Gallery Attendant

The Power Plant
Application Deadline: September 8, 2022

The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery at Harbourfront Centre is Canada’s leading public gallery devoted exclusively to the art of our time and is recognized as an important centre for contemporary art in North America. Since 1987, The Power Plant’s mission has been to create an open culture and community for people to be face-to-face with thought-provoking contemporary art and ideas. We have a culturally diverse workforce and audience whose lives and communities we seek to enrich through encouraging exploration of self and society. More than a gallery, The Power Plant is a community hub that caters to adults, youth, and children through broad and unique programming. To learn more about us, please visit thepowerplant.org.

We are currently looking for responsible, courteous and enthusiastic Gallery Attendants with strong communication skills to provide great front line service to visitors, and to encourage meaningful public engagement with contemporary art through daily interaction, tours, and public programs.

Position Title: Gallery Attendant
Reporting to: Lead Gallery Attendant, Visitor Services Coordinator
Type of Employment: Part-Time
Compensation: $15.50 per hour

SUMMARY OF FUNCTION:

Gallery Attendants provide front line service to the gallery visitor, by encouraging meaningful public engagement with contemporary art through daily interaction, tours, and public programs. Gallery Attendants are responsible for a number of important functions including, but not limited to, welcoming and orienting visitors in the space and exhibitions; answering visitor questions; guiding tours; enhancing the visitor experience by encouraging conversation and engagement with art and ideas; monitoring the galleries for security; communicating visitor feedback/needs to their supervisor; data collection; working special events; and, other administrative tasks.

DUTIES:

  • Welcome and orients patrons and visitors as they enter the gallery; collect admissions (as needed), conduct tours, and provide visitors with information concerning current and upcoming exhibitions, education and public programs, membership, special events, and general information.
  •  Supervise the entrances and all areas of the exhibitions to enhance the visitor experience, encourage conversation and engagement, enforce gallery rules, and maintain proper gallery capacity.
  •  Attend Gallery Attendant meetings and/or other meetings called by the Visitor Services Coordinator and/or Head of Public Programs &Outreach.
  •  Conduct extensive research on the exhibiting artists and exhibition themes in advance of and during the exhibition period.
  • Prepare and leads thoughtful and intelligent tours, and maintains a comprehensive knowledge and in-depth understanding of the artist and themes in the exhibition to facilitate discussion and meaningful engagement with viewers.
  • Perform opening and closing duties including turning on and off works in the exhibition and ensuring all visitors have exited the Gallery upon closing; counting the float at open and close; reconciling sales and completing the daily deposit; and, keeping front of house tidy.
  • Perform daily sales transactions for attendance, publication, merchandise, editions, event tickets, and membership using the point of sales software, Tessitura.
  • Capture names, addresses, and postal codes from visitors for the gallery’s database to extend engagement, encourage lasting connections, and for future marketing and development needs.
  • Examine the exhibitions on a daily basis and, finding artwork that is malfunctioning or damaged, either performs corrective action or submits incident reports to appropriate staff in a timely manner.
  • Performs administrative/clerical tasks including writing reports related to exhibition maintenance, attendance, and audience response; assisting in mailings; assisting during periodic and annual inventory.
  • Replenish publication and merchandise stock in the shop, as needed.
  • Replenish gallery ephemera, program guides, educational hand-outs, and gallery surveys at the front desk and other areas, as needed
  •  Provide staffing assistance for public programs and events as needed including the annual Power Ball, member events, and revenue generation events, during which duties may also include selling drink tickets, preventing drinks/food from entering specified areas, taking photographs, etc.
  • Performs other duties as assigned by Supervisor and/or Management.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

  •  Some experience supervising others performing similar duties
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills; polite and pleasant manner.
  •  Strong public speaking abilities for leading tours and introducing speakers.
  •  Strong interpersonal skills; enjoy working with the public.
  • Strong interest in contemporary art.
  • Ability to make lead tours and make presentations for visitors.
  • Ability to operate audio/visual and other exhibition equipment as well as computer, cash drawer, receipt printer, photocopier, and other office equipment
  • Ability to observe and perform multiple activities in the gallery.
  • An understanding of and commitment to The Power Plant’s mission and values.
  • Studies, experience and interest in areas other than art, art history, curatorship, contemporary art, museum studies is consider an asset.
  • Knowledge of language(s) other than English is an asset.
  • The Power Plant recognizes its heightened duty to protect employees from health and safety risks during the current pandemic. As such, an offer of employment shall be conditional on proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with a vaccine series approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization.
  • Must be legally eligible to work in Canada. All international applicants must have a valid employment Visa authorizing their ability to work in Canada on an ongoing basis.
  • This role is based in Toronto at Harbourfront Centre’s lakeside campus.
  • Availability of at least three days per week(Tuesday-Sunday), including at least one weekend day per week is required.
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Our Values

Open
We’re friendly, welcoming and inclusive, with an experimental attitude that thrives on collaboration.

Brave
To achieve our bold ambition we empower and support imaginative risk and we always try to learn from our mistakes.

Rigorous
We are committed to excellence in all we do, ensuring every visitor encounter is safe, memorable and enriching.

Kind
We value and respect each other and all our visitors, celebrating difference and striving to realise potential.

How To Apply

The Power Plant is committed to diversity an inclusiveness. We encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Acceptable applications must include a current resume and a cover letter indicating why you wish to join the team, how you meet the essential criteria for this role, and your salary expectation.

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply by contacting jobs@harbourfrontcentre.com by no later than September 8, 2022. Please quote Gallery Attendant in the subject line of your application.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted. Suitable accommodations will be available upon request during the hiring process.