Organisation Name:
Friends of York Walls
Organisation's Cause(s):
Arts / Culture / Heritage / Museums
Education & Learning
Local Community
Location of voluntary activity:
Fishergate Postern Tower in York.
When are volunteers needed: By mutual arrangement in Fishergate Postern Tower, supported by time working from home at the discretion of the volunteer.
Type of Voluntary Activity:
Arts & Entertainment
Education
Event Planning Support
Role description:
Friends of York Walls have commissioned practising local artists to create a painting, drawing or other art form using the walls as their inspiration. We have also purchased some original historical works.
The plan now is to mount an exhibition of these works in Fishergate Postern Tower, a heritage building on the walls which we open to the public 21 days a year and welcome over 6,000 visitors in the process.
The role of the volunteer would be to get involved in any aspect of creating the exhibition which would interest them. It might be:
· helping to arrange where the works will hang so they form a display the public can enjoy. This will involve attaching works to a hanging system and adjusting spotlights to display the works to best advantage.
· Designing captions based on details we already have of each work, which are then printed professionally and hung with each artwork.
· Helping to prepare the contents of a leaflet to accompany the exhibition, liaising with our graphic designer and the printers.
· Helping to publicise and run a launch event, inviting the artists, Friends and members of the community.
· Gathering feedback from visitors and collating it, then helping us to plan future commissions.
· Join with us in commissioning the next work, including liaising with the artist.
Skills and behaviours needed for the role:
No specialist skills are required, just an interest in using visual judgement to arrange the display, some basic office skills in working on the captions and leaflet, and the ability to think up ways of reaching out to visitors and welcoming them.
If you have an interest in Heritage, this would be an opportunity to see a 500 year old building from the inside out. It has a spiral staircase, original garderobe and mason marks all over the place.
Will there be a DBS check? No
Driving Licence required? No
Volunteer's own vehicle required? No
Suitable for:
Short term Volunteering
What will the volunteer gain/benefit from:
The chance to handle and view closely original artworks by established local professional artists.
The satisfaction of creating a quality display of artworks, with associated support material, to be viewed by 6,000+ visitors a year.
The experience of planning, publicising and running a launch event in the tower.
The opportunity to help select and work with a practising local professional artist undertaking our next commission to create an artwork using the walls as inspiration.
The chance to get to know a heritage building close up.
How to get involved:
Email billhill.torfaen@gmail.com.
Web link: Click here
Closing date: 01-05-2026