Volunteers at the AGO donate time, enthusiasm and expertise to help provide a great experience for visitors, in all areas of the Gallery. AGO volunteers are a diverse group, aged 15 – 90; come from all walks of life, talents, backgrounds and experiences. A handful have been here for 25+ years! Others have been here for a short amount of time, helping in seasonal roles, like our summer art camp, or special exhibitions. Volunteers are here in the daytime, evenings, weekends, and for special events. The spirit of community comes from a shared love of art and the AGO, and a commitment to bringing art and people together.

Volunteers have a number of placements, all over the Gallery:

Audio Guide Volunteers promote the benefits of audio guides to visitors at featured exhibitions. They also distribute, clean and retrieve audio guides for the duration of exhibition. This is a temporary position and is usually built around special exhibitions.

Family Sunday Volunteers help our small visitors – and their caregivers- find family programming throughout the galleries on our busiest Sundays of the year, as well as assist with some hands-on art activities.

Gallery Guides help stimulate our visitors’ imaginations and creativity by encouraging new ways of seeing in the galleries, through informal conversations and some structured tours.

Hands-On Centre Volunteers help our Education Officers (staff) engage young learners and their families in open play and exploration in the Dr. Mariano Elia Hands-On Centre.

Information Guides deliver an extraordinary visitor welcome, help visitors identify their personal visit priorities, and provide way-finding and general gallery information. Often our visitors’ first points of contact, information guides are our front-line ambassadors.

Library Volunteers assist library reference staff in a variety of activities including: welcoming and orienting library visitors, assisting readers with the use of the online and card catalogues, and demonstrating use of equipment, such as the mircoforms reader and photocopier.

Prints and Drawings Volunteers welcome and support visitors to the Prints and Drawings Study Centre, and help facilitate public programs, including exhibitions, talks and lectures, special events and booked class visits.

Summer /March Break Camp Volunteers assist our camp staff with the supervision and care of campers, as well as with the ongoing maintenance and replenishment of art supplies. Summer and March Break volunteers also often join us Family Day activities.

Youth Council (a small group of volunteers aged 15-24) work collectively to initiate programming by youth for youth, including exhibitions, public art projects, large-scale events, field trips and much more.