RESIDENTS with a love of learning and desire to serve their community are invited to express interest in becoming an Art Gallery of Ballarat guide.<\/p>\n
Gallery director Louise Tegart said the job of a guide is to welcome visitors, provide them with an introduction to the institution, including when it opened and what its purpose is, and share tales about the space and the works within.<\/p>\n
\u201cTours are free seven days a week. They\u2019re not walking lectures, they\u2019re a chance share interesting stories that you might not necessarily get from the labels next to works on the wall,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are opportunities for visitors to reflect on what they\u2019re seeing and have a discussion. The most fantastic part of it is experiencing the passion of the guides.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe guides find out a bit about the visitors, and can tailor tours to what they\u2019re interested in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gallery guides receive in-house training to understand works on display, the broader collection of historic and contemporary pieces, and records.<\/p>\n
They need to be able to commit to the gallery twice a month, but can access guest speakers, and art-centric excursion opportunities for additional research and development.<\/p>\n
Guides convenor Dinah Toohey is seeking at least 10 more people to volunteer their time to the organisation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Gallery is such a beautiful place to work. It\u2019s the best regional gallery in Australia and it\u2019s a thrill to be a guide here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoy the social aspect of being a guide. We\u2019re quite a close-knit group.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prospective guides do not need to be an art expert, just to have an interest in art and history, a thirst for life-long learning, and willingness to educate individuals and groups.<\/p>\n
\u201cA great guide has an innate curiosity, a rapport with people, is somebody who is articulate, can synthesise information, and present it in an interesting, compelling way,\u201d Ms Tegart said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur guides come from a wide variety of backgrounds, they love the Gallery, love Ballarat, and are keen to give back to the community,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n