Association of European Printing Museums
Minutes of the Annual general meeting 2024
The annual general meeting took place on the 24 May 2024 at the TYPA Centre, Tartu, Estonia.
Were present or represented at the meeting:
Board members :
Charlotte Biszewski (TYPA, Estonia), Robert Clerebaut (Belgium), Patrick Goossens (treasurer, Belgium), Indra Kupferschmid (HBKsaar, Germany), Alan Marshall (webmaster, France), Lise Morisseau (Atelier-Musée de l’Imprimerie, France), Stefan Soltek (chair, Germany)
Excused: Joseph Belletante (Musée de l’Imprimerie et de la communication graphique, Lyon, France), Marie Manuel de Condinguy (Imprimerie nationale, France), Nadine Rousseau (Les mille univers, Bourges, France).
Individual and organisational members:
Book Art Museum, Poland (Tymoteusz Tryzno) — Deutsches Museum, Germany (Sonja Neumann) — Friends of the Press Museum Fjeld-Ljom, Norway (Marit Brandsnes, Jan Erik Øvergård, Annikki Torgersen) — Gramus, Sweden (Mats Larsson, Maria Methi) — Grafiska Museet Linköping, Sweden (Kennet Davis, Erik Gunnarsson) — Gutenberg Museum, Germany (Sarah Zabel) — Industriemuseum, Belgium (Armina Ghazaryan) — Kner Printing Museum, Hungary (Erzsebet Novotny) — Moara de hartie, Romania (Ion Georgescu) — Musée de l’imprimerie et de la communication graphique, France (Hélène-Sybille Beltran, Fernande Nicaise) — Museum für Druckkunst, Germany (Katerina Grushka, Katherine Walter) — Museum of Books and Printing, Ukrainia (Valentyna Bochkovska) — Museum of Science and Technology, Serbia (Slobodanka Sibalic) — Museum Plantin-Moretus, Belgium (Joost Depuydt) — National Library of Latvia, Latvia (Ineta Vaivode) — National Print Museum, Ireland (Mary Plunkett) — Norwegian Printing Museum IDDIS, Norway (Lene Amalie Aadahl, Eva Marie Jansen, Ima Maufe) — Kunstprenteverket, Norway (Knut Ketil Oftedahl) — Speelkaartenmuseum, Belgium (Elke Grommen, Leon Jenssens, Herwig Kempenaers) — Stiftelsen Skansen, Sweden (Arina Stoenescu) — TYPA, Estonia (Maria Muuk) — Verein für Schwarzkust, Germany (Anne König).
Proxies:
Association des Amis du Musée de l’imprimerie et de la communication graphique, France — Cho Yiu Cynthia Ng, United Kingdom — Pascal Fulacher, France — Printing Historical Society, United Kingdom (Ben Weiner, secretary).
Non-voting non-membres present:
GG Print Studio, Sweden (Lina Nordenström) — Lithuanian Union of Artists, Lithuania (Teodora Jurčytė-Šukaitienė) — Peace Paper Project, Germany (Drew Matott) — Underground Printing Museum, Lithuania (Vaidotas Andyiulis, Darius Zubricka) — UPUPÆPOP, Czech Republic (Eva Horská, Jakub Horský).
Introduction
AEPM President Stefan Soltek opened the meeting with a warm welcome to all participants.
1. Attendance sheet
Approval of all Annual General Meeting members
2. Approval of the minutes of the Annual General Meeting 2023
The minutes are unanimously approved. Lise Morisseau is appointed secretary of the Annual General Meeting.
3. Chairman’s report
Stefan Soltek reports on the main events of 2023, including the publication of the Association’s first book, Talking about printing, the success of the annual conference organized by the Klingspor Museum and the Haus der Stadtgeschichte in Offenbach, and the appointment of two new board members, Charlotte Biszewski (TYPA, Estonia) and Lise Morisseau (Atelier-musée de l’imprimerie, France). Of particular note was the launch of the online Worldwide Hand Press Database, the fruit of twenty years’ research by our North American colleague Bob Oldham. WHPD currently lists some 2,200 hand presses, with their main features and locations. Suggestions for additions and corrections can be made by contacting whpd@aepm.eu. Stefan also expressed his satisfaction at seeing the board team become stronger and more involved.
The Chairman’s report was unanimously approved.
4. Auditor’s report
Patrick Goossens, the Association’s Treasurer, presents the main points of the auditor’s report, which was sent to members with the invitation to the Annual General Meeting.
The auditor’s report is unanimously approved.
5. Approval of accounts for 2023
Patrick Goossens reports on financial activity for 2023 and the satisfactory state of AEPM’s finances. The 2023 financial year closed with a net surplus of 5,211.89, which will be carried forward to the following year.
The main expenses relate to the organization of the 2023 congress in Offenbach (€6,060), the accountant’s fees (€571.73), the website domain name (€111.86) and miscellaneous overheads such as stamps and postage, etc. for the annual call for subscriptions (€185.85).
In terms of resources, membership fees (€5,150.30) and conference attendance (€4,040.00) were the main sources of income, corresponding to a total of €9,190.30. Adding the profit brought forward from the previous year, our cash position (ING bank account and Paypal) stood at the end of the year at just over €12,052. More precise details, as mentioned, can be found in the official auditor’s report.
As far as income is concerned, we hope to maintain membership at its usual level and encourage members to keep their subscriptions up to date.
The 2023 accounts having been explained by Patrick Goossens, AEPM Treasurer, they were unanimously approved.
6. Determination of membership fees for 2024
There are currently two types of membership fee: €50 for regular members and €200 for supporting members.
The regular membership fee has remained unchanged for twenty years, but costs are increasing, such as accounting fees, website management, and so on. As a result, the question of increasing membership fees was raised.
It was stressed that AEPM’s policy is to remain open to all, including small structures with modest budgets, the diversity of its members being one of the Association’s strengths. In order to reconcile diversity and financial stability, Stefan Soltek suggests that membership for publicly-funded museums be increased to around 100 or 150 euros per year, on a voluntary basis. The exact amount will be decided by the Board of Directors.
7. Discharge of the auditor
This item is unanimously approved.
8. Renewal of auditor’s term of office
This item is unanimously approved.
9. Discharge of the members of the Board of Directors for their terms of office in the previous year
This item is approved unanimously.
10. Renewal of the Association’s Board of Directors
The next statutory triennial renewal of the Board is not due until 2026.
This item is unanimously approved.
11. 2024 budget
For 2024, certain recurring expenses are already planned, such as the web designer’s fee for developing the Worldwide Hand Press Database and AEPM’s contribution to the cost of the annual conference at the Typa Museum (€2,500).
During the discussion, the usefulness of the Worldwide Hand Press Database was commented on.
The 2024 budget was unanimously approved.
12. Outlook for 2025
For 2025, the AEPM wishes to maintain the website’s functionalities, such as the Museum finder, publications, conference proceedings, news section…
On this subject, webmaster Alan Marshall reminded members that they can share their news by sending press releases about upcoming events/exhibitions etc… And Indra Kupferschmid added that these could be uploaded directly via the site’s member interface.
The Association will also need to plan for updating the site in the coming years, as its content is beginning to exceed the capabilities of its initial design. Alan invites all those interested in this project to participate, as the website is an important means of giving visibility to the actions of printing museums and drawing attention to the importance of graphic heritage.
AEPM will also be supporting the organization of the next conference, both financially and in terms of advice.
13. Next AGM 2025 and conference venue
Schedule of future conference venues:
2025: to be determined
2026: Plantin-Moretus Museum, Antwerp, Belgium (date in autumn)
2028: Les Mille univers, Bourges, France (Capital of Culture 2028)
Unfortunately, the 2025 date proved impossible for two member organizations that had expressed an interest in hosting an AEPM conference, so we’re still looking for a host for the next conference venue.
Indra Kupferschmid stressed that hosting the annual conference is open to all, as the Association’s policy has always been to adapt the format and scope of the conference to the needs and possibilities of the host. She emphasized that AEPM provides both financial and communications support. Lise Morisseau added that a Guidelines for conference hosts document is available to anyone interested (even on a provisional basis), and that the Board of Directors is always happy to answer questions.
Other matters
Over the past year, the Board of Directors has created five working groups to support AEPM’s activities:
- Knowledge exchange and education
- Succession and transfer emergencies
- Social media/website/resources
- Equipment sales and acquisition
- Conference organization
A document was distributed at the conference, so that people could sign up to create mailing lists for the groups. For those who were unable to attend the Tartu conference, it is still possible to register online: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15iYXqwKcWpneh77RvHSPtlZMZ0N0lyEf42DU7AGyrps/edit?usp=sharing
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10.15 a.m.
Lise Morisseau
Secretary of the AEPM