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PLEASURE DOME CRISIS 2018-2023
January 2023: Board, after Appointments & Cancelled Election
April 2022: Board, after Resignations & Cancelled Election
October 2021: Notice of Annual General Meeting & Election
April 2021: Board, after Appointments & Cancelled Election
February 2021: Call for Board Members, 5 Months after Election
December 2020: Board, after Appointments & Resignations
August 2020: Notice of Annual General Meeting & Election
May 2019: Notice of Annual General Meeting & Election
March 2019: Board of Directors after 11 Resignations
October 2018: New Operations & Development Manager
May 2018: Interim Staff - Call for Job Applications
March 2018 Meetings: Webpage - FB Event - FB Thread
AGM Notice - Code of Conduct - Board Members
February 2018: "Friends" Letter to Board - Board Reply
January 2018: Board of Directors Email to Community
2017 & 2014 Meetings: 2 Previous Community Meetings

All Pleasure Dome Board Members, 1989-2023

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Board of Directors 2023
after Cancelled 2022 Election
January - December 2023

In recent years, Pleasure Dome's Board of Directors postponed their Annual General Members Meetings (AGMs) and open elections of a new board, beyond the time required by law. Then each year they unilaterally appointed several new board members at once, before the postponed election, granting those new board members immediate incumbent status at the postponed election. Their illegal postponements got longer each year until 2022 when they held no AGM or election, but in January 2023 they appointed six new board members without an election. Seven of the eight current board members originally accepted appointments to the board instead of first running in an election which was overdue at the time. They've done this for years with no explanation given to their voting members-at-large. AGMs and open elections are required at a specific time every year by Pleasure Dome's own by-laws, and consequently Ontario corporate law and Pleasure Dome's government funders.

APPOINTED JANUARY 2023, ELECTED APRIL 2023
Sadaf Khajeh (2023, Co-Chair)
Julie Hall (2023, Secretary)
Abisola Oni (2023)
Gladys Lou (2023)
Nicole Cartier Barrera (2023)
Erika Yuen (2023)

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, ELECTED MAY 2019,
RE-ELECTED OCTOBER 2021, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Andrea Creamer (2019-2023) 4.5 years

APPOINTED AUGUST 2019, ELECTED AUGUST 2020,
RE-ELECTED APRIL 2023, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Jennifer Laiwint (2019-2023) 4 years

APPOINTED APRIL 2021, ELECTED OCTOBER 2021, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Sylvia Nowak (2021-2023, Co-Chair) 2.5 years
Kourtney Jackson (2021-2023) 2 years
Zoltan Huber (2021-2023, Treasurer) 2 years
Lee Wilkins (2021-2022, Secretary) 1.5 years
Ana Luisa Bernardez (2021-2022) 1.5 years

All Pleasure Dome Board Members, 1989-2023

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Board of Directors 2021/2022 after
Resignations & Cancelled Election
October 2021 - March 2022

After Pleasure Dome's AGM and election in October 2021 (delayed for 7 months), 3 Directors resigned mid-term. And their by-laws required their next AGM and election be held by March 2022, but for the second consecutive year they cancelled it without informing their voting members or giving their reasons, ignoring the democratic process required by Ontario law and their government funders.
By-Law 19. The Annual General Meeting of the Corporation shall be held within 200 days (by March 19) of the Corporation’s fiscal year end (August 31).

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, ELECTED MAY 2019, RE-ELECTED OCTOBER 2021
Andrea Creamer (2019-2022, Co-Chair) 3 years

APPOINTED AUGUST 2019, ELECTED AUGUST 2020
Jennifer Laiwint (2019-2022) 2.5 years

APPOINTED APRIL 2021, ELECTED OCTOBER 2021
Zoltan Huber (2021, Treasurer) 1 year
Lee Wilkins (2021, Secretary) 1 year
Kourtney Jackson (2021) 1 year
Ana Luisa Bernardez (2021) 1 year
Sylvia Nowak (2021) 1 year

ELECTED MARCH 2018, RE-ELECTED AUGUST 2020, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Shahbaz Khayambashi (2017-2022, Co-Chair) 4.5 years

APPOINTED AUGUST 2019, ELECTED AUGUST 2020, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Clare Samual (2019/2021) 2 years
Miles Rufelds (2019/2021) 2 years

All Pleasure Dome Board Members, 1989-2022

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OCTOBER 6, 2021

Pleasure Dome Artists' Film Exhibition Group presents its

Annual General
Meeting & Election
Only 45 minutes long - minimum discussion,
all items to be prior-approved by the board.
Violating our by-laws, the board will not allow
non-members to be proxies at this meeting.
Be a member by Sept. 26 in order to vote.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021, 6pm

Zoom Video Conference from Toronto

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2019/2020: Board, after Appointments & Resignations
2018/2019: Board of Directors after 11 Resignations

Board of Directors 2020/2021 after
Appointments & Cancelled Election
August 26, 2020 - August 26, 2021

After Pleasure Dome's AGM and election in August 2020 (postponed for 5 months), 2 Directors resigned mid-term, leaving 6 Directors which is less than allowed by their by-laws. Their by-laws also require their next AGM and election be held by March 2021, but they cancelled it without informing their voting members or giving their reasons. Instead of the election, they appointed 6 additional Directors which is more than allowed by their by-laws, and ignored the democratic process required by Ontario law and their government funders. They have followed this pattern for 2 years in spite of protests at AGMs which are not mentioned in their minutes.
By-Law 3. The Members shall elect the Directors and the Corporation shall be managed by a Board of 7 to 11 directors.
By-Law 19. The Annual General Meeting of the Corporation shall be held within 200 days (by March 19) of the Corporation’s fiscal year end (August 31).

APPOINTED AUGUST 2017, ELECTED MARCH 2018, RE-ELECTED AUGUST 2020
Shahbaz Khayambashi (2017-2021, Co-Chair) 3.5 years

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, ELECTED MAY 2019
Andrea Creamer (2019-2020, Co-Chair) 1.5 years

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, ELECTED MAY 2019, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Yunglin Wang (2019-2020) 1.5 years

APPOINTED AUGUST 2019, ELECTED AUGUST 2020
Jennifer Laiwint (2019/2020) 1.5 years
Clare Samual (2019/2020) 1.5 years
Miles Rufelds (2019/2020) 1.5 years

APPOINTED AUGUST 2019, ELECTED AUGUST 2020, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Rupa Morzaria (2019/2020, Secretary) 1.5 years
Katie Connell (2019/2020) 1.5 years

APPOINTED APRIL 2021
Zoltan Huber (2021, Treasurer) 9 months
Lee Wilkins (2021, Secretary) 9 months
Kourtney Jackson (2021) 9 months
Ana Luisa Bernardez (2021) 9 months
Sylvia Nowak (2021) 9 months

APPOINTED APRIL 2021, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Lucas Cabral (2021) 2 months

All Pleasure Dome Board Members, 1989-2022

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2018/2019: Board of Directors after 11 Resignations

Board of Directors 2019/2020 after
Resignations, Delayed Elections
May 30, 2019 - July 30, 2020

By the time of Pleasure Dome's AGM and election in May 2019, so many directors had resigned from the board, there were only 5 remaining, although a minimum of 7 is required by their by-laws, and nobody new ran for election or was nominated. Two months later, the surviving 4 board directors found and appointed 8 new directors (more than allowed) without calling a General Members Meeting or even informing the general members. Then 4 more directors resigned early in their terms, including the Treasurer.

At the 2020 AGM and election, postponed 5 months until August, the remaining 8 board directors were confirmed, and one new nominee was voted down by the directors in spite of there being 3 board openings available. And since then 2 more directors have resigned mid-term, leaving 6 (less than allowed).

APPOINTED AUGUST 2017, ELECTED MARCH 2018
Shahbaz Khayambashi (2017-2020, Co-Chair) 3 years

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, ELECTED MAY 2019
Andrea Creamer (2019-2020, Co-Chair) 1.5 years
Yunglin Wang (2019-2020) 1.5 years

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, ELECTED MAY 2019, RESIGNED APRIL 2020
Lindsay LeBlanc (2019-2020) 13 months

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, RESIGNED APRIL 2019
Lauren Fournier (2019) 1 month

APPOINTED AUGUST 2019
Jennifer Laiwint (2019/2020) 1.5 years
Katie Connell (2019/2020) 1.5 years
Clare Samual (2019/2020) 1.5 years
Miles Rufelds (2019/2020) 1.5 years
Rupali Morzaria (2019/2020, Secretary) 1.5 years

APPOINTED AUGUST 2019, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Pohan Wu (2019/2020, Treasurer) 10 months
Sofie Mikhaylova (2019/2020) 7 months
Aljumaine Gayle (2019, Co-Chair) 5 months

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Board of Directors 2018/2019
after 11 Resignations
March 18, 2018 - June 30, 2019

Following Pleasure Dome's March 2018 election there were 11 board members, but 10 resigned in the middle of their 2-year term, not fulfilling their commitment.
In March 2019, instead of holding the annual election required by their by-laws, the board appointed 4 new members, but one resigned soon after.

APPOINTED AUGUST 2017, ELECTED MARCH 2018
Hope Peterson (2017-2019) 2 years
Shahbaz Khayambashi (2017-2019) 2 years

ELECTED AUGUST 2016, RE-ELECTED MARCH 2018, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Kami Chisholm (2016-2018) 2 years
Alexandra Gelis (2016-2019) 3 years

ELECTED APRIL 2017, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Henning Frederik Malz (2017-2018) 1.5 years
Leslie Supnet (2017-2018) 1.5 years

ELECTED MARCH 2018, RESIGNED MID-TERM
Thirza Cuthand (2018) 5 months
Zeesy Powers (2018) 3 months
SoJin Chun (2018/2019) 1 year
Rea McNamara (2018/2019) 1 year
Madi Piller (2018/2019) 1 year

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, ELECTED MAY 2019
Andrea Creamer (2019-2020, Co-Chair) 1.5 years
Yunglin Wang (2019-2020) 1.5 years

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, ELECTED MAY 2019
Lindsay LeBlanc (2019-2020) 13 months

APPOINTED MARCH 2019, RESIGNED APRIL 2019
Lauren Fournier (2019) 1 month

All Pleasure Dome Board Members, 1989-2022

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FEBRUARY 4 - MARCH 15, 2021

Pleasure Dome Artists' Film Exhibition Group presents its

Call for Board Members
Practicing media artists or cultural workers.
Volunteer work, minimum 4-6 hours per month.
Two-year term, monthly meetings, one staff person.
No compensation including exhibition of member's work.
Submit a current C.V. and a short statement of interest.
Facebook

Submissions February 4 - March 15, 2021

Pleasure Dome, Unit C, 1411 Dufferin St., Toronto

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AUGUST 26, 2020

Pleasure Dome Artists' Film Exhibition Group presents its

Annual General Meeting
Become a member by August 16 in order to vote.
To participate, RSVP by August 24. Facebook

Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 6:30pm

Zoom Video Conference from Toronto

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MAY 30, 2019

Pleasure Dome Artists' Film Exhibition Group presents its

Annual General Meeting
All are welcome but only members may vote.
Light refreshments served. RSVP. Facebook

Thursday, May 30, 2019, 7pm-8:30pm, free!

Dames Making Games Studio, 3rd floor,
Toronto Media Arts Centre (TMAC), 32 Lisgar St.
(west of Dovercourt, south of Queen), Toronto

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partial of email sent to members - May 1, 6:33pm
2019 Annual General Meeting Notice
Stand for election, or simply cast your vote!
Submit proxies by 5pm, Tuesday, May 28.

Agenda

7:00pm - Call to Order
7:05pm - Approval of Agenda
7:10pm - Approval of 2018 AGM Minutes
7:20pm - Annual Report
7:40pm - Financial Statements & Auditor’s Report

7:50pm - Election of Board of Directors.

Directors voted in for a partial year by the Board, now standing for election for their first two-year term: Andrea Creamer, Lauren Fournier, Lindsay LeBlanc, Yunglin Wang.

Directors mid-way through their first two-year term (do not stand for election at this time):
soJin Chun, Shahbaz Khayambashi, Rea McNamara, Hope Peterson, Madi Piller.

Director completing her first two-year term (may stand for re-election at this time):
Alexandra Gelis.

8:00pm - Other Business

Adjournment

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PLEASURE DOME STAFF ANNOUNCEMENT
email from Board of Directors - October 5, 2018

Pleasure Dome welcomes Theresa Slater, Operations and Development Manager.

Pleasure Dome's board of directors is pleased to announce the appointment of our new Operations and Development Manager, Theresa Slater, effective October 1, 2018. She is an artist and writer who works with creative facilitation, ethical theory, new materialism, digital bodies, and the intersections of feminism and technology. She is an MA graduate of Contemporary Art, Design and New Media Art from OCAD University in Toronto, Canada. Theresa will be responsible for a range of operational support, including promotion and coordination of seasonal screenings and events, as well as liaising with the arts community. Reach out to Theresa with questions and comments: pleasuredomemanager@gmail.com.

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INTERIM PLEASURE DOME STAFF
email from Board of Directors - May 3, 2018

Board Announces Succession Plan

Pleasure Dome Welcomes Kami Chisholm,
Interim Operations and Development Manager

Pleasure Dome has announced the appointment of Kami Chisholm as the organization’s Interim Operations and Development Manager. Formerly the Treasurer of the Board of Directors, Chisholm has resigned from the Board after two years of service in order to assume a newly created leadership role that will steer the organization’s restructuring and succession plan.

Chisholm is a queer, disabled, activist filmmaker and arts curator who has been making films for more than 20 years, since beginning her BA in Film Production and English from Loyola Marymount University. She also holds a PhD in History of Consciousness and Feminist Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a MFA in Film Production from York University. Her most recently completed documentary, Pride Denied (released in 2016 and distributed by Media Education Foundation and Vtape), explores topics such as a homonationalism and pinkwashing in the context of the 2014 World Pride festival in Toronto.
“Over the years, Pleasure Dome has become a vibrant and vital exhibition space for Canadian and international film and media arts,” says Chisholm. “I am thrilled to be working with our fantastic and dedicated board as Pleasure Dome continues to transition in new directions.”

Committed to a transparent succession plan in light of its accountability to diverse makers and local artists, the organization is now moving forward with an executive search. The job posting for the Operations and Development Manager can be found here.
Deadline for applications are July, 5, 2018.

“As we move forward in our search for the organization's Operations and Development Manager, Kami’s dedication and commitment to experimental media art and its unsung voices will be a tremendous asset,” says Board Chair Leslie Supnet. “Her leadership will provide strong continuity for the health and future of the organization.”

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CALL FOR JOB APPLICATIONS
Posted May 3, 2018 on Pleasure Dome website

Employment - Operations and Development Manager
Salary: $37,000 per year, plus health benefits.
Term: 4 days per week (30-35 hours).
Closing Date: July 5, 2018 at 5pm.

Pleasure Dome (PD) is an artist-run exhibition collective dedicated to the presentation of artists film, video and experimental media. With a curatorial mandate to program time-based work from local, national and international artists, Pleasure Dome presents a variety of different genres, styles and traditions from those of the historical avant-garde to contemporary post-modern strategies of video/film mixes, and other attempts to re-imagine the modernist experimental tradition. In an effort to foster a diverse and inclusive screening environment which encourages attendance from as many sectors of the public as possible, Pleasure Dome screens innovative works in engaging and “expanded” presentations which include installation and other unconventional exhibition formats.

Committed to year-round experimental media arts screening programs via expanded presentation forms, PD is seeking a dynamic, nimble, creative, organized and passionate candidate to contribute to PD’s success. Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the ideal candidate will be joining a small team dedicated to fostering the best of experimental film and video — in all its classic and emerging forms, ranging from local to international — for our audiences. PD is at a critical junction in its 40 year history, and seeks a candidate that can help steer the organization into its next phase.

PD is strongly committed to fostering diversity within our community. The organization is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes those who would contribute to furthering this mission, including, but not limited to: women, visible and invisible minorities, First Nations and Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons across the spectrum of sexual orientation or gender identity. Should you require accommodation during the interview process, please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.

As the Operations and Development Manager, you will provide a range of administrative and operational support including the implementation and maintenance of office procedures to facilitate day-to-day operations, bookkeeping and financial reporting, writing grants, coordinating the execution of seasonal screenings and events, organizing print traffic (film and digital media), and liaising with the local and international arts community. The Operations and Development Manager will also be responsible for managing social media, website and print materials to promote PD’s events throughout the year.

The Operations and Development Manager is employed by and responsible to the Board of Directors of PD and will play a vital supporting role in upholding PD’s Mission and Vision. As the main contact of PD, you will maintain and foster relationships with artists, members, funders, sponsors, the Board, volunteers and the general public.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The Operations and Development Manager will:
* Be responsible for the day-to-day operations such as taking telephone calls & messages, occasional errand running, cleaning as needed.
* Develop & maintain a broad master calendar for all PD’s events and operations, which will include: programming, grants, and Board meetings
* Manage and oversee all projects in marketing of the Season brochures and poster, which will include activities related to the core seasonal programming Provide financial reporting to the Board of Directors.
* Coordination of all screenings and other programming including logistics, venue booking, installation, artist relations, health/safety, audience development and public relations
* Attend Board of Director meetings.
* Delegation of volunteers, students and interns.

Grant Writing
* Manage the financial aspects of all grant applications, manage the annual grants and programming calendar, and special project funding.
* Ensure timely reporting related to the application process, financial cash flow and expense management related to grant revenues.

Finance Management and Legal
* Ensure the maintenance of accurate financial records and prepare monthly budgetary reports.
* Liaise with auditors. Ensure that legal, contractual, policy and other obligations of Pleasure Dome are met.
* Attend board meetings in an advisory capacity and ensure that decisions of the Board are carried out and communicated as requested.

Outreach and Public Relations
* Maintain currently planned community outreach strategies and workshops, lectures, and related programs. Maintain relationships with the general community, funders, members and other arts organizations.

QUALIFICATIONS
* Completion of a post-secondary diploma in a related discipline or relevant combined experience.
* Minimum of 1-2 years of experience in a similar role within an office environment.
* Quickbooks proficiency; granting writing skills and familiarity with CADAC an asset.
* Must have experience in generating and managing social media content for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, as well as web page content for WordPress.
* Experience with Google Docs.
* Experience in word processing, report preparation, office procedures/practices, scheduling and event coordination.
* Experience in grant writing.
* Organizational and administrative skills.
* Accounting and bookkeeping skills.
* Demonstrated knowledge of MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) as well as administrative,
* Excellent client service, oral and written communication, and time management skills.
* Familiarity with the media arts community in Toronto.
* Self-motivated and self-directed with responsibilities.

To apply, candidates should submit a letter of interest and CV in one PDF document by July 5, 2018 at 5pm to HRpleasuredometo@gmail.com. Please reference “Operations and Development Manager” in the subject line. No phone calls or visits please. For further information on Pleasure Dome, please refer to our website: http://pdome.org/

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS EMAIL TO COMMUNITY

The following email was sent out January 19, 2018 from Pleasure Dome's account exactly as it appears below, with no formal greeting at the top or signature at the bottom.

Pleasure Dome <pleasuredometo@gmail.com>
Friday, January 19, 2018 9:30 AM

Tom Taylor is leaving Pleasure Dome

After more than 25 years working as the Program Co-ordinator of Pleasure Dome, Tom Taylor is leaving a position that is being eliminated. He was amongst the first paid employees of the artist-run centre, and oversaw its shape shiftings across the decades. Dedicated to a nomadic reframing of contemporary and historical media arts practices, Pleasure Dome has remained an industrious and puckish outsider, with a regularly shifting cast of board members who helmed up the programming, ensuring that new views and fresh voices could be entertained. Tom was an encouraging presence, helping to shepherd whims and daydreams into 400+ coherent programs since 1991, booking venues and finding ways to convert impossible technical requirements into savvy solutions. He was the co-editor of the landmark Lux: A decade of artists’ film and video, and oversaw numerous other publications, including Blueprint, Cinematic Folds, individual artist monographs and the forthcoming Sculpting Cinema. We wish Tom well with his new practices and projects.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS' REPLY TO
"FRIENDS OF PLEASURE DOME"
Deficit Plan Budget

Pleasure Dome's email reply to "Friends of Pleasure Dome" on February 12, 2018 and shared February 13 to the Facebook event: Community Meeting Notice.

Dear Pleasure Dome members and community,

Recently, the Pleasure Dome board received a letter from members of the community requesting a special meeting to discuss recent changes within the organization. We welcome this opportunity to update you on the status of the organization in recent years, as well as changes this and previous boards have enacted to address structural issues within the organization. Please join us for this community meeting on March 11 from 2-4 pm at CineCycle, 129 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON.

In anticipation of this meeting, at which we will provide greater detail, we wish to take this opportunity to bring the community at large up to speed on some of the challenges the organization has faced in recent years that have spurred and necessitated the organizational restructuring undertaken by the board. The board has made most of these changes in response to new environments/demands on the part of the arts council agencies that primarily fund our organization. The board has also implemented key administrative improvements such as switching to a computerized accounting system, getting caught up with long overdue CRA obligations, amalgamation of updated bylaws, and computerized tracking of memberships, as well as continuing to write grants, create the seasonal programs, and restructure the budget in order to address the organization’s deficit.

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One of the most important changes enacted by the board has been to shift budgetary priorities from an administration-heavy budget to one that is more balanced. In particular, we want to put artists first. There are several ways we have strived to do this. Firstly, we wanted to increase artist fees, which we’ve already done. Artist fees have gone up by 30-60%, and we aim to increase this percentage. Our goal is to allocate at least 25% of our budget to the payment of artist fees (four years ago the percentage was less than 8%). This will likely be the highest percentage of any artist-run centre, festival, or cinematheque in the country. We would like to take IMAA (the national standard for media arts fees) at their word, that their fee schedules are recommended minimums. We are paying, whenever we can, well above those minimums. We would like to become the gold standard for artist fees paid in this country.

We would also like to note that, for more than a decade, Pleasure Dome has paid more for its office than for artist fees. We feel that paying artists is more important than paying for an office. As such, one of the major changes/savings in our budget has been to end our office lease.

Secondly, in our many conversations with artists, they tell us that technical support and good projection is important. We believe that film revisions, file format uniformity, equipment testing and projection are central to what we do. As you know, in the past this has been largely left up to volunteer board members, which worked out OK when there were artists on the board. But over the years Pleasure Dome has seen several board iterations with very few artists, and the suboptimal results speak for themselves. We believe that looking after and projecting artist’s media is work that should be valued and paid for. A big part of our restructuring of the organization, including staffing, has been to address the changing labour needs of the organization.

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Third, after years of institutional neglect, we wanted to turn our attentions to local artists. We feel that artists working here in Toronto are amongst the very best, and many have gone far too long without the attention they deserve. We have hosted many mini-retrospectives and reframings, and accompanied them with interviews and original writing. A few years ago there was a packed community meeting where artists protested the absence of local screen real estate. And of course they were right. This Pleasure Dome board has listened to those voices and responded.

Fourth, diversity. It’s not just a word. We hope that Pleasure Dome will never again have an all-white board and staff. Diversity is an embodied frame of reference, a culture of understanding, an unpacking of old truths. We have the most diverse board in the history of the organization, and perhaps not coincidentally, have run the most diverse programming. This is not just an ethical decision, however, about how to run the organization, it is also a key factor that the councils are looking at when funding organizations today, and Pleasure Dome has received warnings from the councils in recent years to this effect. Gone are the days when entire seasons exhibited only white artists. We want our organization to reflect the city we live in. We intend to continue to implement diversity in our programming and at all levels of our organization, which means a commitment to diversity of approaches as well as artists, and further, to the dismantling of dominant discursive practices.

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Fifth, we believe that basic duties like looking after social media, which in other artist-run centres is run by the staff, should not be done by board volunteers, and changes to the structure of the organization have been made to lessen the large work burden currently placed on the shoulders of volunteer Pleasure Dome board members. We believe that print traffic, grant writing, venue contracts and negotiations, equipment wrangling and dealing with distributors are not activities that need to involve volunteers. This board has put in hundreds of volunteer hours - approximately 1200% more hours than those committed by board members on similar local organizations (as cited by our board chair, Christine Lucy Latimer, in a report delivered at the 2017 Annual General Meeting of members) - and we have done that to support and celebrate local makings. This has not been kept a secret! Please check out our programming calendars, or better yet, come on down to see our shows. We’re in the middle of a pretty hot season right now.

Finally, many of you may be unaware that Pleasure Dome has been running increasing deficits. In the previous two years, as this board has worked as quickly as possible to make cuts to the organization’s spending to address this (including moving, then eliminating, the office), the deficit nonetheless grew to more than 15% of our overall budget (please see the board’s deficit reduction plan here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yCjENIODIqc-bNiQJMDOSAOJXO-dkQgo/view?usp=sharing). Along with issues of diversity and administration, this has resulted in Pleasure Dome losing our multi-year operational funding from both the Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council. It has also left us with over $9000 in cuts to our funding this year, a year in which most organizations are receiving large bonuses from the councils. Without realigning priorities and restructuring the organization, in one to two years there likely would not have been any organization left. Given the gravity of the situation we were forced to consider the possibility of shuttering the organization completely if restructuring wasn’t possible. We believe that our restructuring plan is, however, a much better solution than this alternative.

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We will be happy to discuss all this and more at our upcoming meetings. However, please keep in mind that we cannot and will not discuss anything related to human resources, including staffing decisions. As an employer, the Pleasure Dome board is required by labour law not to comment on the employment of current and past employees. We are, however, confident that the changes to the direction of Pleasure Dome that the board has made in recent years have been necessary and vital to the continued existence, health, and strength of the organization, and we look forward to involving you all in this ongoing process.

Sincerely, The Pleasure Dome Board of Directors
Kami Chisholm
Alexandra Gelis
Mike Hoolboom
Shahbaz Khayambashi
Christine Lucy Latimer
Jorge Lozano
Henning Frederik Malz
Hope Peterson
Leslie Supnet

"DEFICIT PLAN BUDGET" ATTACHED:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yCjENIODIqc-bNiQJMDOSAOJXO-dkQgo/view?usp=sharing

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COMMUNITY MEETING NOTICES
February 9, 2018: Webpage - FB Event

Pleasure Dome's webpage posted February 9.
Updated March 2 with venue change made February 22
(from Arcadia Co-op, Queens Quay, to 401 Richmond St. W.).

COMMUNITY MEETING NOTICE
Sunday, March 11, 2018, 2pm - 4pm,
The Commons, 4th floor, 401 Richmond St. W., Toronto

To all Pleasure Dome members, community members and artists – please join the Pleasure Dome Board of Directors in an open discussion about recent staffing and administrative changes at Pleasure Dome. This meeting will occur separately, and in advance of, Pleasure Dome’s Annual General Meeting (the announcement of which will be made later on in February).

Prioritizing full transparency and clear, informative practices across platforms, this notice will be made available on the Pleasure Dome website, and a Facebook event will be created. Please distribute to your networks via these channels accordingly.

Thank-you!

Please note: the location of this meeting has been changed to a fully wheelchair accessible venue. There is a ramp to get into the building, an elevator to the 4th floor, and wheelchair accessible bathrooms on that floor.

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2018 COMMUNITY MEETING

Facebook event page created by Pleasure Dome - February 9, 4pm

Community Meeting Notice
Sunday, March 11, 2pm - 4pm
401 Richmond St. W., Toronto

Pleasure Dome Community Meeting
March 11, 2pm-4pm
The Commons, 4th floor, 401 Richmond St. W., Toronto

To all Pleasure Dome members, community members and artists - please join the Pleasure Dome Board of Directors in an open discussion about recent staffing and administrative changes at Pleasure Dome. This meeting will occur separately, and in advance of, Pleasure Dome's Annual General Meeting (the announcement of which will be made later on in February).

Prioritizing full transparency and clear, informative practices across platforms, this notice will be made available on the Pleasure Dome website, and a Facebook event will be created. Please distribute to your networks via these channels accordingly.

Thank-you!

Please note: the location of this meeting has been changed to a fully wheelchair accessible venue. There is a ramp to get into the building, an elevator to the 4th floor, and wheelchair accessible bathrooms on that floor.

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2018 FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE THREAD

John Porter > Community Meeting Notice
February 9 at 5:24pm
Fantastic! Thanks for allowing 4 hours. We'll need it! :)
Like · Comment

Lydia Oh > Community Meeting Notice
February 9 at 7:02pm
Will this meeting be streamed and/or recorded?
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Kami Chisholm
February 13
No

John Porter > Community Meeting Notice
February 9 at 8:37pm
Why did you just change the length of the meeting from four hours to two? Four was perfect, exactly what's needed for this issue. Better to finish early at three hours, than kick people out after two hours.
1 · Like · 4 Comments

Kami Chisholm
February 13
We've left some leeway with the booking in case it goes over, but it is not our goal to have a 4 hour meeting. Your suggestion for making the community meetings an annual thing is a good one though, and I think it likely that the board would support it. I will bring it up.

Pleasure Dome
February 14 at 6:36pm
Everyone is welcome to have any conversations they like with each other after the meeting has concluded. But there will be no conversations about any human resources issues at this meeting.

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John Porter > Community Meeting Notice
February 10 at 5:21pm
13 past board members called for this meeting in a letter to the board February 5, concerned about the current board's lack of transparency with the general membership since before the last AGM.
The board's description of this event continues the lack of transparency and is misleading, referring to a "recent staffing change". It was last summer they suddenly eliminated their only staff position, the Program Co-ordinator, forcing the departure of Tom Taylor after 26 years, without consulting or informing the membership. :(
1 · Like · React · 4 Comments

Kami Chisholm
Edited · February 13 at 1:18pm
John, it would be helpful if you would stop spreading misinformation and conspiracies theories, as well as asking for things that would be illegal and unethical for any board of any organization to do: namely, discuss human resources issues. What you are suggesting we should have done - discuss the staffing aspects of the restructuring of the organization with the general membership - is outright illegal, and is not something that any board ever would do. In addition, the Pleasure Dome bylaws expressly empower the board to make all staffing decisions, and that is to make the organization in compliance with labour and human rights laws in the province/country. We have actually made every effort to be transparent and include people in changes to the direction of the organization that can be discussed, including holding a special consultation meeting last year, which you attended. We have expanded on why and how we have made ALL of the restructuring decisions over the past few years in our letter to the community, which I will also post here above, and we will be happy to further discuss anything related to the organization - except human resources issues, which we are legally prohibited from discussing with the membership - at this community meeting.
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John Porter
February 13 at 2:21pm
This isn't a board meeting or a members meeting, it's a Community Meeting. Nobody, including board members, are required to talk about anything, but anyone else may talk amongst themselves about anything they want to.

Kami Chisholm
February 13 at 3:35pm
Absolutely not. The "community" does not have the information the board has as an employer, and it is not proper for the board to share the information it has as an employer, so it is not possible for the community to have a fully informed discussion. That is why boards exist, and what this board was voted in to handle. In addition, it would be a violation of labor law for us to even allow a discussion of any particular person's employment, whether or not said person consents to such a discussion. We can discuss the budgetary and other reasons that necessitated restructuring the organization (for example, given current funding levels, had staff compensation remained at 2015-16 levels, it would have consumed over 69% of our annual budget this year... in addition, since we had to engineer a surplus of at least $10,000 this fiscal year to address the deficit, we would have been left with only $17000 for ALL other expenses other than direct employee compensation. This is all public knowledge and you can see it in the budget we sent out). It is simply mathematically impossible for the organization to have continued operating in this manner. And we can discuss current staffing needs of the organization in general. But we will not be discussing, nor will we allow discussion, of the employment of any particular staff person. This is not up for debate, as it is both the board AND members obligation under the bylaws to abide by ALL laws, and that includes (especially) labor laws. Let me be clear, if any such discussions are raised, we will shut them down immediately. If attendees do not respect our legal obligations, they will either be asked to leave, or, if necessary, we will end the meeting. We want to have as full and open a conversation as we can, but all attendees will have to respect these limitations. As I said, it is not up for debate, as the legal requirements of the board and organization as an employer are not up for debate under the law, regardless of any individual opinions.
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Kami Chisholm
February 13 at 3:50pm
Please also note that the board has passed the following Code of Conduct as well as an anti-harassment policy that is now in effect for all of our events. This applies to everyone, including you John, and we will be enforcing it.
Code of Conduct - Pleasure Dome
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Jennifer Chan > Community Meeting Notice
February 12 at 9:30am · Public
Why was I invited...? How may I help you? ??????
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John Porter
February 12 at 2:08pm
Hi Jennifer. I invited you because you're among Toronto media artists, the main reason Pleasure Dome exists. Thanks for offering to help! Please attend the Community Meeting if you can, and get some background from your FB friends on the current and past boards. Buy a $10 membership 10 days before the Annual General Members Meeting on March 18 so you can vote, including by proxy.

Greg Woods replied · 4 replies

Greg Woods
February 13 at 4:42pm
I was wondering too why I was invited! :-D
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John Porter
February 13 at 6:21pm
You're a Toronto Media Arts Exhibitor, like Pleasure Dome. Basically, I invited anyone I think may know of Pleasure Dome.
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Greg Woods
February 13 at 7:27pm
Media Arts Exhibitor! I like that! :-D
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John Porter
February 13 at 8:21pm
ECLECTIC Media Arts Exhibitor!
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Greg Woods
February 13 at 8:43pm
Hahaha. Someday the phoenix will rise!
1 · Like

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CODE OF CONDUCT 2018

Pleasure Dome shared a link to the event: Community Meeting Notice.
February 13 at 3:58pm · Public
Please note that that this meeting, as well as all future events, will be governed by Pleasure Dome's Code of Conduct policy and Anti-harassment policy. We have had numerous reports of harassment over the past few years, and we have implemented these policies to ensure that all of our attendees, members, board, or staff are treated with respect at all of our functions. All new and returning members will be asked to acknowledge and sign these policies during the registration process.

These policies have been implemented solely to ensure the respectful and non-discriminatory treatment of all community members, not to stifle debate or hard discussions. We welcome all feedback, questions, and concerns around issues that the board is legally able to address with the public.

Code of Conduct - Pleasure Dome

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Pleasure Dome email and webpage posted February 16.
Updated March 2 with venue change made February 22
(from Arcadia Co-op, Queens Quay, to 401 Richmond St. W.).

To Pleasure Dome Members:

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Sunday, March 18, 2018, 2pm - 4pm,
The Commons, 4th floor, 401 Richmond St. W., Toronto
Agenda

To all Pleasure Dome members in good standing, please join the Pleasure Dome Board of Directors in an open discussion about the current status and future direction of Pleasure Dome. Come with ideas for upcoming screenings and events and help us form the new Programming Collective, either by standing for election or simply by casting your vote.

Your presence at the AGM is crucial to the democratic process of our non-profit artist-run organization. For those in attendance, light refreshments will be served.

Note: you must be a member in good standing for a minimum of 10 days prior to the AGM in order to vote. If you joined anytime between March – December 2017, you will be required to present your paper Pleasure Dome membership card in order to vote or register a proxy. All members who have joined after January 1, 2018 will be listed in our new membership database. To join or renew your membership, visit http://pdome.org/membership/.

If you are unable to attend, you can choose to vote by proxy. All proxies for this meeting must be received prior to March 16, 2018 at 6:00 pm. To designate a proxy, please fill out the form here.

** This location is fully is fully wheelchair accessible. There is a ramp to the entrance of the building. Once inside, there is a wheelchair accessible bathroom on the same level just outside the meeting room.

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Agenda

1. Call for Quorum; welcome statement by Chair – Christine Lucy Latimer

2. Motion to approve Annual General Meeting agenda – Christine Lucy Latimer

3. Brief review of 2017 AGM Minutes; Motion to approve Minutes – Christine Lucy Latimer
2017 AGM minutes can be viewed here.

4. Written report from the Board Chair – Christine Lucy Latimer

5. Review of Financial Statements & Auditor’s Report for the Fiscal Year ending August 31, 2017; Motion to accept Auditor’s Report & Appointment of the 2018/19 Auditor – Leslie Supnet and Kami Chisholm
To view the 2016-17 Financial Audit, click here.
To view the 2016-17 Letter from the Auditor, click here.
To view the board’s deficit reduction plan, click here.

6. Proposed bylaw changes: click here to view the proposed changes.

7. Review of new policies for Board and Membership collective governance (Code of Conduct, Anti-Harassment Policy, Diversity & Inclusion Policy) – Christine Lucy Latimer
The new Code of Conduct and Anti-harassment policy can be viewed here.
The new Diversity and Inclusion policy can be viewed here.

8. Review of current status of 2017/2018 Board of Directors. All directors are entitled to serve for two terms.

Directors voted in for a partial year by the Board,
now standing for election for their first two-year term:
Hope Peterson
Shahbaz Khayambashi

Directors mid-way through their first two-year term
(these Directors do not stand for election at this time):
Leslie Supnet
Henning Frederik Malz

Directors mid-way through their second two-year term
(these Directors do not stand for election at this time):
Mike Hoolboom

Directors completing their first two-year term
(these Directors may stand for re-election at this time):
Christine Lucy Latimer
Kami Chisholm
Alexandra Gelis
Jorge Lozano

9. Nomination and Election of the new Board of Directors/ Programming Collective for a two-year term starting March 18th, 2018

10. Motion to end meeting

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Board of Directors 2017/2018
April 23, 2017 - March 18, 2018

END OF 2-YEAR TERMS
Christine Lucy Latimer (2015-2018) 2.5 years, 2nd full year
Alexandra Gelis (2016-2018) 2nd full year
Kami Chisholm (2016-2018) 2nd full year
Jorge Lozano (2016-2018) 2nd full year
(Jorge Lozano resigned February 25, 2018, 3 weeks before the end of his 2-year term.)

MIDDLE OF 2-YEAR TERMS
Henning Frederik Malz (2017-2019) 1st full year
Leslie Supnet (2017-2019) 1st full year
Mike Hoolboom (1989/1990, 1996/1997, 2015-2018) 4th full year
(Mike Hoolboom resigned February 25, 2018, in the middle of his second 2-year term,
and 2 weeks before the public Community Meeting on March 11, 2018.)

END OF PART-YEAR TERMS
Hope Peterson (2017/2018) 1st half-year
Shahbaz Khayambashi (2017/2018) 1st half-year

All Pleasure Dome Board Members, 1989-2022

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PREVIOUS PLEASURE DOME
COMMUNITY MEETINGS
Public Conversation, July 2014

JANUARY 2017 IN TORONTO

Pleasure Dome presented its

Board of Directors'
Community Meeting
A special community sound-out session.
Refreshments served! Facebook

Sunday, January 15, 2017, 2:30pm - 5pm

519 Community Centre, 519 Church St., Toronto

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JULY 2014 IN TORONTO

A 9-month-long Facebook discussion, Oct 2013 to July 2014,
culminated in Pleasure Dome's event - "A Public Conversation":

Pleasure Dome presented

A Public Conversation on
Diverse Media Exhibition
Saturday, July 5, 2014, 5pm, free!

CineCycle, behind 129 Spadina Ave., Toronto

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A CRITICAL REPORT ON PLEASURE DOME
by John Porter, September 2023

I have been a voting member for many years, and I served on the Board of Directors 1992-94, of Pleasure Dome Artists' Film Exhibition Group of Ontario, which is a publicly-funded, artist-run, non-profit corporation operating in Toronto since 1989.

Since 2016 different Pleasure Dome boards have made significant changes to the structure and operation of the organization without consulting or even informing the voting members-at-large, including at their Annual General Members Meetings (AGMs).

In late 2017 the board eliminated Pleasure Dome's only staff position, Program Co-ordinator, which had been occupied for 26 years by Tom Taylor who was widely respected and appreciated by countless past board members and programmed artists. But the board had not consulted the voting members-at-large about their plan at two consecutive AGMs, or even informed the members until months after the deed was done.

So in early 2018 I helped to organize a protest letter to the board signed by 13 past board members, and after I personally protested publicly, the board barred me from their events and membership, and commissioned a third-party investigation and report. The report was critical of both me and the board, but mostly critical of the board, with strong recommendations including that they be more transparent with, and work more closely with, the voting members-at-large. But they never informed the voting members about the existence of the report, it's recommendations, or what the board has done about them, if anything. It seems that the report was shelved.

In recent years the Board of Directors has systematically postponed their Annual General Members Meetings (AGMs) and open elections of a new board (held online during the pandemic) beyond the time required by their own by-laws. Then they unilaterally appointed their own slate of new board members before each postponed election, granting those new board members immediate incumbent status at the election, where they are all elected. Those AGM postponements got longer each year until 2022 when they held no AGM or election, but instead appointed 6 new board members without the required election.

Of the 24 board members since 2019, 16 originally accepted being appointed to the board instead of first running in an election which was overdue at the time. That includes 7 of the current 8 board members. They've done this for 5 years now with no explanation given to their voting members-at-large.

When they announced those 2022 board appointments on Instagram, I commented, simply asking when the 2022 AGM and election was held, and that I, a member, hadn't heard about it, but they promptly removed my comment and blocked me from their Instagram account. And this year they barred me once again from being a member and attending AGMs, maybe because I objected to them making their AGMs so short that no time was allowed for discussion of motions being voted on.

AGMs and open elections are required at a specific time every year by Pleasure Dome's own by-laws, and consequently by Ontario corporate law and Pleasure Dome's government funders. I think that manipulations and censorship combined with a lack of transparency and accountability at a publicly-funded, artist-run centre is disturbing, and it has been occurring at Pleasure Dome for several years. I ask Toronto film artists to join me in questioning Pleasure Dome's Board of Directors and their actions.

John Porter, Toronto film artist since 1968.
https://www.super8porter.ca/Pdome4.htm

 

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