Quick recap
The Graphic Recorders Australia (GRA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) covered updates on the organization’s activities, financial status, and future plans. Debbie reported on membership numbers and VizConf 2025, noting a small loss despite efforts to reduce expenses. Matt presented the financial report, revealing a significant negative balance due to overbilling by a web developer, which led to a decision to grant a $4,000 loan to the association. The committee discussed the need to re-evaluate the website’s maintenance and development, with a focus on prioritizing essential updates. Ben was elected as the new president, succeeding Tatum, who stepped down after three years in the role. The group also addressed the need to review and potentially update the State of the Nation survey results and discussed the challenges of social media engagement for the organization.
Membership and VizConf Update
Debbie reported on current membership numbers, noting 36 professional members and 31 associate members, with 7 new associate members in 2025. VizConf generated revenue of $27,000 but ran at a loss of $507, primarily due to $6,000 in refunds for canceled workshops and program changes, as well as generous profit sharing with international guests. Debbie expressed satisfaction with the event’s small size, which allowed for quality interactions, and announced she would not organize the next VizConf, hoping for new leadership within the community.
Debbie discussed the success of VizConf and expressed her willingness to hand over the event to someone else, offering support and resources. The group reflected on the January timing of this year’s VizComp, noting that it coincided with school holidays and travel, which impacted attendance. Debbie suggested future events might be better held in February or March. The group also discussed a potential collaboration with IAF Oceania for their conference in Geelong, with opportunities for GRA to have a stall and run scribe sessions. Debbie proposed organizing a group trip to Geelong, including a shared Airbnb and social activities. Cath suggested that future VizConfs could be less formal and involve more collaboration among participants.
Financial Loss and Developer Contract
Matthew explained that the organization ended up with a negative profit for the year due to a combination of factors, including unnecessary frequent website updates by a web developer and expenses coming in at the last minute. He shared that they have paused the contract with the developer and are negotiating a make-good, the developer had offered 45 hours of additional work in lieu of a refund. Matthew also mentioned that he had to grant the association a $4,000 loan from Sketch Group to keep the organization solvent. The team discussed the use of the 45 hours of free work from the developer, with Debbie emphasizing that these hours should not be spent on updating plugins.
GRA in the future
The group discussed the potential for GRA to expand its reach in Australia and New Zealand, with Ben expressing enthusiasm for the organization’s growth potential. They agreed to focus on showcasing members’ work on social media rather than using it for broad outreach, with Debbie and Andy sharing their experiences and concerns about social media effectiveness.
The group also discussed committee roles, with Ben taking over as president, Matthew continuing as treasurer, and Debbie staying on as secretary and vice president. Ben expressed gratitude for the opportunity and commitment to continue the group’s work.
