Meeting Today & Minutes
Tim Martin
corrections to typemuse...@gmail.com
Emergency change of Venue Today Van Gogh Cafe upstairs 18.30
(Due to physical closure of the Museum to Visitors).
Brixton Road and corner of Mowll Street
Near opposite end of Hackford Road
Please pass this on!!!
Type Museum Society
www.typemuseumsociety.org
typemuse...@gmail.com
Wednesday 24th May 2006
Meeting at The Type Museum.
Present: 40 including:
Former staff: Tim Martin(tm), Howard Bratter(hb), Caroline Bray(cb), Becky
Jacobs, Pat Bray. The following supplied their details:, Brian Heppell, Dave
Dabner, Barry Felstead, Ben Simpson, Joshua Ross, Michael McDonnell, Ian
Hampson, Frank Roper,, Ian Mortimer, Judith Thursby, Michael Heseltine,
David Penfold, Stephen Lubell, Ben Weiner, Aaron Seymour, Sarah Mahurter,
Pete Maloney, Andreas Pohancenik, Alex Cooper, Paul Barnes, Danny Flynn,
Nicholas Pickwood, Charlie Fuller, Spyros Zevelakis,Sallyanne Theodosiiou,
Tony Lynes, Ian Gibb, Paul Antonio, Andy Clark.
Apologies had been received from: Ian Chilvers, Phil Baines
Numerous messages of support received
Tim Martin opened the meeting explaining that he had called it following a
statement from the trustees to the staff of the museum that it was to be
closed due to financial problems. He had E-mailed friends and interested
parties the previous day, and the purpose was to see what could be done to
avoid the closure and preserve access to the collections. A notice board
displayed about a third of the e-mails of support sent to
typemuse...@gmail.com.
The Background was explained that the Type Museum had existed since 1992 and
had expanded the collections but was not financially successful. Limited
staffing meant expansion was not possible. HB said he had been director for
2 years He had been informed by the trustees on Friday last that they had
taken the decision to close the Museum and make the staff redundant. The
terms of acquisition mean that parts of the collection revert to the care of
the Science Museum and V&A Museum should the Type Museum close, meaning the
dispersal of this unique collection. HB acknowledged that theTrustees had
struggled for 14 years to obtain funding to keep going. Staff had currently
consisted of HB, 4 paid part-time workers and a number of volunteers.
TM said there appeared to him to be 3 strategic options
1. To keep Museum open as storage for collection.
2. To try to maintain current level of limited access.
3. Source enough funds to actually develop the Museum and find it a
permanent home.
CB stated that to maintain current position £30,000 a month was required
just to pay rent, bills and basic salaries. To employ sufficient staff to
develop the Museum this would increase this to closer to £50,000 per month.
It is believed that it would be relatively easy to find funding for projects
from various sources. It was the basic running costs which needed to be
assured. The only remaining reliable income was from NMSI which contributed
£125,000 pa towards cost of looking after their part of collection, and this
was only guaranteed for next 3 years. Needed approximately £500,000 pa.
Ian Mortimer asked were any Trustees present? There were not and no specific
date for closure had been given. Legal responsibilities lay with Trustees
and they are able to make the final decision.
TM proposed to form a properly constituted Type Museum Society of people
interested in supporting and working to keep Museum open. In the 2 years
since HB had been director significant progress had been made but there was
no funding to forward many of the key ideas for expansion.
Paul Antonio asked how things could move forward. Agreed that major press
and media campaign needed. James Mosley said the Association of European
Printing Museums had approached him to give a talk following an article he
had produced on existing major collections of type history. It seemed a
priority to make this body aware of the situation. HB is a member of this
Association. Despite the growth in general interest in typography has not a
high profile subject, but TM stated that 60-70% of visitors to the museum
are graphic students. Many colleges had closed their collections which made
the museum a very valuable research facility.
Questions were asked about the current position of the trustees, of whom
there are three, and what dialogue was going on between them and the staff.
HB is their agent, but may only attend meetings if invited to do so. Any
contact with them should be through him. It was pointed out that the museum
no longer owns the building it is housed in, and that the charitable trust
which runs the museum has never been incorporated and therefore the trustees
are liable for any debts, which makes it difficult to recruit. Not clear
what financial position is or whether there are outstanding debts, and HB
was not free to discuss this.
Aaron Seymour asked how formation of a Museum Society would impact on
relationship with trustees. CB felt it had to be assumed that the trustees
were as anxious to prevent closure as anyone and any evidence that outside
support was forthcoming could only be welcomed. Tony Lynes (Southwark
Explorers Club) asked if the local MP (Kate Hoey) had been approached. He
had some contacts and would try to take this forward. CB said Lambeth
Council Arts Development Officer had visited recently and been very
enthusiastic.
Judy Thursby queried why the proposed name was not Friends of the Type
Museum. TM explained that although some individuals had signed up as Friends
of the Type Museum they were not constituted as an organised body and had
only rarely been mobilised in support of the Museum.. The Museum did have an
active support from a wider but looser group of volunteers, some of whom
were present. TM believed a group which had some independence from the
formally constituted Museum could be more helpful at this time
A representative from Camberwell College suggested that connections with
colleges and schools interested in graphics was the most likely source for
support and funding. The Rector of the University of the Arts, Michael
Bichard, could be approached to seek financial help for the museum a
research collection.
Tim Wainwright pointed out that trustees must be made aware of the level of
concern and that they were not without support themselves. What was needed
firstly was to establish regular funding and it was suggested a group of
8-10 people, meeting regularly, could explore the possibilities and
establish the best means of supporting the Museum.
It was agreed that initially a small group should write to the Trustees to
arrange a meeting to discuss how best to prevent the closure of the museum.
There were 3 volunteers Spiros Zevelakis, Brian Hepple and Paul Antonio.
TM agreed to send further E-mails to let supporters know outcomes of the
meeting. and announced a follow up meeting to be held at the Type Museum in
one week 31.05.2006 at the same time 18:30.