Volunteering - FriendS of VAS Program
As a not-for-profit organisation, the Victorian Artists Society depends on volunteer support from our community of passionate artists and art lovers.
Becoming a Friends of VAS Volunteer allows you an opportunity to learn new skills and develop networks with other like-minded individuals, while using your own unique skill sets and interests within an iconic Melbourne art institution. Our Friends of VAS Volunteers support the gallery in a number of roles. We encourage you to sign up for areas that align with your interests and skills. Training is provided at the beginning of your first shift. Read more about these below!
Exhibition Send In Days
VAS hosts over a dozen annual exhibitions for our member artists - for each of these, we call on our volunteers to run the send in days where we receive the works to be exhibited. This focuses on receiving & cataloguing works from artists on the Wednesday & Thursday before an exhibition opens. Helping out during our send ins is a fantastic chance to speak with artists about their work and learn to safely handle artworks for exhibitions!
Exhibition Collection Days
At the end of each VAS exhibition, volunteers are needed to check off collected artworks and help to prepare the galleries for upcoming shows. This usually takes place on the Tuesday after an exhibition.
Gallery Attendant
Looking after our Front of House, this role offers a great chance to participate in the day to day running of our gallery & build connections with visitors and members. With opportunities to attend for half days on weekdays, our Gallery Attendants’ duties include greeting visitors, letting them know about our current program of exhibitions, and responding to general questions. Depending on your skill set and preference, there may be opportunities to help with other aspects of the gallery during these shifts such as exhibition preparation, general office tasks, or content creation.
Special Events
VAS Gallery participates in a number of major events each year, including city-wide events like Open House Melbourne, or special programs such as our annual Portrait Painters in Action Open Day. Volunteers help at each stage of these events, including getting our heritage building set up and providing a welcoming presence for visitors on the day.
Please note that we accept Volunteers aged 18 and over.
Sculpture by Stanley Hammond
Acknowledgment of traditional owners.
We would like to pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which our building stands, their leaders, past, present and emerging.