Volunteer

Event Assistants

Responsibilities

Event Assistants help in a variety of roles at events such as exhibition opening receptions, concerts, PechaKucha Night, Canada Day, Simcoe Day, Labour Day, Unionville Festival activities at the Varley Art Gallery, community events, and fundraising events (Vintages at the Varley; Rouge: Varley Gala). These roles include:

• Greeting and welcoming visitors to the gallery
• Providing information about the Gallery, art exhibitions, and specific activities
• Ensuring that visitors do not bring food and beverages into the exhibition spaces
• Reporting any safety issues to your supervisor
• Assisting with maintenance of traffic flow through the gallery lobby and exhibition spaces to ensure safety at all times
• Providing all visitors with a positive experience
• Ushering guests to their seats
• Assisting with event set up and clean up
• Assisting with food and beverages

Required Qualifications:

• Interview Results: Event Assistant or Program Assistant or Program Leader
• Valid and clear police check, requested within the last 120 days
• General Online Orientation Workshop

Program Assistants

Responsibilities:

• Providing individual support to help participants with program activities.
• Delivering instructions one-on-one to participants who require additional support.
• Preparing crafts and materials.
• Assisting with setting up the program space.
• Taking stock of program supplies and equipment.
• Becoming involved alongside instructors and participants to generate enthusiasm and engagement.
• Assisting the instructor with managing the participants and activities.
• Assisting with clean up of the activity space.
• Monitoring participants to ensure their safety and well-being at all times.

Required Qualifications:

• Interview Results: Program Assistant or Program Leader
• Valid and clear police check, requested within the last 120 days
• General Online Orientation Workshop

Docents

Docents have a strong interest in art, art history and/or education, and conduct guided tours of the Varley Art Gallery exhibitions for students and adults alike. Utilizing the techniques of dialogue, inquiry, and storytelling, docents encourage the public to explore their own creativity and learn about the various exhibitions at the Varley Art Gallery. In addition, docents accompany art instructors to teach in classroom outreach programs at schools and other facilities, and are responsible for building connections with teachers, principals and facility directors.

Responsibilities:

• Some of the tasks you will perform as a Docent include:
• Representing the Varley Art Gallery to community members and answering in-depth questions about the current, upcoming and past exhibitions.
• Promoting the Varley Art Gallery’s education programs (both in-house and outreach) to the community.
• Attending a mandatory Introductory Docent Training Course provided by Varley Art Gallery Education Coordinator, Sarina Luchetta. This includes completing a selection of readings and shadowing experienced docents on guided tours to gain knowledge and skills in leading groups.
• Researching the current and upcoming exhibitions.
• Attending mandatory training pertaining to the upcoming exhibition. These training sessions further develop knowledge on art, allow docents to acquire teaching skills, and to gain an understanding of the purpose of the Gallery and each exhibition. Training date TBD.

Required Qualifications:

• Interview Results: Program Leader
• Valid and clear police check, requested within the last 120 days
• General Online Orientation Workshop
• Completion of Varley Art Gallery Introductory Docent Training Course

Gallery Attendants

Gallery Attendants supervise the exhibition spaces at the Varley Art Gallery during operating hours to ensure the safety of the artworks on display. In addition to ensuring security, Gallery Attendants also enhance the public’s experience by welcoming all visitors upon entry to the exhibitions. Attendants also provide basic information about the shows presented at the Varley Art Gallery.

Role Responsibilities / Volunteer Tasks:

• Representing the Varley Art Gallery to community members and answering basic questions
• Monitoring the exhibition spaces for security purposes
• Reminding visitors of the gallery rules (no food or beverage permitted in the galleries, large bags to be left at the front desk or stored in the closets, only non-flash photography permitted, no touching of artwork)
• Completing exhibition incident reports as required
• Reporting adverse conditions in the gallery (e.g., burnt-out light bulbs, labels out of place, changes to the artwork, etc.) to the front desk immediately
• Being friendly and approachable with visitors
• Keeping an eye on all visitors in the gallery while allowing them to enjoy their experience
• Asking for assistance from Front Desk staff when required so that the gallery is monitored at all times

Required Qualifications:

• Interview Results: Program Leader
• Valid and clear police check, requested within the last 120 days
• General Online Orientation Workshop

1. Go to the Volunteer Portal at myvolunteerpage.com and create an account
   Select "Culture" as the department you are interested in volunteering with.
   
   
2. Go into your Volunteer Portal account and sign up to attend an interview with any City of Markham department.
   
   
3. View the online General Orientation Workshop here:  Video
   and complete the Final Quiz here: Quiz


4. Get a Police Vulnerable Sector Check
   Valid within 120 days of date of issue. Visit your local Police Services website for more information.

For inquiries, please contact:

Francesca Dauphinais, Development Officer
Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham
Email: fdauphinais@markham.ca
Phone: 905-477-7000 extension 3264