We aspire to fire people’s imagination and interest through our sharing of stories of the local mining industry, and how it shaped the town and its community, through the works of art presented in The Auckland Project’s Mining Art Gallery (MAG).
This award-winning gallery is within one of the historic buildings in the town’s market place in the heart of Bishop Auckland.
This role, requiring excellent customer service skills, is part of a visitor support team which plays a crucial part in the way the MAG engages with its visitors.
We aim to give people the chance to explore what they see and feel in the works of art, by providing an accessible, moving and thought-provoking experience.
What will I be doing?
Engager Duty -
• Welcoming visitors within MAG, offering a genuinely friendly welcome, with a smile, eye contact and open body language
• Offering visitors an appropriate level of information supporting visitors to discover their own responses to the art
• Helping orientate visitors, ensuring safe passage of visitors and ‘signposting’, as and when appropriate, other TAP venues and ventures.
Invigilator Duty -
• Invigilating - ensuring that the security of the works of art are not compromised.
Both aspects of the role will include -
• Being observant –immediately in the event of damage to the building or to any artwork, in the instance of any health and safety or security issues arising, and of any other emergencies that may occur
• Ensuring that the gallery’s rules and requirements are understood and followed
• Communicating with colleagues to ensure safety of the works of art and visitors
• Adhering to health and safety regulations, being aware of disability and access requirements, and assisting the public in evacuation situations in accordance with a thorough knowledge of evacuation procedures (training provided).
• Helping manage any social distancing or sanitising requirements
• Assisting to ensure MAG is presentable to our visitors
• Being an ambassador/advocate of TAP
• Is over 17
• Is diligent, trustworthy, and responsible
• Has a can-do attitude, ensuring people engage with us now and in the future
• Is a punctual time keeper, and is willing to undertake, understand and relish training and briefing sessions
• Has customer/guest/visitor care experience, or can demonstrate that they have the attributes – the ability to share interest in the experience, and the visitor’s enjoyment of it
• Is able and willing to follow instructions
• Is Health & Safety conscious
• Is keen to show they are a good team player and communicator
• Is pleasant and presentable
• Is open-minded and willing to acknowledge and embrace an individual's right to space and opinions
The Auckland Project Bishop Auckland The Mining Art Gallery the Market Place
There will be core training, and the opportunity to find out more about the art, and the artists, the impact on the community, and the key messages that TAP seeks to present.
You will be asked to provide and wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Dress code will be advised
The Auckland Project is unable to reimburse travel expenses.
• The chance to do something different
• Experience, challenge, a development and ‘CV-building’ opportunity – ‘a chance to grow’
• Responsibility
What’s in it for the Auckland Project?
• Enthusiastic, informed, kind, responsible people – ‘The Right Stuff’! – representing this gallery
• Care of MAG, its exhibits, and our visitors
What’s in it for the visitor?
• An experience enhanced by amazing volunteers - so time with us gives great memories
volunteers with The Auckland Project (TAP ) have access during opening times to the Visitor attractions, Auckland Castle, Spanish gallery, Mining Art Gallery in order to understand these visitor attractions and act as an ambassador for TAP as part of being a volunteer.
