GUILDS, COLLEGES, AND SOLARS, oh, my

(Taught June 2, 2016 for the Aire Faucon Newcomer A&S Night)
(Taught October 21, 2017 for the War of the Wings newcomer track)

One) Structure Levels of Organizations in the SCA

1. Canton
2. Barony
3. Regional
4. Kingdom
5. Knowne World

Two) Type of Art Organizations in the SCA – Unofficial / non-legal entities

1. Guilds – Structured, usually with a guild head, regular meetings, and an advancement structure to encourage learning.
2. Colleges – Some offices’ structures are highly guild related and support colleges. Some have an advancement structure and others do not. Example: Heralds, Scribes
3. Orders – Awards given at the Barony or Kingdom level sometime include membership within a group. Examples: Order of the Phoenix Eye (Baronial Arts), Order of the Golden Dolphin (Kingdom Service)
   • Polling
   • Additional activities
4. Solars / Workshops – Activities at events where people are welcomed to participate in an art activity and/or ask questions. Often someone will have extra for teaching.
5. Circles – At events. Usually performance in nature, usually after nightfall. May or may not require attendees to participate.
6. Online interest groups – Examples: Sacred Stone Scribes, Heralds email list, Pennsic Chorus
7. Knowne World Symposiums and Academies – Herald and Scribal Symposium, Dance Symposium, Middle Eastern Drum and Dance Symposium, Academy of the Rapier, Costuming Symposium
   • Knowne World Fiber Arts Symposium – November 11-12 in Calontir (Iowa)

Three) Cantons of Aire Faucon (AF) & Charlesbury Crossing (CC) Guild-Like activities

1. Practices – Fighter practice in CC at Freedom Park
2. Scriptorium – Sometimes a member of AF and/or CC will host a scribal day at their house
3. Leatherworking – AF has ongoing regular meetings on a leatherworking theme

Four) Barony of The Sacred Stone Guilds and Guild-Like Activities

1. Sacred Stone’s Cook’s Guild – help cook events, welcomes all cooking types (herb, brew, research, kitchen, serving, etc)
2. Sacred Stone’s Scribes
3. Order of the Phoenix Eye – November – Runestone Collegium (even years); In a Phoenix Eye (odd years)
4. Solar Fibers
5. Sacred Stone Guards

Five) Kingdom of Atlantia – (touch on guild size and activity levels)

1. Related to Offices of the Kingdom

• University of Atlantia
• Atlantian College of Scribes
• Atlantian College of Heralds

2. Highly Active Kingdom Guilds

• Atlantian Herbal Guild – The Herbal Guild is open to all: Topics used by Guild Members shall include but are not limited to: gardening, drying and preservation of plant materials, apothecary, medicinal, alchemy, bathing, cosmetics, culinary herbs, herb lore, midwifery, dying of fiber, creation of paints, and housewifery.
• The Company of the Silver Spindle – The Atlantian Spinning Guild. See information below
• Atlantian Brewers Guild

3. Other Guilds Chartered by Kingdom

• L’Academie Atlantienne de la Danse – Dancing
• The Atlantian Performers’ Guild
• Arachne’s Web of Atlantia – Lacemakers
• Atlantian Embroiderers’ Guild
• St. Anne’s Guild of Clothiers
• The Corsairium – Research, development and teaching of the nautical aspects of the SCA.
• Plus lots more – Kingdom guild information can be found through the A&S office’s website. And for those not appearing there search on “Atlantian (fill-in-the-blank) guild”.

Six) Knowne World Guilds

1. Chirugeon Guild – Broken up into Kingdom Chapters. Often will recognize Masters from other Chapters.
2. College of Heralds – Broken up by Kingdom, but does have Knowne World heads.
3. Academy of Defense