Employment Opportunities - Gallery Associate (PT)

Gallery Associate, Part time

9 AM – 5.30 PM, Friday - Sunday, with some evenings. Must be flexible. 

Location: Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright Street,

Vancouver, BC, V6H 4B7

Remuneration: $21 - $23 hourly, depending on experience

The Federation of Canadian Artists – is a nonprofit visual arts organization founded in 1941 by members of the Group of Seven. Today with over 2,900 members, we exist to support emerging and established artists throughout Canada. From our permanent gallery location on Granville Island, we host between 18-20 exhibitions annually which are free for the public to enjoy.

We assist artists in their career development through the provision of exhibition, sale, networking, and educational opportunities across a variety of platforms and at various locations.

Website: www.artists.ca

Job Description: This opportunity is a chance for you to combine a passion for art with a skill for sales. The Federation of Canadian Artists is looking for a dynamic and motivated Gallery Associate to join our team, on a part time basis. 

The desired applicant will have experience working in a gallery, museum, non-profit or retail environment. They are expected to be the first point of contact for the gallery and an advocate for the Federation. Desirable applicants will be personable, outgoing, and feel comfortable working with a wide variety of people. In addition, applicants are expected to be well-organized, reliable, and flexible.

We’re looking for a candidate who can quickly learn existing systems and have the passion and flair to develop the sales department further.

Reporting to the Gallery Manager, the role of a Gallery Associate is to assist customers in choosing pieces that work well with their current collections or help them in choosing gifts for clients, business partners, or friends and family. An effective Gallery Associate will listen to the customer’s needs and advise them accordingly.  Knowledge in and a passion for art is an asset, prior experience with a commercial gallery would serve you well in this role.

Communication and relationship building are integral to this role, as the Gallery Associate will need to develop sincere and genuine connections with artists, clients and visitors alike.

Responsibilities:

The following responsibilities are not an exhaustive list, but offer an insight as to the expectations of the successful candidate. The Gallery Associate:

• Welcomes visitors and informs them of current exhibitions and programs
• Connects clients with artworks and makes fine art sales
• Is responsible for start of day and end of day tasks, including cash handling
• Answers telephones, redirects calls and assists members
• Assists with the opening receptions for select exhibitions - including promotion of event, guest list, beverage service
• Proofreads and edits gallery literature, as needed
• Completes administrative and data entry tasks, as needed
• Assists with social media accounts for the gallery
• Signs in and out artworks by member artists
• Cleans the front desk space and gallery walls
• Label and literature creation, and visitor experience
• Updates Federation websites; federationgallery.com and artists.ca, to ensure up-to-date information/content is available 
• Unpacks and packs artwork as needed for delivery or collection
• Represents the organization at art fairs and local events assisted by volunteers
• Creates promotional visuals for exhibitions on Photoshop, as needed

Skills and Qualifications:

A successful candidate will:

• Have a passion for the visual arts paired with an outgoing and friendly personality
• Have the ability to work efficiently both independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrate good time management
• Hold valid Serving It Right certification
• Use discretion when handling and recording private information
• Take the initiative during quieter times to engage in productive tasks
• Have 2 years of customer service experience
• Be proficient in Photoshop and the Adobe Creative Suite

A second language and nonprofit and/or gallery experience are an asset.

Please submit your resume and cover letter in PDF format only to gallerymanager@artists.ca, no calls please.