Opportunities in photography, archiving, arts/crafts, film, installation, design, galleries/exhibitions, curating and more
The University’s Active Student Volunteering Service is open throughout the summer, so those of you who are looking for summer vacation volunteering or thinking about it for the autumn term, just get in touch. We can even support graduates until September. There are many fantastic roles available!
I have listed a handful of the current arts/humanities related opportunities below and you can browse Active Student’s full list on our lovely new Prospects database: https://pcn.prospects.ac.uk/brighton/login – login with your University e-mail address and password and if that doesn’t work you may need to reset your Prospects account by clicking on ‘Forgotten password’.
Photography Educational Workshop Volunteer – with Photoworks (Brighton)
Photoworks commissions new photography, produces exhibitions and events including the Brighton Photo Biennial (BPB) an international festival of photography, publishes books and an annual magazine. A registered charity, we are hosted by the University of Brighton.
Volunteers will work alongside an experienced artist facilitator to plan and deliver photography-based workshops with school students aged 14-18 inspired by Brighton Photo Biennial 2016. The duration of this project is from September – October 2016. As follows:
- Friday 23rd September, 10am-1pm – Introduction
- Wednesday 28th September, 10am-3pm – approaches to gallery education
- Wednesday 5th October, 10am-4pm – explore the Biennial exhibitions
- Wednesday 12th October, 10am-4pm – groups trial their workshop plans in Biennial exhibition venues
- Friday 14th October, 10am-3pm – Final planning, and troubleshooting for workshops
- Wednesday 19th October, 10am-1pm – One to one sessions (at slots throughout the morning)
- Making it Happen Event: Friday 21st October, 9am – 5pm (approx. times).
This opportunity is aimed at arts students from all subject areas interested in gaining practical work experience in the field of community arts/arts education.
Deadline to apply is Monday 19 September 2016.
Archivist Volunteer – with the RSPCA (near Horsham)
The RSPCA is the leading UK animal welfare charity. We specialise in rescue, animal welfare and preventing animal cruelty.
The Society’s archive store holds minutes, publications and artefacts dating back to the foundation of the charity in 1824. Approximately 80% of the holding is catalogued so a priority is to establish what remains to be identified and recorded. The archive is not a closed collection and is added to on a regular basis by our 165 branches, animal centres and regional offices as well as the general public. Tasks include:
- Recording items donated to the archive and identifying the 20% that requires cataloguing
- Preservation of records as required
- Accessing the records database, retrieving files and returning them to storage
- Responding to enquiries from staff and external researchers – arranging visits where appropriate.
Preferably, applicants are available to volunteer for a couple of half days per week – more time if possible during holidays.
Ongoing recruitment at current.
Arts and Crafts Member Activities Volunteer – with Blind Veterans UK (Brighton)
Blind Veterans UK was founded in 1915 by Sir Arthur Pearson to provide rehabilitation, training and lifelong support to those blinded in the First World War. Since then we have helped over 15,000 ex-Service men and women who have lost their sight. We value and continue to be inspired by our history and hold our own archives at our headquarters in Harcourt Street, London.
The role is to help support our members to take part in a range of activities. Some activities our veterans can enjoy are: Painting, Drawing, Ceramics, Mosaics, Woodturning, Sculpture, Photography.
Time commitment is 1-3 hours per week, fortnight or monthly with a minimum of 6-12 months overall.
Training includes a Volunteer Induction, Safeguarding, Fire safety, Visual Impairment Awareness.
Ongoing recruitment at current.
Outdoor Hub, Marketing, Install/Derig and Programme Volunteers – with Brighton Photo Fringe (Brighton)
Brighton Photo Fringe is a volunteer-led, collaborative platform providing essential professional development opportunities and peer-support for emerging lens-based artists. They are looking for a number of volunteers to support their 2016 programme, in the lead up to and during the October 2016 festival.
A diverse range of interesting roles including:
- BPF16 Outdoor Hub
We are seeking enthusiastic and talented volunteers from engineering, architecture, construction, photography or fine art to take part in a project to design, develop, build and install a new sustainable, ecological outdoor exhibition platform for Brighton Photo Fringe. Working with a panel of experts you will help us to devise, design, develop and deliver this exciting project over the next few months ready to be launched during the Brighton Photo Fringe festival in October 2016.
- BPF16 Marketing
Supporting BPF16 Festival Manager and project managers to publicise the festival including social media monitoring and content, brochure compilation and distribution, poster distribution and organising other publicity events and activities.
- BPF16 Install/Derig
Supporting curators and technicians to install the BPF Hubs including painting walls, installing hanging systems and helping to transport works. Supporting technicians to take the exhibitions down and disposing of waste safely.
- BPF16 Programme
Invigilating the BPF16 Hubs by greeting and informing visitors; selling programmes and works; asking for donations; carrying out audience surveys; ensuring the spaces are kept tidy; ensuring marketing materials are available; devising guided tours of exhibitions and helping to promote these with BPF16 Marketing Volunteers and through websites and social media; assisting the coordination and delivery of events.
Time commitment is dependent upon the role you apply for. However, applicants need to be available in the lead up to and/or during the October 2016 festival. No more than one half day (4 hours) a week during term-time. From one half day up to two days per week out of term time – to be mutually agreed between the volunteer and organisation.
Ongoing recruitment at current.
Film Production Research Assistant – University of Brighton, poets and social scientists research project (Brighton)
The role will involve you in working alongside Dr Helen Johnson at the University of Brighton, in a project that is being run by Dr Johnson and Prof Claudia Mitchell (McGill University).
Your role will be to edit video footage into a short film about the project. You will also need to be available to help organise and run the half day teaching workshop, liaising with attendees and with staff at CUPP. The purpose of the study is to find out more about how poets and social scientists can work together to create innovative, creative pieces which tell us more about social scientific issues. The study will be looking specifically at issues related to prejudice and discrimination, drawing on young spoken word poets’ personal experiences of discrimination, and on social scientific research around the topic. You would need to be available from Monday 17th October 2016 and be able to dedicate approximately 4 hrs a week to the project between then and 16th December 2016, as well as around 10 hrs (total) after the Christmas break in early 2017.
Fabrica Gallery – Front of House Volunteer (Brighton)
Fabrica is looking for individuals age 18 and over to join the fantastic team of Front of House Volunteers. As a Fabrica volunteer, you will be welcomed into a bespoke and inclusive volunteering programme that will enable you to talk to anyone and everyone about art, Fabrica exhibitions and related events.
It’s such a giving and welcoming environment to be a part of, and it will open up lots of different possibilities and avenues for you. – Volunteer, 2015
You will be in great company of people aged 18 to 80, who are from a wide variety of cultural and professional backgrounds. Some know lots about art, whilst others know very little. Some speak several languages and some are born and bred Brightonians.
The volunteer team helps us work with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Everyone at Fabrica is dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive environment for all. Our wonderful volunteers are our best ambassadors in the community, and they help us to engage with people of all ages and background with contemporary visual art.
To volunteer at Fabrica, you do not need or have to have any knowledge or experience of art, just a wish to engage, learn and be part of Brighton and Hove’s artistic community.
Volunteering at Fabrica is fun, creative and rewarding as well as inclusive, flexible and accommodating. We value our volunteers, their contribution and their expertise as members of the wider community.
Fabrica’s programme is so varied that you get to work with and meet a range of different artists and visitors. The staff and other volunteers are lovely and there is always a stash of biscuits on offer! – Volunteer, 2016.
Time commitment is 3.5 hours a week over the exhibition period.
Deadline to apply for the autumn exhibition is Tuesday 30 August, please get in touch with Active Student at least 24 hours before.
Curatorial Volunteer – with the Redoubt Fortress and Military Museum (Eastbourne)
The Redoubt Museum is a 19th Century fortress located on the seafront at Eastbourne. It is one of three ‘redoubts’ built to support the line of Martello Towers strung along the South Coast intended to defend Britain against the might of Napoleonic France
We are offering a tailored placement focused on the way we use collections and will include collections care, conservation, display, exhibition development, events and front of house work. The finer placement details will be agreed in discussion with you. The placement offers the opportunity to build up a range of skills and experiences while working to professional museum standards. Some of the work you will be involved could include:
- Packing and arranging objects for storage.
- Digitisation of collections data: creating lists, inventories and location records our collections management system, MODES.
- Carrying out non-invasive conservation on our collections.
- Checking for pests.
- Researching collections e.g. historical magazines and newspapers to create articles for the Our Warwickshire website.
- Contributing to our volunteer blog to document your work with us.
- Any other ad hoc collection tasks
Time Commitment is 6 hours per week on a flexible basis, for a minimum commitment of 3 months.
Training includes a full volunteer induction and one-to-one on the job training for each task the volunteer is required to carry out.
Ongoing recruitment at current.
To apply or find out more, please contact Active Student.
Kat Saunders • 29/07/2016