By Renee Wood
Admiring artist’s work at the YAVA art gallery in Healesville is quite an enjoyable past time, but it’s also something highly embraced by volunteer gallery guides.
The role provides support to the hub by being the first face to face contact in the gallery as volunteers invite visitors through the space and managing retail sales among other things.
Lynn Baxter is one of the latest recruits and said a highlight has been attending the exhibit launch events.
“The artists speak about the art and what their process is and their thoughts behind why they’re doing their art, so that’s always interesting to find out,” Ms Baxter said.
Adele Begovich is another gallery guide who isn’t an artist herself but loves being surrounded by it.
“I’ve always been drawn to art – I love going to art galleries and this is even better because you get to talk to the artists and I do like it when they explain how they come up with ideas,” Ms Begovich said.
And by learning more from the artists on show, this helps to build knowledge for conversation starters with visitors who come by.
Training and workshops are also provided to each volunteer who joins the creative ‘tribe’.
Retail manager Kimberley Hughes said gallery guides are paired together but they can also be joined by the artist themselves during the shift.
“Sometimes artists who exhibit do a shift as a gallery guide as well during their exhibitions and so sometimes when you’ve teamed up with one of the artist it makes a very interesting half a day, three and a half hour shift – you get to have a one on one with an artist,” Ms Hughes said.
Currently YAVA is on the lookout for more volunteers to join their team, with the opportunity open to anyone artists – hobby creatives – or art admirers.
The experience would also benefit someone who’s looking for work experience in the gallery space, which can be used on their resume for future work in the art space.
Gallery guide coordinator Serafina Munns, who’s also a volunteer, said she always leaves the shift feeling energised and it is a wonderful opportunity to meet like-minded people.
“You don’t have to be a member of YAVA to be to be a gallery guide with us – you can be a gallery guide without joining which certainly gives you a connection and it’s very worthwhile,” Ms Munns said.
“I started volunteering and then joined as a member and then upgraded to an artist member so it’s just one of the ways you can be involved and try it out in a way.”
YAVA Ceo Kate Baker said the member based organisation has further opportunities to volunteer which may be through social media and various other projects.
“We’re representing the community and enriching our community with art and so to make this possible, it only can work if we have people volunteering to help make it happen,” Ms Baker said.
“We want people here to be able to share that it’s a beautiful environment to be in but also you want them to be in a position where they can share about the artwork and talk about who is YAVA and how we run workshops.”
For more information contact volunteer@yava.org.au
