Volunteer

Volunteers are at the heart of Fairbanks Arts!

Fairbanks Arts Association has provided Interior AK with quality arts programs since 1966, and we can’t do it without you! Volunteering with Fairbanks Arts is a great way to connect with the artistic community and to learn more about opportunities for artists and audiences in every discipline.

Why volunteer?

There are many reasons to volunteer for your community arts organization from professional development opportunities to encouraging civic responsibility. Here are a few specific benefits:

  • Increase the volunteerism section of your resume! Fairbanks Arts will provide letters/calls of reference for individuals who have completed at least 80 volunteer hours.
  • Make connections in the arts community with Fairbanks Arts’ team, local artists, our guest readers, jurors, other volunteers, arts participants, and more. Volunteering with Fairbanks Arts is a great networking opportunity!
  • Learn new skills or build on existing ones! Fairbanks Arts volunteers assist with a range of tasks across programs and events, from general administrative tasks, to making sales in the Bear Gallery and Gift Shop, to decorating at events, to sharing information about Fairbanks Arts to the public, and more!
  • Take an active role in strengthening your community! When you volunteer with Fairbanks Arts, you actively participate in creating a stronger, healthier community in and through the arts. As a local arts council, Fairbanks Arts is able to offer a wide breadth of programs, services, and resources to artists, arts organizations, and arts participants with a modestly-sized team thanks to amazing community volunteers. Fairbanks Arts also heavily relies on community volunteer input to guide various activities of the organization.

Community Service

Fairbanks Arts’ programs provide a unique opportunity to earn community service hours. To be considered for community service, please fill out our general Volunteer Interest Form and a Fairbanks Arts team member will be in contact with you.

Visual Arts in the Bear Gallery

Fairbanks Arts celebrates the opening of new art exhibitions in the Bear Gallery during a reception on the first Friday of every month. Several tasks occur to ensure exhibitions are ready for the public and facilitate First Fridays and the gallery’s open hours. You can click the section header above to return to the top of this page at any time.

Gallery Docents (Weekly 3-hour shifts OR fill-in shifts)

You can make a difference with 3 hours per week– no prior experience is required! Fairbanks Arts is able to maintain a free admission gallery thanks to the assistance of our volunteer docents!

Fairbanks Arts currently needs the following docent volunteers: Fill-in coverage (become trained as a docent and help cover when there are cancellations by regularly scheduled docents)

Docent responsibilities include:

  • Making gift shop and exhibition sales;
  • Maintaining a tidy, respectful, and congenial environment in the gallery;

Fairbanks Arts docents become familiar with Alaskan artwork and artists, learn how an art gallery is managed, and have time to practice their art, read, or study in a lovely atmosphere.

Hours: Docents typically volunteer for one shift per week, although different arrangements can be made based on availability. Shifts are Noon-3 pm and 3-6 pm, Monday-Saturday.

Exhibition Assistance

Exhibition installation and de-installation

Art exhibitions are open from the First Friday through the last Saturday of each month. Many hours of preparation support one exhibition seamlessly transitioning into the next in just a few days. Volunteers support this swift changeover by assisting with artwork installation and de-installation, painting pedestals, cutting and hanging labels, and lighting the gallery. Thanks to the collaboration between Fairbanks Arts staff and volunteers, the public can access beautiful Alaskan contemporary art without long waiting periods.

Special Exhibitions Assistance:

Fairbanks Arts hosts special exhibitions throughout the year, such as an annual student art show, a juried exhibition, an open entry show, and more. Volunteer assistance during a special exhibition may include some combination of:

  • Assisting during a jury process (a guest artist who selects the exhibited works)
  • Supporting artwork intake for group or juried shows
  • Providing various support, as needed, depending on the exhibition’s needs

First Friday Reception Help:

The First Friday of each month marks the opening of a new exhibition at Fairbanks Arts and a special time for the community to gather at these social, celebratory events. Volunteer assistance is critical for making these events run smoothly. Volunteer support may include:

  • Counting visitors
  • Prepping food
  • Event set up & clean up
  • Docent responsibilities to help facilitate sales
Submit a Volunteer Interest Form