “No highlights,” “no credits,” “no recommendations,” “no edits.” i.e., just the act as it would be performed here at the Magic Castle.
The length of performance is 18 minutes. Please send DVD to:
Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. The Magic Castle 7001 Franklin Avenue – Los Angeles, CA. 90028 USA Attn: Director of Entertainment
The decision is based on originality and creativity.
Priority in booking regular weekly performers at the Magic Castle shall be given as follows:
- Academy Award and Fellowship recipients;
- Academy Award nominees;
- Well-known and highly-regarded magic personalities;
- New magicians whose work shows potential in style or originality;
- Other performers whose work is known to be of high quality.
- Compensation of Performers. All scheduled acts, substitute acts, brunch performers, additional show performers, and special event/private party performers will be paid at a rate established by the General Manager and Entertainment Director in consultation with the Board of Directors. The Director of Entertainment may book any performer in any room at any time, for any number of shows or slots per night, up to a maximum of four shows in any room. Scheduled performers will not be paid for any evenings that they do not work (except for holidays or buy-outs when the Magic Castle is closed or closed to Members) and the pro-rated amount will be deducted from their compensation for each evening that they must be replaced. All performers shall be booked through the use of an independent contractor contract on such form as may be approved from time to time for use by the General Manager.
Performing magicians, whether acting as paid scheduled performers or unpaid impromptu performers, may not solicit tips whether verbally, by action, or by suggestion. The only exceptions to this rule are (1) employees classified as bartenders who have been granted permission to perform magic while on duty, and (2) magicians who perform with the assistance of a bartender behind the bar, who may solicit tips on behalf of the bartender who has assisted the performance. The solicitation of tips must be made in manner that shows discretion and is in keeping with the prestige of the club; any such solicitations will be supervised by the General Manager and the Board of Directors.
- Performer’s Meals, Parking and Guests. Performers for that week are allowed a maximum of 70 guests during their week, with a maximum of ten guests on Friday or Saturday These guests will be admitted without door charge or the requirement of booking dinner reservations.
Any guests of a performer in excess of the limits stated above must pay the normal door charge. Performers must leave the names of their guests with the Receptionists before the doors open.
During the week of their performances, parking for performers shall be free of charge for one vehicle. Junior Brunch performers shall be provided free parking during their performances. Performers shall be provided Posi-cards which may be used in the Magic Castle for food and beverage within the Magic Castle in accordance with the policies established by the Board of Directors from time to time.
- Shows in the Palace of Mystery and Peller Theatre. Shows should not exceed 45 minutes. Members and Guests may not “hold” seats for others; except for pre-seating and reserved seating by the Manager on duty, seats are on a “first come, first serve” basis to those who are in line for the performance. Performers are allowed four (4) guests in the Palace and two (2) guests in the Peller (which include any seats taken up by camera crews recording their performance) that can be pre-seated. A complete list of guests for all shows that night should be presented to the Manager on duty prior to the first show of the evening. The Manager on duty has final authority over pre-seating of performers’ guests. A limited number of seats may be “reserved” by the Manager on duty for Board members or others as directed by the Board of Directors, the President, the General Manager, the Director of Entertainment or the Chair of the Board of Trustees. Not less than two (2) shows per evening will be performed in the Palace, regardless of the number of dinner reservations or persons present. In the event that there is no audience for a second show and no second dinner seating, and it is agreed between the Manager on duty and the Maître d’ that there are no Members or guests dining or in the Magic Castle to see the show, the Palace show may be cancelled. In the event that there are fewer than thirty (30) persons present for any Palace show, the Manager on duty may, in his or her discretion, cancel such Palace show. Such cancellation shall be made only by the Manager on Members and guests having dinner at the Magic Castle shall receive preferred seating tickets for the Palace or Peller show following their dinner. If the Palace is booked, Peller tickets will be issued. However, Peller tickets can be requested when setting a reservation if
preferred. Except in the Palace with the prior approval of the Stage Manager, no fire of any kind is permitted, including the use of matches or flash paper.
- Shows in The Parlour of Prestidigitation. Shows should not exceed 20 minutes. Performers are limited to two (2) guests (which includes any seats taken up by camera crews recording their performance) that can be pre- seated. A complete list of guests for all shows that night should be presented to the Manager on duty prior to the first show of the evening. The Manager on duty has final authority over pre-seating of any guests. No fire of any kind is permitted, including the use of matches or flash paper. In the event that there are fewer than twelve (12) persons present for any show, the Manager on duty may, in his or her discretion, cancel such show. Such cancellation shall be made only by the Manager on duty.
- Shows in The Close-up Gallery. Shows should not exceed 20 minutes. Performers are limited to two (2) guests (which includes any seats taken up by camera crews recording their performance) that can be pre-seated. A complete list of guests for all shows that night should be presented to the Manager on duty prior to the first show of the evening. The Manager has final authority over pre-seating of any guests. No one other than performers, the Director of Entertainment and stage personnel are permitted backstage. No fire of any kind is permitted, including the use of matches or flash paper. Performers may either sit or stand to perform and may use assistants from the audience at the table. In the event that there are fewer than six (6) persons present for any show, the Manager on duty may, in his or her discretion, cancel such Such cancellation shall be made only by the Manager on duty.
- Other Showrooms. Regular shows performed in the W.C. Fields Bar and other venues shall be conducted in accordance with the published schedule except that shows may be cancelled, in the discretion of the Manager on duty, in the event that there are not sufficient persons to constitute an appropriate audience. No fire of any kind is permitted, including the use of matches or flash paper. A completed list of guests for all shows that night should be presented to the Manager on duty prior to the first show of the evening. The Manager on duty has final authority over pre-seating of any guests.
- Impromptu Performances. One of the benefits of Magician Membership is the opportunity through impromptu magic performances to refine the Member’s performance art and demonstrate the Members’ skills to their fellow members and to Magic Castle guests. Impromptu performers are not paid or scheduled. Impromptu performances in any designated impromptu performance area within the Magic Castle are limited to twenty (20) minutes. Use of such spaces is subject to availability (being respectful of other Magician Members’ right to perform) and should not exceed one (1) performance per person per hour except when no other magicians are waiting to perform. Questions as to timing and sequence of performances will be resolved by the Floor Managers or General Manager. Magician Members who are providing scheduled acts may not perform impromptu magic during the days they are scheduled to perform. Impromptu performances are subject to the same standards of The Academy of Magical Arts “Code of Ethics” and the “Magician Member’s Pledge” included in these Standing Impromptu shows may take place in the Hat & Hare Pub, Cellar Theater,
Jack Oakie Lounge/Classroom, Dai Vernon table, the Palace Bar Table, the Inner Circle (unless there is a performance line or a working magician at the Hello Dolly Bar), the Peller Theater if no show is scheduled, and the tables in the dining room set up after dining service is over, subject to resolution of any issues by the Floor Managers, and/or General Manager.
Impromptu magic may not be performed on the property outside the Magic Castle, in the Lobby, Irma’s Room, the dining room during service, nor in any line for any of the scheduled shows. No performance is to last more than 20 minutes. No fire of any kind is permitted, including the use of matches or flash paper. Any violation of the time limit or any other part of the Impromptu Performance rules should be brought to the attention of the Floor Manager(s) and not the performer. This will then be reviewed by Management or the Ethics and Grievance Committee.
- Advertisements and Flyers. No advertisements, flyers, programs, or commercial information of any kind shall be distributed or made available inside the Magic Castle without the express permission of the Board of Directors, the General Manager, President or the Palace Stage Manager. No business cards or advertising material may be distributed by a performer inside the club unless the material is specifically requested in conversation with an audience member or
B. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS AND GUESTS AT THE MAGIC CASTLE.
Appropriate, lawful, civil, and respectful behavior toward other Members, guests, Academy employees and vendors’ employees is expected of all Members and guests while at the Magic Castle. Verbally or physically abusive behavior, threats of any kind, assault, sexual harassment, lewd or lascivious behavior, or loud or defamatory language will not be tolerated. Any inappropriate behavior, as well as damage to any property, theft or the use of illegal drugs at the Magic Castle shall be grounds for the Member or guest to be asked to leave the Magic Castle immediately and shall subject the Member to discipline pursuant to Article VII of the By- Laws. Discretion to have a Member or guest removed from the Magic Castle shall reside with the Manager on duty at the time of the occurrence and any such removal shall be documented in the Manager’s daily report and automatically referred to the Board of Directors. Any such conduct may subject the Member to discipline pursuant to Article VII of the By- Laws.
The Board of Directors may promulgate a short list of “House Rules” from time to time regarding expectations concerning behavior at the Magic Castle. This list may be published in suitable format and made available to Managers and receptionists to provide to Members and guests. There should be a posting of the main points of interest regarding rules for guests posted outside the doors of the Magic Castle. A copy of the current “House Rules” is attached hereto as Attachment “E.” Violations of the “House Rules” may subject the Member to discipline pursuant to Article VII of the By-Laws.
C. FILMING AT THE ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS.
Any Member of The Academy may request to be filmed at the Magic Castle for the purpose of self-promotion or an act of “goodwill.” These requests must be made to the Board of Trustees
who will determine if this filming is appropriate under the “goodwill taping” rules. If approved by the Board of Trustees, these “Goodwill Film shoots” must also sign the location agreement of the AMA.
A company wishing to film at The Magic Caste will be under the restrictions of both the Board of Trustees agreement and the Location Agreement of The Academy of Magical Arts overseen by the Board of Directors.
D. WEAPONS.
At no time are weapons of any kind allowed on the premises of the Magic Castle. The exceptions to this rule would be:
- Law enforcement officers called in for an emergency.
- A private detective who is working and has identified themselves as such to the General Manager.
- FBI or Secret Service agents having made themselves known to the General
- Private security guards who are hired to protect a Member or guest who are properly licensed to carry a concealed weapon according to California State laws, have documentation on their person and who advise the General Manager of their weapon and are approved by the General Manager prior to entry.
- A gun that is used for a performance and has been approved by the General Manager or the Director of Entertainment. As in the film industry, this weapon must be inspected and determined that it will ONLY fire blank cartridges and may ONLY be used in the Palace shows.
- Obviously fake guns that have colors identifying them as such. Colored plastic, colored paint, colored rubber, bent barrels, etc. that are used by magicians in booked
- Knives used in booked performances and inspected by the General Manager or the Director of Entertainment and approved.
- Obviously fake knives that are used for many magic illusions (e.g. Rubber, billet, ).
- Pocket knives that are the approved blade length of California State law. There are no other exceptions to these rules regarding
E. SOCIAL MEDIA
Social Media will be treated as being “In the Magic Castle Premises.” Therefore, any violation of any code of ethics or professionalism will be treated the same as if it were in the Magic Castle. In regard to Social Media, the same rules would apply to Voting and Non-Voting Members. Should the Voting Member be disciplined, suspended or removed from membership in AMA, the Secondary Member will be subject to the same discipline, suspension or removal. Conversely, if any Secondary Member is disciplined, suspended or removed from the AMA, the Voting Member will be subject to the same discipline, suspension or removal.
F. VIDEO AND OTHER MEDIA
Academy Members are allowed to view video or other forms of media at the Magic Castle, but no video or other types of media may be copied or distributed without the express written consent of the Librarian, and only to the extent permitted by law. This policy is required by applicable copyright and intellectual property laws and must be strictly enforced.
XIV. OPERATIONAL RULES REGARDING THE ACADEMY
A. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
“Magic Castle” is a registered trademark of Magic Castles, Inc. and is used under license by the Academy. “Irma” is a trademark of Magic Castles, Inc. used under license by the Academy.
These trademarks shall not be used by any person except under license or with the express written consent of Magic Castles, Inc. Information regarding licensing or trademark use of these trademarks should be directed to Magic Castles, Inc. Film and video material in the possession of the Academy, including that in the William W. Larsen Memorial Library, is subject to applicable copyright laws and shall not be copied or distributed under any circumstance without the express written consent of the Board and/or the owner of the copyright. Official business cards having the Academy and/or Magic Castle logo must be approved by the Board.
The Academy Owl Logo is a trademark of the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. This trademark shall not be used by any person except under license or with the express written consent of the Academy. Information regarding licensing or trademark use should be directed to the President, General Manager or the Board of Directors. Violations of the Academy’s policy on Trademarks and Intellectual Property shall be grounds for discipline under Article VII of the By- Laws.
B. SIGNING OF CHECKS AND CONTRACTS.
Authorized signatories for checks and contracts shall be determined annually by the Board of Directors.
Signatures on checks may be affixed by automatic means when authorized by the signatory.
C. RELEASE OF INFORMATION.
The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of Members of the Academy are considered confidential and may be released or publicized only as set forth in these Standing Rules. It is the policy of the Board of Directors that information regarding Members of the Academy should not be made available to the public, either individually or by lists and should never be provided for commercial use not authorized specifically by the Board of Directors and subject to restrictions that the Board of Directors approves to ensure that the information will not be released without authority.
- Members: It is the policy of the Board of Directors to enable Members to communicate with and contact other Members on an individual basis, through the Academy’s website, as approved by the Board of Directors. The management and staff of the Academy may not give out information beyond that which a member has chosen to allow in
- Performers: Members who are performing at the Magic Castle may authorize management and staff to make their contact information available to those members of the public who may wish to contact them for booking of performances. Information regarding any Member performing at the Magic Castle may be given to another Member or non-Member if the Member has provided prior written authorization to the Academy for release of such information and is listed on the approved schedule of performers whose information may be given out to the public. All other requests for information regarding a Member who is performing at the Magic Castle shall be referred to the Director of Entertainment.
Violations of the Academy’s policies, as set forth in these Standing Rules, regarding the confidentiality of Members’ information shall be grounds for discipline in accordance with Article VII of the By-Laws.
D. MAGIC CASTLE WEBSITE.
The Academy maintains its Official Website at www.MagicCastle.com. The content of the website is the copyrighted property of the Academy which is solely responsible for said content. The website is divided into separate sections for Members of the Academy and members of the public. Access to the “Members Only” sections of the website is restricted to Members of the Academy in good standing. Members whose membership in the Academy is suspended or terminated will no longer have access to the “Members Only” sections of the website.
Members may access in the “Members Only” sections of the website information regarding announcements, events at the Magic Castle, schedules, lectures, contact information, the Academy’s Articles, By-Laws, these Standing Rules and minutes of the most recent meetings of the Board of Directors, Board of Trustees and Membership Meetings.
E. MAGIC CASTLE FORUMS.
The Magic Castle Forums will be archived on the new website at www.magiccastle.com.
F. SCHEDULING OF USE OF ROOMS AND AREAS WITHIN THE MAGIC CASTLE.
The scheduling of use within the Magic Castle of any rooms or areas shall be within the sole discretion of the General Manager, subject to delegation of responsibility by the General Manager to other Academy employees for scheduling and resolution of conflicts. An Academy Master Calendar shall be maintained under the supervision and guidance of the General Manager and shall be available for viewing at all reasonable times by Academy members, staff and employees. Conflicts regarding use of rooms and areas within the Magic Castle shall be resolved by, or under the direction of, the General Manager with reference to the Academy Master Calendar.
XV. GRIEVANCES AND DISCIPLINE
Violations of the Standing Rules, Code of Ethics, Member Pledges, House Rules, policies, or any other guidelines or rules of the Academy, shall be grounds for discipline in accordance with Article VII of the Bylaws and this Article XV of the Standing Rules, which may include private or public reprimand, suspension of Membership or expulsion by termination of Membership.
- Grievance Against a Member
The Board of Directors or any employee, member, or guest (“Petitioner”), may file a grievance against a member (“Respondent”) of the Academy for violations of the Standing Rules, Code of Ethics, Member Pledges, House Rules, policies, or any other guidelines or rules of the Academy. Any grievance by the Board of Directors shall be submitted by the Secretary upon a resolution by the Board of Directors.
All grievances must be filed with a designated person or persons as determined by the Board of Directors by a majority vote.
The designated person(s) shall gather all relevant information and statements. The designated person(s) shall generate a preliminary report, and if possible, resolve the matter in a manner agreeable to all parties. The resolution shall be recorded in the Petitioner and Respondent’s files.
- Investigation of a Grievance by the Committee on Member Conduct
In the event that the grievance is not resolved by the designated person(s), such designated person(s) shall notify the AMA Secretary of the grievance and provide the Secretary with the preliminary report. The Secretary shall send the preliminary report and request for an investigation of the grievance to the Chairperson of the Committee on Member Conduct. The Secretary shall also provide notice of the grievance and pending investigation to the AMA President, Petitioner, Respondent, and the Board of Directors.
The Committee on Member Conduct may find with a majority vote, that a grievance is frivolous based on its review of the grievance and the preliminary report by the designated party, in which case it may recommend to the Board of Directors that the grievance be dismissed. If the Board of Directors accepts this recommendation, the Grievance will be dismissed, the decision will be final, and record of the finding shall be placed in Petitioner and Respondent’s files. If the Board does not find the grievance to be frivolous, it shall return the matter to the Committee on Member Conduct for investigation before deciding on the matter.
If the Committee on Member Conduct does not find that a grievance is frivolous or if the matter is returned to the Committee, the Committee shall conduct an investigation of the grievance through an interview process or a face-to-face hearing, as determined by the parties. If any party requests that the investigation be done through the interview process, the Committee on Member Conduct shall honor that request. The Committee on Member Conduct shall afford each party the opportunity to be heard and present evidence. In its sole discretion, the Committee on Member Conduct shall receive such evidence and hear such witnesses as it deems appropriate.
A Respondent shall be entitled to be present during the giving of testimony by witnesses at a hearing before the Committee on Member Conduct, subject to the absolute right of the Committee to exclude from the hearing any person (including a Respondent) who is disruptive, unruly or obstructs the orderly process of the hearing, in the sole discretion of the Committee. The presence of persons at a hearing, other than the Respondent and any witness giving testimony, shall be in the sole discretion of the Committee on Member Conduct. At no time may any participant have any form of representation, including legal representation at the hearing. Designated counsel for the Academy, however, may be present at a hearing per request of the Committee on Member Conduct or the Board of Directors. Unless authorized in advance by the Board of Directors, no recording of hearings of the Committee on Member Conduct shall be permitted, whether by electronic, stenographic or other means.
A Respondent shall provide to the Chair of the Committee on Member Conduct at least five calendar (5) days in advance of the hearing:
- All written materials and information that the Respondent desires the Committee to consider at the hearing;
- A written list of the names of all persons who the Respondent intends to present as witnesses at the hearing, together with a brief summary of the testimony expected to be given by each such person and an estimate of the amount of time that will be necessary to hear the testimony of each such person.
Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the Committee on Member Conduct, in its sole discretion, refusing to consider such written material and information and the testimony of such persons.
- Recommendations and Findings
Upon completion of its investigation of a grievance and with a majority vote thereof, the Committee on Member Conduct shall issue a final report with recommended findings as to the alleged violations, grounds for their recommendations, and the recommended discipline, if applicable. The report shall be submitted to the Board of Directors through the AMA Secretary. The Secretary shall also provide the Petitioner and Respondent with the report, along with the date that the Board will consider the Committee on Member Conduct’s recommendations.
The Board of Directors shall consider the report and recommendations from the Committee on Member Conduct at a regular meeting when received prior to finalizing the agenda for that meeting. If the report from the Committee on Member Conduct recommends expulsion from the Academy, the Respondent shall have the opportunity to address the Board of Directors prior to the Board deliberating on the grievance.
The Board of Directors may accept in whole or in part the Committee on Member Conduct’s recommendations. The Board of Directors may also reject the Committee on Member Conduct’s recommendations and/or conduct its own further investigation. With a majority vote, the Board of Directors shall make a determination on the grievance, including any discipline if necessary. The determination is final and the case is complete. The AMA Secretary shall notify the Petitioner and Respondent of the BOD decision.
- Discipline
In accordance with Article VII of the Bylaws, members are subject to the appropriate discipline for violations of the Standing Rules, Code of Ethics, Member Pledges, House Rules, policies, and any and all other guidelines or rules of the Academy. Such discipline may include, but is not limited to, public or private reprimand, suspension, and expulsion. No member shall be expelled without first being offered the opportunity to address the Board of Directors.
Upon notice of a grievance from the Secretary and pending investigation of the grievance by the Committee on Member Conduct, the President, at his/her sole discretion, may temporarily suspend some or all of the Respondent’s member privileges until the Board of Directors issues a final decision on the matter. Such temporary suspension shall take effect immediately upon the giving of notice to the Member by the AMA Secretary. The Board of Directors, by a majority vote thereof, may lift the temporary suspension.
Upon a final decision on the grievance and appropriate discipline by the Board of Directors, the Secretary shall promptly notify the Petitioner and Respondent of the findings. The discipline imposed shall take effect immediately upon the Secretary giving of notice to the Respondent, unless otherwise stated by the Board of Directors.
- Records, Publication, and Notices
Records of all grievances and findings shall be maintained in the Petitioner and Respondent’s files. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, summaries of the grievances and findings, absent identifying information of involved parties, may be published to the AMA membership.
All notices given under this Article XV shall be in writing and shall be given by any method reasonably calculated to provide actual notice, including by email, overnight delivery, U.S. mail, in person, by telephone (including voice messaging system) or by electronic transmission to any Member who has consented to notice by electronic transmission. Notices given by U.S. Mail shall be by certified mail with a return receipt requested, to the last address of the Member shown on the membership records, or such other address as may be requested by the Member in writing to the Secretary.
ATTACHMENT “A”
ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS – MAGICIAN MEMBER’S PLEDGE
As a Member of the Academy of Magical Arts:
- I consider it a privilege to be a Magician Member of The Academy of Magical Arts and shall therefore abide by this
- I shall always conduct myself in a manner that will enhance the image of The Academy and magicians everywhere.
- I shall read, understand and abide by The House Rules and assist in every way possible to maintain the positive spirit of the Academy.
- I shall respect my fellow magicians and help them whenever and however I can.
- While at the Magic Castle I shall never impose the performance of magic on anyone, only performing when invited to do so and using a professional demeanor.
- When I perform impromptu at the Magic Castle I shall present only effects which are both well-rehearsed and entertaining.
- I shall not duplicate another magician’s original patter or routines.
- I shall limit any impromptu performance at the Magic Castle to no more than twenty
- I shall use only material in good
- I shall never by word or attitude suggest to anyone that I expect any form of payment while performing impromptu at the Magic Castle.
- I shall not solicit personal business at the Magic Castle nor will I hand out business cards or any other form of advertising regarding performing as a magician unless
- I shall never reveal magical secrets to non-magicians while at the Magic
- When I invite guests to the Magic Castle, I take full responsibility for their
- I pledge myself to the advancement of the art of magic.
ATTACHMENT “A”
ATTACHMENT “B”
ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS – CODE OF ETHICS
As a Member of the Academy of Magical Arts, I shall:
- Oppose the willful and needless public exposure of any principles or methods employed in the art of magic through any verbal, written or electronic communication.
- Recognize and respect the rights of authors and owners of magical concepts.
- Encourage honesty in the statements used to advertise magical effects, literature and merchandise.
- Discourage manufacturers from producing unauthorized duplications of magical creations by others.
- Promote the humane treatment and care of livestock used in magic
- Discourage the dissemination of verbal, written or electronic communication that demeans magicians or their position in the world of entertainment.
- Not do anything to damage, disparage, or reduce the value of the Academy of Magical Arts trade name and trademark or any other trade name or trademark used by the AMA in connection with its operations.
- Not solicit payment for myself or any other Member in connection with sponsoring a membership application or for granting guest
- Seek always to provide an atmosphere where clear, frequent, and honest communication is present, while recognizing the importance of a working environment that is free from any type of harassment, bias, prejudice, or demeaning behavior.
- Discourage the dissemination of verbal, written or electronic communication that demeans any Member or employee of the Academy of Magical Arts.
- We will maintain the highest level of professional ethics. We will seek to enforce this standard within the Magic Castle, associated venues, social media outlets and electronic media forms at all times.
Willful violation of this Code of Ethics may subject the Member to disciplinary action pursuant to Article VII of the Academy’s By-Laws.
ATTACHMENT “B”
ATTACHMENT “C”:
CONDITIONS AND GUIDELINES
FOR THE MAGICIAN MEMBER AUDITION COMMITTEE
All members of the Magician Member Audition Committee shall be Magician Members who have been Members of the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. (AMA) for at least five (5) years and have been booked to work at least one (1) week in one of the three (3) main showrooms at the Magic Castle.
The Magician Member Audition Committee will conduct monthly auditions for all applicants seeking Magician Membership in the AMA. Occasionally the Magician Member Audition Committee will hold Special Auditions to accommodate the needs of the AMA and/or applicants. Applications for non-resident Magician Memberships will be handled as set forth below in these Standing Rules. The applicants with successful membership auditions that also meet the required criteria as set forth by the AMA will be recommended for Magician Membership by the Membership Committee Chairman or his/her designee.
Auditions for applicants should be conducted by the Magician Member Audition Committee in a private and confidential setting. Applicants need to reserve a space at the auditions which are usually held on the first Monday night of each month. In addition to demonstrating their magical abilities, the Magician Member Audition Committee should ask the applicants general questions to ascertain their knowledge of the history of magic, books or magazines they have read or own, magicians they have seen, etc.
Applicants may be requested to demonstrate their magical abilities by performing three to five magic tricks/effects in the audition. A high level of proficiency or showmanship is not required and should not be expected by Magician Member Audition Committee. However, the applicants are expected to demonstrate their magical ability with enough proficiency to be seen by others and the public in general as a magician. The magic tricks/effects that are demonstrated by the applicant should include the use of some technical skills (such as a pass, force, double lift, Elmsley Count, Olram Subtlety, Jordon Count, French drop, coin palming, coin vanish, coin switch, etc.).The Magician Member Audition Committee realizes that many of the Academy’s Magician Members have no desire to ever perform, though they love magic and attend lectures and seminars.
Magic collectors, historians, illusion builders, magician assistants, and enthusiasts of the associated arts of ventriloquism, mime, etc. will be considered for Magician Membership upon adequate evidence of their past and/or present involvement in their chosen art, which may consist of a demonstration of their ability or the display of a scrapbook, video, multimedia presentation, interactive demonstration, or showing of some high-quality original creations using devices or techniques that have been invented by the applicant at their audition before the Magician Member Audition Committee.
Resident Magician Membership Applicants:
All resident Magician applicants are requested to complete an Application, attend, and pass a Membership Audition to become a Magician Member of the Academy. The final approval of an applicant’s application will be by the AMA Board of Directors following a successful audition and recommendation from the Magician Member Audition Committee.
Non-Resident Magician Membership Applicants:
All non-resident Magician Applicants are required to complete an Application, attend, and pass a Membership Audition to become a Magician Member of the AMA. The final approval of the applicant’s application will be by the AMA Board of Directors following a successful audition and recommendation from the Magician Member Audition Committee.
If the applicant is unable to visit the Magic Castle on a normal AMA Audition Night; the applicant may submit his or her application using one the following options:
(Option 1) Arrange for a “Special Membership Audition” at the Magic Castle at a mutually convenient time for the applicant and representatives of the Magician Member Audition Committee (occasionally, there might be the possibility of an accommodation at a remote location depending upon various magical conventions and other related events); OR,
(Option 2) The applicant provides an uncut continuous video (or internet “link”) with their Application (U-tube, email vid, CD or DVD, or other readable video in the USA format) showing the individual applicant (with full face) demonstrating their magical ability using at least five (5) different magical effects/tricks/routines (preferably close up/parlor type magic using ropes, coins, cards, and/or mentalism). This video should be no more than 15 minutes in length; if the applicant does not perform close up/parlor magic, they should contact the AMA Offices (Membership Director) or the Chairman of the Magician Member Audition Committee regarding what type of other submission would be necessary (we suspect it will be a show DVD/CD, along with various performance flyers, reviews, and maybe website references, etc.). If the applicant is applying as a builder/inventor/historian etc. the applicant will need to provide evidence of their skill and abilities (including references to successful projects, scrap books, publications, and personal/professional references that can be checked to verify abilities);
All non-resident Magician membership applicants selecting Option 2 must also provide the following additional materials with their Application:
- Provide complete contact information for at least two (2) current “in good standing” Magician Members of the AMA who have knowledge of the applicant’s magical ability (providing their name, AMA membership number,
phone/contact number, and email address). The AMA Magician Member references may be contacted and asked to provide a written recommendation stating what effects they have seen the applicant perform, where and when, and a provide a review of the applicant’s performance ability along with the audience reaction (if applicable). In order to expedite the process, the applicant should include with his or her application a signed and dated written statement regarding the applicant’s magical ability from each reference; OR,
- If the applicant does not know two AMA members in good standing, the applicant may use a local President (or officer) of a local magic group affiliated with a National or International Magic Club to recommend the In addition to the local President (or officer) there must be two
(2) other members of the same organization (magic club) willing to recommend the applicant, (a total of three (3) magic club magician recommendations). For each recommending individual the applicant must provide that individual’s full name (and stage name, if applicable), current valid physical mailing address, telephone/contact number, email address (if available). The applicant should expect that those recommending the applicant may be asked to provide a written statement that they have seen a performance by the applicant, describe the performance seen (what effects were done using either magical or lay terms) and provide their opinion of the applicant’s performance/ demonstration (was it skillful, magical, interesting, etc.), along with description of the audience reaction (if applicable). In order to expedite the process, the applicant should include with his or her Application a signed and dated written statement (in English) regarding the applicant’s magical ability from each reference.
The Academy and the Magician Member Audition Committee does not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, citizenship, marital status, registered domestic partner status, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics, “genetic information”) religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, creed, age, sexual orientation or any other consideration made lawful by federal, state or local laws.
ATTACHMENT “D”
CODE OF CONDUCT, DISCLOSURE
AND CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY FOR DIRECTORS & TRUSTEES
- We will be a role model to all employees, staff, and Members in and outside of the Academy and the Magic Castle.
- We will maintain the highest level of professional ethics regarding magic. We will seek to enforce this standard within the Magic Castle, associated venues and electronic forums at all times.
- We will not discuss matters of the Academy that are sensitive in nature with other staff members or in the presence of other Academy members.
- We will discuss matters concerning employees and their conduct with the General Manager or appropriate authority level that may be present at the time. We will not confront employees directly with their conduct unless such conduct would put the Academy or its clubhouse in imminent danger.
- We will listen to all concerns voiced by Members, employees and staff with an open and honest attitude, maintaining a neutral position until all facts and opinions have been discussed and the Board of Directors has made a final
- We will support the General Manager and appropriate level of staff in the implementation of Board of Directors policies, including the administration of the Employee Handbook and the Standing Rules. While the Board of Directors remains the final ruling authority, we will endeavor to enforce all policies with what is right and fair for
- We will seek always to provide an atmosphere where clear, frequent, and honest communication is present, while recognizing the importance of a working environment that is free from any type of harassment, bias, prejudice, or demeaning behavior.
- We will review any violation of this Code of Conduct and will determine the appropriate level of action for that member of the Board of Directors or Trustees who has committed the violation.
- A Director or Trustee may discuss, at his or her discretion, many of the matters that come before the Board of Directors or Board of Trustees. There are certain circumstances where confidentiality is needed in order to protect the interests of the Academy, its Members and its employees. A Director or Trustee shall not discuss with persons who are not members of either Board the following:
- Communications that are subject to the attorney-client privilege and/or attorney work product doctrine;
- Employee matters, including but not limited to compensation and benefits, matters in employee files, etc.;
- Trade secrets relating to the AMA’s operations; or
- Confidential discussions, negotiations and/or transactions with third parties or
- No Director or Trustee shall use his or her position to influence bookings in any of the showrooms, private events, etc.
ATTACHMENT “E” HOUSE RULES
The maintenance of good order and the comfort of the Members of the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. and the Magic Castle, and as Members of the of the Academy of Magical Arts, demands a strict compliance by the Members and their guests with the following House Rules. Any infraction will be reported to the General Manager. Violations by a Member or guest will be considered sufficient grounds to warrant disciplinary action which can include suspension or termination of membership.
- Members entering the Magic Castle must present their Membership Card or member number with government issued ID to the receptionist and indicate the number of their guests.
- Guests will be admitted to the Magic Castle:
- If accompanied by a Member in good standing;
- By submitting a properly completed Academy Guest Pass or a printed online Guest Pass from a Member in good standing prior to arriving at the Club and showing valid I.D. upon request;
- If the Magic Castle has been informed by telephone or other form of communication that a Member expects the guest;
- By paying the door charge if the Member is not present or will not be with the guests for the major part of the visit to the Magic Castle, provided that guests will not be admitted to the Magic Castle at Friday lunch unless accompanied by a Member; and
- By paying the door charges if the Member has exceeded the number of guests allowed under current Magic Castle policy;
- Members and their guests must be dressed in accordance with the Magic Castle dress code. Suits and ties for men and dresses or appropriate evening wear for ladies. Absolutely no casual wear except for Saturday and Sunday Brunch and Friday
- Unless previously approved by the General Manager, on Young Adults nights, during Future Stars Week, or minors booked to perform in a room during a week, minors under the age of 21 years will not be admitted.
- The William W. Larsen Memorial Library is reserved for Academy Members only. No guests will be admitted without permission. No Members or guests will be permitted in backstage areas of the showrooms or other areas designated “Employees Only.”
- The use of the words: Academy of Magical Arts or Magic Castle® is only allowed in personal promotion material. The Board of Directors must approve all commercial
- Photography, video cameras and recording devices are prohibited in the Magic Castle without the express permission of Academy management.
- There are no “House Charges” at the Magic Castle except for Life Members. Major Credit cards are accepted.
- Only Magician Members of the Academy in good standing may perform magical effects while at the Magic Castle. Members may not facilitate performances by non-Magician Members of the Academy anywhere at the Castle . Exceptions may be granted only via prior written permission from the General Manager. This rule does not apply to performers booked via the Director of Entertainment during their duration of their contract.
- Members must abide by the Standing Rules of the Academy which are available for review at MagicCastle.com. Unbecoming conduct is not permitted in the Magic Castle. Such conduct will be reported and dealt with by a Floor Manager, and then reported to the General Manager. Members will be responsible for the conduct of their guests.
- Members or Guests in violation of House Rules or Standing Rules will be asked to leave the Magic Castle, and may be subject to disciplinary action.
- Suggestions or complaints should be made in writing or by telephone to the General Manager or Secretary of the Academy of Magical Arts, c/o The Magic Castle.
Our Floor Managers have the authority to interpret and enforce these House Rules for the maintenance of good order and the comfort of the Members of the Academy of Magical Arts and their guests.
ATTACHMENT “F”
William W. Larsen Memorial Library – Rules and Procedures Primary Objective
The William W. Larsen Memorial Library (“Library”) is a repository designed to preserve the history of the Art of Magic in printed, electronic and other forms. The Library is owned by the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. (“Academy”), and administered by the Academy’s Board of Trustees (“Trustees”), subject to the supervision of the Board of Directors.
Access to the Library
- The Library is primarily intended for use by Magician Members of the Academy of Magical Arts. Associate Members are permitted access to only those volumes that do not contain magic secrets.
- Associate Members of the Academy, as well as other accredited persons may access resources containing magic secrets only with the prior written consent of the Trustees, the Board of Directors, or the Academy President. When granted access, such persons are considered “Visitors.”
- Upon entering the Library, Members of the Academy and visitors (collectively “Users”) are required to present identification to the Librarian on duty.
- The Library is considered a “read-only” resource. Users may not remove any materials (whether in printed, electronic or other form) from the Library without the prior written consent of the Trustees, the Board of Directors or the Academy President. With such approval, removal of materials from the Library is only by arrangement with the Library.
- Access to the Library is a privilege, not a right. All Users are subject to the Rules and Procedures set forth herein. Violation of these Rules and Procedures by any User may result in denial of access to the Library, either temporarily or permanently, as determined by the Librarian, the Board of Trustees or the Board of Directors.
- Access to the Library by a Visitor who is not otherwise a Member of the Academy does not constitute permission to access other parts of the Magic Castle without prior
- The Library is available to Users under fixed operating hours throughout the week, but such hours may vary without prior notification. Operating hours for the Library are posted on the Magic Castle Website.
- The Library holds some materials considered rare and/or valuable; these materials are stored away from the main stacks, in locked cases or in the Librarian’s Office. These materials may only be accessed with specific assistance and supervision from the
Librarian on duty. Any damage, missing pages, etc. should be reported to the Librarian immediately.
Copying Library Materials
- The Library offers photocopying services on its printed material.
- The number of pages photocopied at any particular time is limited solely by the discretion of the Librarian on duty.
- Some materials cannot be photocopied under any circumstance for reasons of copyright, fragility, etc. The Librarian on duty has the sole discretion to refuse photocopying of
- Cameras, hand-held scanners, copiers for electronic media and similar equipment used for the copying of printed or electronic materials are not allowed in the Such equipment must be left outside of the Library or checked with the Librarian before entering the Library. At the discretion of the Librarian, a Member may use a cell phone to photograph pages from a book.
- Researchers wishing to reproduce copyrighted material must first obtain the written permission of the copyright owner.
General Use of the Library
- Food and drinks are allowed in the Library at the front desk
- Personal computers may be used in the Library. If a User wishes to use a personal computer in the Library it should be in silent mode. Users are advised never to leave their laptop unattended; Library personnel are not responsible for laptops or other personal items left unattended by Users.
ATTACHMENT “G” ORGANIZATION CHART
ATTACHMENT “H”
GUIDELINES FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE MAGIC CASTLE JUNIOR PROGRAM
(Junior Group Rules)
INTRODUCTION
Following are the guidelines to obey to remain in good standing as an active Member of the Junior Program.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS/MISSION STATEMENT
The Junior Program does not specifically teach magic per se, nor does it create acts for Junior Members. What it does is help Junior Members perform their magic to achieve the maximum impact. The Junior Program guides Junior Members to become true performers.
This Program provides an atmosphere in which young magicians may develop their own particular magical interests through exposure to leading professionals in the field, performance workshops designed to improve level of ability, and a network for meeting others with similar interests.
To accomplish these goals, Junior Members have access to the book and video libraries, Sunday Magic Castle lectures for Regular Members and Brunch Shows in both the Palace of Mystery and Close-up Gallery.
MEMBERSHIP
Dues – Initiation fee is $45.00, payable at the first meeting after acceptance into the program. An additional $45 includes dues for the first calendar year of membership. If admitted after the fall auditions this includes dues for the following year as well. (Total due: $90.00)
Dues are currently set at $45.00 per year, payable at the beginning of each calendar year.
Within two months, Junior Members should receive a Junior Membership Card upon payment of dues and initiation fees. This card will be valid as long as Junior Membership is in good standing by payment of Annual Dues.
Age Restrictions – To join, members must be a minimum of 13 years and a maximum of 19. An applicant who wants to join close to age 20 may do so, but he/she must be able to complete a year of Junior Membership prior to turning 21. Special payment arrangements may be made on an individual basis, however payment of full Magician Member dues and initiation will be required upon turning 21 and filling out an application, though the usual audition process will be waived.
Attendance – Upon acceptance into the program, members will be required to attend a minimum of 2/3 of the regularly scheduled meetings throughout the course of the calendar
year. They must spend a reasonable amount of time to receive credit for that meeting and must be present during the “business portion” of the session. Signing in and leaving will not fulfill attendance requirement. If a Junior Member is not present and another member signs in for him or her, neither will be credited for attendance at that meeting.
Meetings are always held on the last Saturday of every month, with very rare exceptions, well publicized in advance.
MEMBER LEAVE
Junior members attending school out of the Southern California area may request and will be granted “leave” during which the attendance requirements will be waived for the period of college.
Colleges located in San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties do not qualify for Member Leave, and Juniors attending these schools will still be expected to attend the required minimum of two-thirds (2/3) of meetings per year.
Attendance at a minimum of four meetings will still be required. Written notification must be given to notify the Junior Committee concerning this leave.
NOTE: Junior Members in good standing will be given automatic credit for the Christmas/December and Brookledge/August meetings.
PERFORMANCE
Junior Members are asked to perform at least twice a year in areas of chosen expertise.
This “performance” may include auditions (whether for Brunch or Future Stars Week) or workshops (available monthly for performance enhancement). Member performances will generally be noted in the monthly newsletter and credit given accordingly.
Quality of performance is not relevant to satisfying this requirement. All magical material performed must be of a nature and substance consistent with the age of the Junior performers involved. When in doubt, ask first.
NOTE: For any performances in the Palace of Mystery, whether workshop or audition, a clearly prepared cue sheet (typewritten if possible) containing all music and light cues must be given to the stage manager and reviewed with him or her.
GUEST PASSES
Junior Members may distribute Guest Passes according to the regulations covering distribution by adult Members. These are created online through the Magic Castle website, for paid-up members only. They are subject to the rules of the club (21 only, dress code, etc.) as detailed on the site, and are good for dinner and admission throughout the week and on weekends.
Guest passes are never to be offered as merchandise on online auction sites. This is a strict Standing Rule, which the Junior Program will enforce as well.
CONDUCT
Being a Junior Member is a privilege, not a right. You are expected to behave as adults when in the Magic Castle. Meetings are generally fun and “loose” in their structure, but all Junior Members are expected to behave as the young professionals they are.
During lectures given for the Junior Members, all card activity is to cease unless it is a card trick lecture or a card trick being explained. Junior Members who ignore this rule will be asked to leave the lecture for the duration.
GRADUATION
Junior Members automatically become Regular Members of the Magic Castle upon their 21st birthday. In these cases, no further audition or initiation dues will be required. You do have to fill out an application for Regular Membership obtained from the front desk. Junior dues for “graduation” year cover that year’s dues as a Regular Member.
MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Attendance at meetings is limited to Junior Members only. Attendance by all others (parents, significant others, etc.) are by invitation/permission of the Junior Committee only.
Monthly meetings are routinely held at the Magic Castle, with one usual exception. There is one meeting during the summer which has been traditionally hosted by former Academy President Irene Larsen at her home (“Brookledge”).
Due to proximity of the Christmas holidays to the end of the month of December, no meeting is held in December, though “attendance credit” is automatically given to all members in good standing. Junior Members have access to the Magic Castle Library on a group basis starting at 11:00 A.M. During this period, members may research and informally exchange ideas with other members, etc. Lunch is concurrently available at this time for a nominal charge, usually a combination hot dog/chip/beverage or cold cuts. Junior Members are welcome to bring their own lunch.
Sometime between 12:30 – 1:00, the group adjourns to the Parlour or Peller Theatre where workshops, auditions, etc. may be organized. Usually all business and organizational matters will be discussed at this time, and Junior Members are invited to bring up questions or points for discussion.
Following this, workshops or special lectures for the Junior Membership will take place, as announced in advance.
All meetings are coordinated by the Junior Membership Committee, which derives its authority from the Magic Castle Board of Directors.
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Saturday and Sunday Brunch – Those Junior Members whose acts pass an audition may be booked to perform in the Close-Up Gallery for regular Magic Castle audiences at Saturday and Sunday Brunch. They may not perform material which has not been approved by the Junior Committee.
Compensation for one day’s performance consists of complimentary Brunch that day for the performer, and the issuance of a “Brunch Ticket” which is an invitation to the performer to receive a complimentary brunch for two (2) people, tax included. An appropriate gratuity should be left. The current monetary compensation for performing at Brunch is $100, payable by check.
Brunch performers in the Palace of Mystery are presently on an “as needed” basis, since the acts booked for the week receive priority here. Again, only acts that have passed a stage audition will be used for Brunch.
Should a booked Junior Member be unable to perform at Brunch as scheduled, he or she must notify the Magic Castle and the Junior Brunch Coordinator, as soon as possible. Failure to show up may result in suspension of Brunch privilege.
Future Stars of Magic Week – Future Stars Week is currently an annual event at the Magic Castle. This is one week (usually toward the end of the summer) during which the Junior Membership is invited to perform regularly scheduled shows in the Castle showrooms, in the evenings, for adult members and their guests.
They also receive pay for these shows as adult performers, in line with current Magic Castle compensation policies. Performers for this week are chosen through an audition process for all rooms — Palace, Parlor, and Close-up.
There is no limit to the number of Junior performers who will be selected, but quality is the prime consideration.
During Future Stars week, Junior performers may walk freely through the Magic Castle, have dinner in the dining room as capacity allows, and mingle with their guests.
Other rules are outlined at the beginning of the week, but non-performing Junior Members and parents are not allowed backstage or anywhere at the Magic Castle during this week for any reason whatsoever, and all assistants must be approved in advance.
Junior Members wishing to see these shows may come up during the Saturday and Sunday Brunch performances or on Young Adult Night, if one is scheduled.
The Magic Castle opens for business on Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 A.M. Junior Members should not try to visit or reach anyone inside before that time.
DISCIPLINE
The Junior Committee is responsible for enforcing the above rules as well as overall administration of the Junior Program.
Penalties up to and including the loss of membership may be levied for certain infractions, including but not limited to:
- The Prime Directive: Visiting the Magic Castle during evening hours and/or aiding and abetting other minors to gain access to the Magic Castle showrooms without express permission of the Junior Committee or the Board of Directors will result in immediate and final No discussion, no excuses. NOTE: Junior Members may occasionally be asked to assist performing magicians backstage during their week at the Magic Castle. If a Junior Member is going to be at the Magic Castle in the evening with permission, he or she must notify a member of the Junior Committee and stay backstage the entire time.
- Pranks involving damage to Magic Castle property or the property of any performer, or unapproved presentations or attempts at humor during auditions for new Members or Future Stars.
- Consumption of liquor or use of “recreational” drugs on the premises.
- Theft of Magic Castle property or performers’
- Improperly claiming Magic Castle
- Any violations of the Regular Junior Members Rules and Regulations not already included in the above.
- Conscious appropriation of another member’s material, whether magical or verbal, without his or her consent or “inspection” of another performer’s props without his or her
- Lack of attendance (see section re: attendance).
- Boorish behavior on the part of your
PROCEDURE
Any Junior Member found in violation of any of these rules (except the Prime Directive) will be brought in for a hearing before the Junior Committee. The Committee, based upon their findings at the hearing, will determine any disciplinary actions.
ADVERTISING
The same restrictions which apply to Regular Members also apply to Junior Members concerning use of the term “Magic Castle” or the Magic Castle logo in personal advertising: it is simply not allowed.
Juniors may use “Member of the Magic Castle Junior Program” without the Castle logo. Junior Members do not have the privilege to buy items reserved for adult Members.
AWARDS
At the discretion and recommendation of the Junior Committee the Academy of Magical Arts may present one or more Junior Achievement Awards at the annual Academy Awards Show. Criteria for this award are generally an absolute standard of excellence in performance as achieved through the Junior Program during the period of membership. Other factors such as conduct, “citizenship,” and activity in the Group also are considered, since continued deviations from the expected behavior could remove any Junior Member from eligibility.
Sometimes a special “Award of Merit” is given in recognition of non-performing related contributions made to the general welfare in areas such as leadership, promotions, etc.
JUNIOR POLICY CONCERNING FREE SHOWS
In the course of a month, requests may be received asking Junior Members to perform without pay for different functions. All such requests will be printed in the newsletter and enumerated during the meeting itself when possible. Junior performers electing to participate in such events will be given workshop credit, a Brunch pass and first refusal on any paying engagements that arise during the year.
WHO HANDLES WHAT
SUNDAY BRUNCH BOOKING: Sean Self, seantself@yahoo.com
NEWSLETTER & VIDEOTAPING: Jim Starr (310) 393-8133 e-mail: Hhelmholtz@aol.com ADMINISTRATION & EVERYTHING ELSE: Bob Dorian (818) 567-4348, e-mail:
ATTACHMENT “I”
ACADEMY OF MAGICAL ARTS – ASSOCIATE MEMBER’S PLEDGE
As an Associate Member of the Academy of Magical Arts:
- I consider it a privilege to be an Associate Member of the Academy and shall therefore abide by this pledge.
- I shall always conduct myself in a manner that will enhance the image of the
- I shall read and understand the Academy By-laws and Standing Rules, abide by them and assist in every way possible to maintain the positive spirit of the Academy.
- I shall respect my fellow Members and help them whenever and however I can.
- While at the Magic Castle, I shall never perform magic for anyone. I understand if I wish to do so, I first must become a Magician Member.
- When I invite guests to the Magic Castle, I take full responsibility for their
- I will not accept payment in the form of money for access to the Magic
- I shall not solicit personal business nor will I hand out business cards or any other form of advertising regarding performing as a magician unless requested.
- I shall never reveal magical secrets while at the Magic Castle.
- I pledge myself to the advancement of the art of magic.
- As a patron, I shall support the art of magic and the aims of the Academy of Magical Arts.