§ 1 Name and registered office

(1) The association bears the name "Grieg-Begegnungsstätte Leipzig e. V.", hereinafter referred to as the association.
(2) The association has its seat in Leipzig. The office is located in the meeting place Talstraße 10, 04103 Leipzig.
(3) The business year is the calendar year.

§ 2 Aims and tasks

(1) The purpose of the association is the promotion of art and culture through the sponsorship of the Grieg-Begegnungsstätte Leipzig. Its main purpose is to make the cultural work of the master of Norwegian music known to the public through exhibitions, concerts, lectures and colloquia. At the same time, the association wants to make a contribution to the cultural and intellectual life of the city of Leipzig.
(2) The association strives to maintain the tradition and history of Edvard Grieg's relations with Leipzig, especially with the Conservatory, the Gewandhaus and the publishers Max Abraham and Henri Hinrichsen.
It promotes German-Norwegian cultural exchange by inviting to concerts, lectures and readings with and about important Norwegian personalities.
(3) The association works politically and denominationally independently.

§ 3 Legal form/common benefit

(1) The association was registered on 4.1.1999 under the number VR 3139 at the district court Leipzig in the register of associations.
(2) The association pursues exclusively and directly non-profit purposes in the sense of the section "tax-privileged purposes" of the German Fiscal Code.
(3) The association is selflessly active; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.
(4) Funds of the association may only be used for the purposes set out in the statutes. Members do not receive any allowances from the association's funds.
(5) The members of the executive committee and the members of the association work on an honorary basis.
They are entitled to reimbursement of their actually incurred and verifiable expenses, if this has been confirmed by the board. They may, however, receive appropriate remuneration for their work for the Association, which does not exceed the applicable tax-free allowance pursuant to § 3, No. 26a of the Income Tax Act, if this has been unanimously approved by the Executive Board and the General Meeting.
(6) No person may be favoured by expenses that are alien to the purpose of the association or by disproportionately high remuneration.

§ Section 4 Acquisition of Membership

(1) Any citizen who has reached the age of 16 may become a member of the association.
(2) Members can be individuals, companies, associations or corporations.
(3) Admission is effected by submitting a written application for admission to the board of directors, which decides on the admission.
(4) In order to fulfil the tasks of the association, members of the German-Norwegian Friendship Society, Regional Group Central Germany, can be involved in the work of the association.
(5) The Association may agree with other associations and institutions on mutual membership free of charge. Further details are regulated by the board of directors through a concrete agreement with the partner in question.
(6) Upon proposal of the Executive Board, but also of each individual member of the Association, the General Assembly may elect meritorious members of the Association as honorary members or former presidents as honorary presidents. In this way outstanding services in the work of the association are honoured. The approval is given by the general meeting according to the election regulations. Honorary members and honorary presidents are exempt from paying membership fees.
(7) The Board of Directors may award honorary membership to individuals or institutions for special non-material and material commitment to the Association. This is a symbolic appreciation. Honorary members can participate with voting rights in all meetings and events of the association.

§ 5 Termination of Membership

(1) Membership ends by resignation, exclusion or death of the member, in the case of legal entities by their dissolution.
(2) The written cancellation of membership becomes effective at the end of the year.
(3) The membership expires if a member is two years in arrears with the payment of the membership fee. In advance, the member will be asked in a last reminder letter by the executive committee whether he/she wishes to maintain his/her membership. If there is no answer within 4 weeks, the membership is cancelled.
(4) Each member can be excluded by the general meeting at the request of the executive committee if he/she does not fulfil the obligations according to the statutes.

§ 6 General Meeting

(1) The highest organ of the association is the general meeting. It should take place in the first quarter of the year and must be convened in writing.
(2) The general meeting has the following task:
a) Election of the executive committee.
b) Consultation and decision about fundamental plans and intentions of the association in order to achieve the goals according to the statutes.
c) Passing resolutions on the annual financial plan, including subsequent confirmation of unforeseen expenses from an amount of 500 euros.
d) Acceptance and confirmation of the statement of accounts.
e) Discharge of the board for the expired period.
f) Confirmation of the election regulations and the rules of procedure.
g) Resolution on the contribution rules.
h) Resolution on the exclusion of members and the election of honorary members and honorary president.
i) Resolution on the amendment of the statutes and dissolution of the association.
(3) General meetings must be called in writing 3 weeks before the set date with the agenda. Motions concerning the agenda must be submitted in writing to the Executive Board at least 4 weeks before the meeting.
(4) Resolutions of the general meeting are passed by simple majority. Abstentions are not counted. In case of a tie, a motion is rejected.
(5) Extraordinary General Assemblies must take place if the Executive Board considers this important in the interests of the Association or if at least one quarter of the members request this in writing. The board is obliged to call a general meeting in writing within 8 weeks thereafter.
(6) Resolutions on amendments to the statutes or dissolution of the association require a majority of three quarters of the votes cast. Motions to this end must be announced in writing in the invitation.
(7) A record of the results of the general meeting must be drawn up and signed by the respective chairman of the meeting and the keeper of the minutes. The members are to be informed of this in writing.
(8) General meetings can be combined with events of the association.

§ 7 Election of the executive committee

(1) Every member has the right to submit nominations for the Executive Board.
(2) Elections to the Executive Board can only take place if they are announced in the written invitation at least 3 weeks before the election.
(3) The executive committee is elected by the general meeting for a period of 2 years.
(4) The executive committee consists of the president, the deputy president, the treasurer and up to seven assessors. One member of the board can be appointed by the board as an honorary executive member of the board. In the event of a tie in the Board of Directors, the President shall have the casting vote.
(5) If a member resigns from the Executive Board, a new member can be co-opted into the Executive Board. It must be confirmed or newly elected at the next general meeting.
(6) The procedure and modalities of the election of the executive committee are regulated by the election regulations, which must be confirmed by the general meeting.
(7) Postal votes are possible. Further details are regulated by the election regulations.

§ 8 Tasks and powers of the board / representation in legal transactions

(1) The executive committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure, which must be known to the general meeting 3 weeks in advance and confirmed by it.
(2) Tasks and powers of the executive committee as well as the representation in legal transactions are regulated according to §§ 26 - 31 of the BGB.
(3) Representation in legal transactions is carried out individually by the President and the Deputy President. In the event of being prevented from doing so, another member of the Executive Board may be authorised by the Executive Board.

§ 9 Financing/Use of funds

(1) The association is financed by membership fees, donations and grants. Membership fees are regulated by the fee regulations. The general meeting decides on the membership fees upon proposal of the board.
(2) The Finance Control Commission, consisting of two members and appointed by the Executive Board, controls income and expenditure as at 31 December and is accountable to the General Assembly of Members. It may also commission a tax office with the financial control.

§ 10 Dissolution of the Association

(1) The association can be dissolved by resolution of the general meeting. For this decision three quarters of the members present are required.
(2) The board of directors has to regulate the financial matters within 12 months after dissolution. It remains capable of acting and responsible to this extent.
(3) In case of dissolution or cancellation of the association or in case of loss of tax-privileged purposes, the assets will fall to the city of Leipzig, which shall use them exclusively and directly for non-profit purposes in the musical field, preferably for the promotion of young musicians.

§ Section 11 Final Clause

(1) Should provisions of these Articles of Association be wholly or partially invalid or later lose their legal validity or feasibility, the validity of the remaining provisions of the Articles of Association shall not be affected.
(2) Amendments to these statutes, which are required by the local court or the tax office, can be independently resolved by the executive committee in place of the general meeting, if this is in the interest of the association. The resolution of the board must be unanimous. The members must be informed about it.

§ 12 Place of jurisdiction and place of performance

Place of jurisdiction and place of performance is Leipzig.
These statutes were adopted by the general meeting on 25 September 2010.