Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are an integral part of the Worcester Art Museum! In the galleries, library or offices, at special events, at the Visitor Service Desk, or elsewhere in and out of the Museum, our volunteers' service is invaluable to making the Worcester Art Museum function smoothly. From daily tasks to special exhibition openings, volunteers serve on a weekly, monthly or as-needed basis.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, call (508) 799-4406 x 3079 in August.
Who can become a Museum Volunteer?
You can! Volunteer positions are open to all individuals who meet application requirements and are willing to commit to required time minimums (not applicable to all positions). We also ask that volunteers become Museum members so that they receive all mailings about the changing exhibitions and ongoing activities within the various departments. As members, volunteers also receive discounts on Museum classes and in the Museum Shop and the Museum Café!
What's in it for me?
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| Volunteer Appreciation Dinner |
· Free Worcester Art Museum Admission (also, certain New England cultural institutions extend discounts or free admission to WAM volunteers).
· Opportunities to meet new and interesting people with similar interests:
Volunteer Kick-Off Dinner in the Fall.
Volunteer Appreciation Dinner in the Spring.
· Monthly e-letter that provides information on upcoming volunteer opportunities, news and invitations to volunteer events.
· Gain knowledge of the Museum's collection and art.
Where would I volunteer?
Almost all departments throughout the Museum find volunteers to be an indispensable addition to their staff.
Curatorial, Conservation and Registration
The Curatorial Division is responsible for the care, tracking and exhibiting of all art objects in the Museum's collection. Generally volunteers in these departments need to make a minimum of one-year commitment due to the depth of training necessary to complete the projects available.
Development, Membership and Marketing
The Development Division is responsible for all contributed income raised by the Museum, including grants, donations and bequests. Volunteers are requested by the Development Department for special projects and to participate in events, mailings and phonathons.
The Membership Department is charged with the recruitment and retention of Museum members. This department uses volunteers for a variety of tasks such as filing, mailings, and general office work and to work at the membership table at special events.
The Marketing Department's main goal is to promote the Museum as the leading central Massachusetts cultural destination. The division includes the Communications and Graphic Design departments, and often requests volunteers to help in labeling and stuffing envelopes for media releases and the distribution program, searching newspapers for related stories, preparing stories for archiving and entering them into the Public Relations database. Also, college intern projects include marketing research surveys and analyses.
Education Division
The Education Division engages more than 6,000 youth and adult students in hands-on art studio classes each year. The division looks to its volunteers for assistance at special public events such as Family Day, the Latin American Festival and First Night Worcester, and also for more regular commitments (3-5 hours per week) to help with specific programs (including Art All-State).
The Education Division also houses the Docent Program. Docents are specially trained volunteers who teach visitors in the galleries during tours of the Museum. Docents spend 18 months in training and are expected to give at least two years of service to the Museum beyond their training period.
Finance Division
The Finance Office is responsible for the proper handling, control and recording of all financial transactions within the institution. Volunteers assist the accounts payable area by matching checks with invoices and stuffing envelopes for payment to vendors.
Library
The library of the Worcester Art Museum is a non-circulating bibliographic resource dedicated to the history of art. Volunteer positions include editing work on the computer (basic Windows computer skills), working at the reference desk (familiarity with searching the Internet and using on-line databases), creating library databases using Access and filing slides and shelving books.
Special Events
The Special Events Department plans and manages special events for both the Museum and for outside clients. Volunteer positions include guest registration at exhibition openings, assisting at Family Days and other general tasks.
Other Opportunities
Visitor Service Desk Volunteers are the first line of contact between the Museum and its visitors. Specially trained to represent the Museum as a welcoming force, they also give out information, respond to questions and special needs, and sell Museum memberships. A commitment to scheduled weekly shifts is preferred, however fill-in positions are also available. A 4-hour training is required.
Gallery Information Volunteers are scheduled to be in the Museum galleries to offer general Museum information to the public and to provide additional Museum presence in the galleries. A 4-hour training is required.
For more information call Ann Iaccarino, Volunteer and Visitor Services Coordinator, at (508) 799-4406 x3079 or e-mail at anniaccarino@worcesterart.org.