Art Matters Blog

I volunteered at the AGO because…

Tuesday, May 16th, 2006


When I first moved to Toronto from Montreal in the fall of 1984, I was completely new to the city and did not know anyone here. Since I’ve always loved people and shopping, I decided to volunteer in the retail section of the AGO in the spring of 1985. I enjoyed meeting the people who visit the AGO (tourists and Torontonians alike) and I loved selling and promoting the products of our AGO gift shop. I first volunteered every weekend. But then with a full-time job during the week elsewhere, I switched to volunteering every second Saturday morning from 10 am to 2 pm.

The shop went through many iterations over the years. We started with a very small booth and then grew a number of times until we reached the beautiful shop we had just prior to the current expansion. While I started volunteering to keep from getting lonely in a big city, I continued because I really liked the shop, its volunteers, staff, and customers. Before being displaced, I completed almost 20 years of service with the AGO. And in 2004, the AGO nominated me for – and I was awarded – an Ontario Volunteer Service Award. I miss the AGO (and preparing credit card invoices rather than signing them!) and hope to be able to volunteer again at AGO Retail when the reconstruction is completed.
Kind regards, Gail

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  • Nicole

    I was and still am a volunteer at the AGO. I first joined about two years ago as part of their Teens Behind the Scenes program. It was a very fulfilling experience. I never knew what I had gotten myself into until the experience was winding down.

    There’s just something about being surrounded by all these people whose soul purpose (in essence) is to promote art around the city that gets my blood going.

    AGO is truly such an inspiration in terms of providing a place for like-minded people to just love art.

    I miss volunteering. It was definitely something I looked forward to every Saturdays. Art truly does matter.

  • Nicole

    I was and still am a volunteer at the AGO. I first joined about two years ago as part of their Teens Behind the Scenes program. It was a very fulfilling experience. I never knew what I had gotten myself into until the experience was winding down.

    There’s just something about being surrounded by all these people whose soul purpose (in essence) is to promote art around the city that gets my blood going.

    AGO is truly such an inspiration in terms of providing a place for like-minded people to just love art.

    I miss volunteering. It was definitely something I looked forward to every Saturdays. Art truly does matter.

  • Olesya Alisa C.

    I started volunteering at AGO as part of the Teens Behind the Scenes program. It was an absolutely amazing and fun experience and I wish to return there again, as a volunteer. All the people and volunteers I’ve worked with were part of that good experience.

  • Olesya Alisa C.

    I started volunteering at AGO as part of the Teens Behind the Scenes program. It was an absolutely amazing and fun experience and I wish to return there again, as a volunteer. All the people and volunteers I’ve worked with were part of that good experience.

  • Jae-Kwan Park

    Hi, Nicole,

    I read your article and was geting interested in the volunteer work at AGO. Our family just moved from Monteal.
    Could you give me a guidline how to apply for volunteer work at AGO? Thank you for your help in advance.

    Best regards,
    JK

  • Jae-Kwan Park

    Hi, Nicole,

    I read your article and was geting interested in the volunteer work at AGO. Our family just moved from Monteal.
    Could you give me a guidline how to apply for volunteer work at AGO? Thank you for your help in advance.

    Best regards,
    JK

  • http://www.ago.net/www/services/volunteer_recruit/recruit_home.cfm Volunteer Recruitment Office

    Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Art Gallery of Ontario.

    Volunteers are an integral part of the exhibitions, programs and services offered at the AGO. One area, the Teens Behind the Scenes program offers exciting and fun placements for teens interested in art.

    To to become a volunteer in this program, simply complete the Teens Behind the Scenes volunteer application form online – click on the (link) below.

    Throughout the year, as placements become available, the Volunteer Recruitment office contacts students to come in for an interview.

    Thank you again for your interest in the Art Gallery of Ontario.

    Volunteer Recruiters

  • http://www.ago.net/www/services/volunteer_recruit/recruit_home.cfm Volunteer Recruitment Office

    Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Art Gallery of Ontario.

    Volunteers are an integral part of the exhibitions, programs and services offered at the AGO. One area, the Teens Behind the Scenes program offers exciting and fun placements for teens interested in art.

    To to become a volunteer in this program, simply complete the Teens Behind the Scenes volunteer application form online – click on the (link) below.

    Throughout the year, as placements become available, the Volunteer Recruitment office contacts students to come in for an interview.

    Thank you again for your interest in the Art Gallery of Ontario.

    Volunteer Recruiters