The Finnish Comics Society was founded in conjunction with an international exhibition of comics at the Amos Andersson museum in 1971 . It is an association of makers, readers, collectors and researchers of comics. It presents comics both to the wider public as well as to the cultural establishment.
There are approximately 800 members . The association also reaches readers through its magazine Sarjainfo , which is distributed to libraries etc. The Association aims to promote the awareness and critical reading of comics , and especially to make cartoons more respected. The quality and appreciation of Finnish comics is boosted by the development of various official support-mechanisms.
The association is in co-operation with its Nordic counterparts and corresponding foreign organizations.
The mainly volunteer-based office of the Association will answer questions about comics as well as supplying information on cartoonists and schools and courses, and acting as a consultant for exhibitions . The main event of the Association is the annual Helsinki Comics Festival , to which all cartoonists and people interested in cartoons are welcome to participate in. Since 1972 the Society has awarded annually the Puupäähattu Prize to Finnish comics artists. The Prize was named after the hat of Ola Fogelberg’s classic character Pekka Puupää. The following artists have received the hat:
There are also many local comics associations that bring together local comics enthusiasts.
Sarjainfo
(Sarjainfo =Comics-info)
The oldest and largest magazine of its kind in Finland, Sarjainfo has been published four times a year ever since 1972. It charts the history as well as the present of comics and animation, presenting news and reviews as well as interviews with both Finnish and foreign cartoonists.
Comics Library
The library is situated in the student library of the Helsinki University.
» opening hours and address
The collection collected by the Finnish Comics Society consists of 80 shelf metres of material, for example
-approx.1200 albums of both Finnish and foreign comics
-an important collection of independent Finnish comics ·
-literature dealing with comics
-collections of certain magazines
-newspaper-clippings Next to Finnish comics the collection centers on French comics of the 1970s
-comics from Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Italy, the U.S.A, England and Poland.
Presently the collection is currently deponated to the Aralis Library and Information Centre in Hämeentie 135 A, 00560 Helsinki. It is possible to offer material (independent publications and literature about comics) to the Association. Due to limited storing space the Association reserves the right to choose whether the offered material will be included in the collection.
Helsinki Comics Festival
The Helsinki Comics Festival will return for every autumn! For more information visit the official website:
» Helsinki Comics Festival
Contacting information
Suomen sarjakuvaseura ry
(The Finnish Comics Society)
PL 927
00101 HELSINKI
tel. 09-685 6100
fax. 09-685 6100
E-Mail: sarjakuvaseura[at]uiah.fi