Membership Information & FAQ

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We have two stages to our application process:

1. RAV application form: This is for your membership component. Some questions are optional. You will be asked whether you are adding insurance to your membership and a total fee is calculated. You may pay via Credit Crad or PayPal or if you are a Small Creative Organisation we can also issue you an invoice on request. Your application will not be processed until payment is received.
   
2. GSA Insurance Application: If you add insurance, you will be asked to proceed to the GSA application form at the completion of your RAV membership form. You are also sent the link to the insurance application form by email after you submit the RAV form. Your insurance will not be valid until you complete the GSA form.

Once these stages are complete, payment has been received and your applications are approved, we are able to confirm your membership. Insurance documents will be issued by GSA directly to your nominated email address.

We will contact you if there are any issues or queries regarding your application.

Please allow a minimum of 10 business days for membership applications to be finalised. Some insurance applications need to be referred to the Insurer by the Insurance Broker and may require 2-4 weeks to finalise.

The Membership Team at Regional Arts Victoria will process your membership application and GSA Insurance brokers will process your insurance application. For Small Creative Organisations, we will check your application against the three eligibility criteria.

When you apply you must agree to our Membership Terms and Conditions to be eligible.

Individuals

You must be based in Victoria and over 18 years old to apply for Membership.

Organisations

To be eligible for Small Creative Organisation Membership with Regional Arts Victoria, applicants must be:

1. Based in Victoria, or have their principal place of business in Victoria.
2. Have the promotion of regional arts or cultural pursuits as a primary or principal focus.
   
   Please note that RAV now offers Small Creative Organisation Membership to for-profit and not-for-profit organisations. This change was made at RAV’s May 2024 AGM. Read more about our constitutional change here: RAV offers membership and insurance for Victorian creative businesses.

Gross annual income is your or your organisation’s total annual income from all sources before tax. This includes all income sources, for example:

• Grants received this year
• Sales
• Donations
• The income of groups you plan to auspice
• Dividends
• Income form major events (for biennial events, calculate an average over two years)

The stated gross annual income should be evidenced by financial statements. Members are able to update their income annually via the renewal process.

The figure you provide is only your creative practice income, and not any other employment or income you have. You are able to provide an estimate if the exact figure is not known. E.g. If you receive income from selling your artwork and you are a salaried schoolteacher part-time, you do not include your salary income in this figure.

Yes, funding from grants is included in the gross annual income. If the organisation receives a grant one year but not the next, they may update the gross annual income via the online renewal form each year, and the fee for optional General Liability Insurance will be adjusted accordingly.

If your organisation is new, you can put $0 on the RAV Membership application form. If you are applying for insurance, please provide an estimate on the GSA Insurance application form, you could base this off of any budgets you have made to project your income.

We use this information for advocacy. These figures can be used for statistics and reports to push for funding, support or programs which could benefit our members and regional Victorians. These figures are never attributed to names without written permission. View our privacy policy for how we store your information: https://www.rav.net.au/privacy-policy/

This question is optional for Individuals on the RAV Membership Form. Organisations will be required to complete their gross annual income as this determines the cost of their optional Combined Liability insurance. 

GSA Insurance Brokers ask this as a required question, as it determines the total renewal policy cost and could affect any claims you may make in the future. When you fill out the insurance form with GSA (after our application form), we are unable to see that information and they do not share it with us. Please contact GSA directly to find out more about their privacy policy. The details for GSA are on this page: https://www.rav.net.au/membership/insurance-information/

Everyone renews at the same time each year for the coming yearly membership cycle which runs from 31 October to 31 October. We send a renewal reminder around mid-July each year, this outlines the specific due dates for the renewal period between July and September.

The renewal process for this year is as follows: 

• Step 1: Submit your renewal form by 18 September 2024* and make payment.
• Step 2: If you are adding insurance, you will need to apply through the GSA website. You will be directed there after you submit your renewal form. 
• Step 3: You will be sent confirmation of your membership once your payment has been processed. If you completed an insurance application via the GSA website and it’s approved, you will receive your insurance documentation directly from GSA on or before 31 October 2024, valid for 1 year. Then you’re all set to use your membership benefits! 

* IMPORTANT: Late forms and payments will be accepted at the full fee rate until July 2025, however, to receive your documentation on 31 October 2024 and maintain continuous coverage please renew by 1 October 2024. There will be no pro-rata rates applied for late renewals going forward.

All Members share the same renewal date: 31 October.

Member renewal reminders are sent via email in mid-July, August and September each year, with your unique renewal link. Once renewed we will discontinue renewal reminders, however, please respond if you receive an email stating that you are yet to complete your GSA Insurance form. The renewal link will remain active for 31 days after your renewal date. To reactivate your Membership after 31 days, please contact us by email, do not submit a new application.

If you haven’t received an email and think your renewal is due, please check your SPAM inbox, and then contact us using the details below.

If you submit your renewal by the due date, you will receive your documents by 31 October.

If you submit a late renewal, please allow a minimum of 10 business days for membership applications to be finalised. Some insurance applications may require 2-4 weeks to finalise.

You can update your membership contact details by contacting our Membership Team on 1300 882 531 (Press 1 for Membership) or at [email protected].

You are also able to update these details on your renewal form each year.

If you have insurance, and need to change any of the following details:

• Change of Membership/Insured name
• Change of address/phone other contacts
• Change to interested parties

You need to send changes to GSA Insurance Brokers via email only (they will not accept phone changes). RAV is unable to forward these on, they must come directly from you. Find GSA’s contact details here.

Once you become a RAV member, you will receive login details to access our website and set-up your public profile. You are also able to:

• Add events to our What’s On listings – which also goes into our monthly Enews and can be selected to appear on the RAV social pages!
• Access our range of resources – new resources are coming in 2024!
• Access information on over 5,000 live grants through the Funding Centre SmartySearch Database.
• Receive priority and free access to RAV events and tours.

Already a member?

If you are an Organisation Member who has their own members, you are able to offer them half-price RAV membership. To access this discount, login to the Membership Dashboard to access the discount code to pass onto your members.

Our SmartySearch tool is an online grants search tool powered by the Funding Centre’s comprehensive grants database. SmartySearch makes finding grants easy for RAV members, with free access to an unlimited number of grant searches.

The information we collect from you is used to generate your Membership Benefits, including insurance policies. Regional Arts Victoria values your privacy. For details on how we collect, store and use information, review our Privacy Policy. If you have questions, contact us at [email protected]

New and renewing Members will be sent confirmation of membership once payment has been processed. If you completed an insurance application via the GSA website and it’s approved, you will receive your insurance documentation directly from GSA. If you would like your insurance documents resent, please email [email protected]

Regional Arts Victoria’s Membership Team is not authorised to provide insurance advice. If you have an insurance query that is regarding your specific activities, please read the Insurance Information and contact the broker at [email protected].

Please visit our Insurance Information page to read the FAQs and view the policy documents.

Regional Arts Victoria’s Membership Team is available to discuss your application or provide information about our Membership Program. We also love to chat to our Members and hear all about what you are up to! Call us or email us any time.

For questions about the insurance policies and coverage or to obtain a copy of your insurance certificates valid until 31 October 2024 please contact GSA Insurance Brokers.