Category: Volunteer

Join the BNG Family

Volunteers are integral to the growth and ongoing work of the Bermuda National Gallery. Our volunteers bring skills and knowledge that complement and supplement those of the staff — their passion and insight enhance the work we do in every way.

Presently, we have volunteers that serve as front desk hosts, event staff and that assist with exhibition installation needs, along with committee and board members who also volunteer their time. Moving forward, we’re eager to expand upon volunteer support surrounding event management, gallery docent tours, outreach and fundraising.

It’s a great time to get on board as a BNG volunteer — whatever your availability, background and experience, there is a niche to suit your skills and interests somewhere at the gallery!

For further information on ways that you could help, contact Lara Hetzel, Volunteer Coordinator and Operations Officer at operations@bng.bm. 

Volunteer at City Art Fest

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Bermuda National Gallery and the 70th anniversary of the Bermuda Society of Arts and we will be celebrating this combined 100 years of art with an afternoon of gallery tours, workshops and live performances spanning art, poetry and music.

If you are keen to support BNG and the BSOA and are able to spare a couple of hours on Sunday, December 11, or in the run up to it, we’d love your help at the City Art Fest! 

There are lots of ways that you can help:

• Welcome/Wayfinding (on the day)
• Assisting with workshop activities (on the day)
• Supporting arts & craft vendors (on the day)
• Promoting the festival via marketing and flyer distribution (next week)
• Festival documentation (on the day)
• Breakdown of the event (on the day)

If you are interested, please email projects@bng.com.

Education Docents Needed

Opening at the end of January, Simplicity of Form: Unfolding Abstraction examines the development of abstract art and its seismic impact on contemporary Western Art through the Green family collection, bringing together an unparalleled selection of works by artists such as Frank Stella, Kenneth Noland, Alexander Calder and Henri Matisse. 

We will be running an extensive education outreach programme to accompany the exhibition, made possible by the Green family’s generous loan of the Hamilton Princess bus service which will bring school tours in from across the island throughout February, March and April. 

We will be running two school tours a day during this period and are looking for education docents to help lead these alongside BNG Education Officer Rehana Packwood. Full training will be provided, along with exhibition activity resources.

Tours, which take 45 mins, will run from January 30 through to April 30 and will take place mid-morning and at lunchtime daily.  Students will be joining from primary, middle and senior schools. If you have a preference for which age range you would prefer to work with, please let us know and we will co-ordinate the schedule with your availability.

If any volunteers are available to assist with crowd control during that time, that would also be appreciated. This will be less frequent, depending on the class size and number of teachers accompanying the class.

To register your interest, please email education@bng.bm.  

Supporting BNG

National Volunteer Week, which takes place from April 18-24, was established in 1974 to recognize and reflect upon the incredible impact of those who volunteer their time and services to the community. We’d like to take this opportunity to extend a big thank you to each and every one of our volunteers who play a vital role in sustaining the Bermuda National Gallery. ⠀⠀

Currently, BNG has 40 active volunteers who work across various sectors of the gallery – from welcoming visitors at the front desk, to assisting with exhibitions and events, to sitting on committees and advising at board level. Between them they donate close to 2,000 pro bono hours per year, the equivalent to a financial donation of $40,000.

Volunteers are integral to the growth and ongoing work of the Bermuda National Gallery. They bring skills and knowledge that complement and supplement those of the staff — their passion and insight enhance the work we do in every way. BNG wouldn’t be such a dynamic arts and culture institution without their support.

We caught up with two of volunteers, Christine Larrivee  and Charles Webbe, to thank them for their time and find out what volunteering at BNG means to them. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Christine Larrivee

BNG: How long have you been volunteering at BNG? 

CL: I’m very much the new face at the gallery having just started to volunteer with BNG this year. I’ve really been enjoying it so far! I’ve engaged with the gallery a number of ways in the past, and now that I’m not working full-time I have the time to volunteer, which is a completely different and fantastic experience.

BNG: What do you do in your capacity as a volunteer? 

CL: During my short time volunteering, I’ve assisted with an event, two installations, mail outs, front desk and some behind the scenes work in the back spaces of the gallery. I absolutely love how I can experience so many different facets of BNG through volunteering and see how the institution functions and serves its community. I’ve also had the opportunity to meet some lovely people during my time there!

BNG: You recently assisted with the installation of both Illusion & Abstraction: Capturing the Landscape and I Am Because You Are by Gherdai Hassell. Did your involvement influence your understanding of the artwork in any way? 

CL: Assisting with the recent installations most certainly influenced my understanding of and relationship with the artwork, particularly with Gherdai Hassell’s I Am Because You Are.  Helping to map out, install, problem solve, and work directly with the artist made the art so much more of an immersive experience for me. It was a privilege to have that relationship with the exhibition!

Seeing Gherdai work through any challenges that presented themselves during installation and hearing her personally explain the art as it went up was an unparalleled window into the work I’ve never experienced before. It’s one thing to walk into a gallery and see such a stunning display, but to have assisted with many aspects of getting it on the wall and seeing it come to fruition made me feel like a small part of it and helped me better find my own meaning and viewpoint in the art itself.

BNG: What has been the most enjoyable part of your experience? 

CL: I’ve enjoyed every aspect of volunteering with BNG and there have been personal benefits at every step. I love getting out of the house and into the gallery, no matter what we’re doing that particular day. It’s spectacular getting the behind-the-scenes experience of the gallery and interacting with the collections currently on exhibit.

Learning how an institution such as the Bermuda National Gallery operates is so eye-opening and educational. Meeting all the different people who come through the doors is also great fun! The events are so lovely and such a pleasure to be a part of. Most of all, the deeper connection to the artwork has changed the way I experience the pieces and installations in this gallery. I’m looking forward to continuing to volunteer with BNG and can’t wait to see what’s next! 

Charles Webbe

BNG: How long have you been volunteering at BNG? 

CW:  I asked to be considered as a volunteer at the Gallery after being inspired by the late Michael Daniels. Both of us had roots in the hospitality industry and I was moved to see how after retirement he had taken on a new life through volunteering. His were big shoes to fill in that regard, but some two years ago I was taken on and what a joy it has been and continues to be.

BNG: What do you do in your capacity as a volunteer?   

CW: During my three-hour stint every week, I welcome visitors and in some cases show them around and field telephone calls. It may seem dull but being surrounded by art tends to brighten the day.

BNG: What is your background and how are your skills able to benefit the gallery?

CW: I do not have a background in art and I cannot claim to be capable of using a brush and canvas with any degree of skill; I do, however, consider myself a collector (a modest collector), having purchased my first piece of art by a Japanese artist at the age of 18. I still have it. My most treasured piece is Storm in a Teacup by Charles Lloyd Tucker, which has been exhibited at BNG and at my and my wife’s demise will be donated to the Gallery.

Today, I enjoy what could be regarded as an eclectic collection and since I could not afford to add a wing to my house to accommodate purchases, I have farmed out many pieces to a family member and put a halt to further acquisitions.

With a background in hospitality, tourism and journalism I believe I bring skills to the Gallery that can be favourably utilized if and when needed.

BNG: Why is it important to you to support the BNG? 

CW: It is important to me (or anyone else for that matter) to support the Bermuda National Galley, as it is an enhancement to the island’s culture through its repository of local and international art.

BNG: What has been the most enjoyable part of your experience as a volunteer? 

CW: One of the most enjoyable parts of my experience as a volunteer is observing the children who come into the Gallery, whether with parents, or as an escorted school group. What an ideal opportunity for them to learn at an early age to appreciate art in all its forms.

If you are interested in volunteering at the Bermuda National Gallery please contact Lara Hetzel, Volunteer and Operations Officer, at volunteer@bng.bm

Join the BNG Family

Volunteers are integral to the growth and ongoing work of the Bermuda National Gallery. Our volunteers bring skills and knowledge that complement and supplement those of the staff — their passion and insight enhance the work we do in every way.

Presently, we have volunteers that serve as front desk hosts, event staff and that assist with exhibition installation needs, along with committee and board members who also volunteer their time. Moving forward, we’re eager to expand upon volunteer support surrounding gallery docent tours, graphic design, photography and videography, outreach and fundraising, curatorial and administrative projects and BNG education programmes.

It’s a great time to get on board as a BNG volunteer — whatever your availability, background and experience, there is a niche to suit your skills and interests somewhere at the gallery!

Our new Volunteer and Operations Officer Lara Hetzel is currently recruiting. We sat down with her to discuss how volunteering at BNG can support the gallery and help to develop new skills in those who volunteer their time.

BNG: You’ve joined the gallery at a very busy time! We have just opened two new exhibitions. How have you spent your first month?

LH: It has certainly been an exciting time to join the BNG team! Although the front doors were closed for most of February, a great deal was going on behind the scenes. My very first week was dedicated to deinstalling the BNG’s previous exhibitions (the 2020 Bermuda Biennial, and What’s Poppin’! Pop Art and Its Influence), which was followed by a quick pivot to the install of the new shows (I Am Because You Are, and Illusion & Abstraction: Capturing the Landscape).

I’ve also been meeting the fantastic current volunteers and learning the ropes with regards to the day-to-day needs of the gallery. My experience has been very hands-on from day one!

BNG: Part of your role is to support the daily operations of the gallery. What aspects of this have you been most struck by since joining the team?

LH: I’ve found that “daily operations” at BNG can be wide-ranging: everything from overseeing the gallery’s physical facilities, to liaising with artists and lenders, to photographing artwork for the gallery’s online exhibition portal, to scheduling the volunteer calendar.

Due to my role, I’m lucky to have a hand in every pot, and to have the opportunity to work closely with staff, volunteers, external contractors and the general public. While the full-time staff are a small (but mighty!) group, so many people play a vital role in the Bermuda National Gallery’s operations and I’ve been struck by the energy and enthusiasm of everyone involved with the gallery.

BNG: Do you hope to recruit more volunteers? What sort of support/ skill sets are you looking for?

LH: It’s a great time to join the BNG as a volunteer — there are lots of opportunities whatever your availability, background and experience.

I’m also excited to work directly with our new Education Officer to build up the volunteer opportunities available at the gallery for students, many of whom now seek out community service as part of their education.

BNG: Volunteers often lead docent tours and assist at events. As Bermuda tackles the ongoing Covid pandemic, how do you see volunteer opportunities affected?

LH: Like all cultural institutions locally and overseas, BNG has had to adjust to the “new normal” under Covid-19. With staggered time slots, social distancing and limited admission, we’ve been fortunate to be able to safely host openings, talks and tours surrounding our new exhibitions, supported by volunteers, and hope to continue in the future, as appropriate with current restrictions.

With an increased focus on digital access, the gallery has also been exploring live-streamed events (as with artist Gherdai Hassell’s recent talk — still archived on our Instagram page), and expanded online exhibition coverage, among other initiatives. There’s a great opportunity for volunteers with digital and social media experience to meaningfully contribute to that work.

BNG: In what ways can volunteering at the Bermuda National Gallery help to support someone’s personal goals and/or develop their resume?

LH: We hope that volunteers with BNG find the experience mutually rewarding! In addition to the satisfaction of meaningfully contributing to their community and engaging with the richness of the Bermudian and global arts scene, we aim to supplement our volunteers’ own development through cultural programming, such as exclusive volunteer previews and exhibition walk-throughs with BNG artists, and a fulfilling range of embedded opportunities and projects.

Volunteering is a great way to explore and develop your own skills and interests, at any age!

If you are interested in volunteering at the Bermuda National Gallery, please contact volunteer@bng.bm with a brief summary of your interests and availability.