Roles, responsibilities, guidelines, and benefits
Becoming an ATypI country or community delegate is a fantastic way to get involved with our typographic community on a deeper level, and to promote innovation and the incredible work of our members and peers. ATypI delegates are part of an international group of people who love type and work in typography and related fields. They are an important part of our tradition of supporting and elevating our field and the richly talented people working in it.
ATypI delegates are dedicated volunteers who have demonstrated a passion for the typographic community, contributed to ATypI and its mission in the past, and wish to contribute in a more meaningful way.
If you are interested in being part of the ATypI CD team, we would be delighted to consider your application. The link to the form is at the bottom of this text.
Effective October 1, 2022
The Association Typographique Internationale Inc. (ATypI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in the State of California in the United States. ATypI is democratically run by a board elected by its members. ATypI is bound to operate by its bylaws, and the laws of both the State of California and the United States rules governing nonprofit entities.
Current ATypI bylaws, adopted September 2016 during the ATypI conference in Warsaw.
Joining the CD Team
Delegates are appointed by the ATypI Internationalization Committee, consisting of a group of ATypI board members and general members of the association. Applications are received on a rolling basis, and delegates may be selected at any time during the year.
Anyone applying for an ATypI delegate position must be a current paid-up member at the time of nomination and appointment, and continue to be a member in good standing throughout their tenure as a CD. Any ATypI member may recommend another member for a CD role, but all aspiring delegates must fill out an application form and agree to be considered.
ATypI CDs are typically appointed for a three-year term. Delegate terms may be extended based on necessity and mutual agreement between ATypI and a particular delegate. ATypI delegates may end their term(s) earlier should personal circumstances warrant. In the rare circumstance that a CD becomes inactive and/or unresponsive for an unreasonable period of time, ATypI reserves the right to remove the delegate from the position and appoint an active ATypI member in their place.
The Spirit of Volunteerism
ATypI is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity and ongoing involvement of many wonderful people to fulfill its mission. A vitally important part of ATypI is its unique group of country and community delegates from around the world.
The primary goals of the CD program are to help ATypI keep in touch with typographic communities, promote typographic activities within these communities, and assist ATypI members and the broader international community in developing a deeper understanding of typographic trends and initiatives within geographic regions and cultural communities.
An ATypI delegate is a member volunteering to report on activities of a typographic nature within their community, and to help inform, promote, and broadcast information about international ATypI activities within their network. Our delegates may represent a geographic area, cultural community, diaspora, a broad language-based group, a communiy dedicated to the revival and/or perpetuance of a minority script, or other relevant communities and networks.
An ATypI delegate acts as a kind of community liaison. CDs are representatives of ATypI, and are expected to behave as such, including supporting and promoting typographic communities, uplifting the work of colleagues and competitors alike, following the ATypI Code of Conduct, and being respectful of others.
Our delegates come from all walks of typographic life. Typographers, type designers, graphic designers, creative directors, design educators, web designers, font engineers, researchers, and many others in the typographic field are all excellent candidates to become ATypI delegates.
ATypI delegates should be prepared to give an appropriate amount of time to the association, with an eye toward elevating their communities. ATypI is flexible with regard to the number of delegates in the program. If deemed necessary by ATypI, there may be multiple delegates assigned to represent a continent, country, region, cultural community, etc.
ATypI delegates have a pathway to additional leadership roles should they choose to take this route—for example, they might run for a seat on the ATypI board of directors, chair a committee, lead an initiative such as a working group or special interest group (SIG), work as part of a conference team, and more.
ATypI Delegate Annual Report
Producing an annual report is an essential task assigned to each ATypI delegate. They are expected to contribute an updated report each year, written in English, describing events of typographic interest within their community.
Reports may feature a wide variety of typographic content. Included events may be group activities such as exhibitions, conferences, film screenings, typeface releases, collaborative art projects, courses, workshops, etc., but also may be personal highlights such as awards and prizes, tributes, scholarships, obituaries, and memorials, etc. Delegate reporting will also serve as a basis for building a robust archive documenting typographic activities worldwide. Reports will be published on the ATypI website and may be promoted on social media channels and other platforms.
The purpose of an annual delegate report is to enlighten the ATypI membership on local life or cultural community activities, trends and evolutions, and the state of design education and business, etc. Thanks to the dedication of our delegates, these reports can give ATypI members and the broader typographic community a bird’s-eye view of a community, whether a continent, country, or other locality, or a cultural community sharing a specific commonality related to typography.
In addition to submitting written materials, ATypI delegates may be given the opportunity to present a version of their annual report in the shape of a live or pre-recorded presentation during an ATypI conference. Video reports may be created by delegates or by other collaborators such as community correspondents/reporters.
Delegate reporting is required annually
Tip: Throughout the year, delegates are encouraged to keep a written record of books, exhibitions, awards, typeface releases, etc. Blogs and other publications may be helpful to the community, but there’s nothing like the curated content provided by an ATypI delegate. Annual delegate reports are filtered, reviewed, and edited for an international audience. The Internationalization Committee is ready to support ATypI delegate efforts.
Community Elevation, Support, Promotion, and Cross-Collaboration
Below are some ideas on how delegates can help keep ATypI a thriving, meaningful, and highly supportive global organization.
- Create a localized or culturally targeted version of the ATypI Wikipedia page
- Maintain your own contact info on the ATypI website and be available to members of your community
- Maintain a localized or culturally curated version of official ATypI presentation documents, such as the organization’s history, role, tasks, conferences, etc.
- Publish a website or blog with news from your local typographic scene or typography within a particular cultural context
- Spread the word about ATypI conferences and other activities and initiatives—ATypI will provide promotional assets to assist with this responsibility
- If a delegate organizes or participates in projects such as symposiums, conferences, publications, etc., ATypI is happy to consider endorsing or partnering in such activities. ATypI cannot guarantee endorsement or sponsorship of all proposed initiatives, but will strive to support and promote as many delegate and community activities as possible.
Collaborating with ATypI
Below are a few examples of how ATypI can support and promote the activities of delegates and their communities.
- Publish annual reports and discuss how to work upstream with the ATypI community
- Participate in cross-promotional opportunities on your own, third-party, and ATypI platforms, including websites, blogs, social media channels, video channels, calendars, and such
- Track potential speakers for ATypI events
- Track potential partners and sponsors to obtain discounts and benefits for ATypI members
- Assist with recruiting and proposing new ATypI delegates and members
- Request endorsement for relevant events within a community
Key Tasks
- Renew ATypI membership annually
- Submit written delegate reports in the first quarter of each year
- Attend annual ATypI conferences, now typically presented in May, as well as other events held throughout the year
- Delegates should promote all ATypI activities, including sharing news about conferences, calls for proposals, scholarships, volunteer opportunities, publications, etc.
- Encourage community members to join ATypI
- Report on ATypI events attended
We’re Here to Help You Succeed
ATypI will provide information regarding delegate service and updates to requirements and offer training and mentorship for new delegates wherever possible.
Use this application form to apply to become an ATypI CD. The ATypI Internationalization Committee would be happy to consider your application as soon as possible.
Each country and community delegate must be a currently paid-up member of ATypI in good standing. If you haven’t already joined or renewed your membership this year, please visit https://atypi.org/inside-atypi/membership/ to make payment. Individual membership fees start at $60 USD per year.
If you have questions about applying or serving as an ATypI delegate, or if you would like to nominate a fellow member of ATypI to this role, please email getinvolved@atypi.org.