Why volunteer?

This position will give you first-hand experience in an emerging arts organization. You will have an opportunity to dialogue with exhibiting artists and the general public. The Whippersnapper staff and board also serve as enthusiastic resources for emerging artists. In return for your time spent volunteering, staff and board members will be available to offer feedback or guidance for any projects you may have on the go.

On labour and hierarchy:

We acknowledge the very real problem of art institutions that rely on unpaid labour in order to operate. This is not a model we wish to emulate. As a very new artist-run centre, Whippersnapper is actively working towards finding a sustainable way to fairly compensate all labour that goes into the operation of the gallery. But we need help to get to that point. Much of the organizational duties are accomplished by our unpaid staff and the organization’s Board of Directors who volunteer their time and energy. As a volunteer, you will not be treated like an employee or an intern, but rather, as a peer in the arts community and an autonomous individual who is lending us their time and experience.

What do you wanna do?

Volunteering with Whippersnapper has the potential to be a valuable development opportunity for emerging artists. In order for this to be supportive and not exploitative, it is important that volunteers determine their conditions. Volunteer roles could include helping out with a specific project on your own schedule, helping occasionally with events, or coming in for 2-3 hours each week for a variety of tasks. The programming coming up this year is extremely diverse, including gallery exhibitions, public interventions, engagement with community organizations, music festivals and more. We will talk it out with you to find a role that you would be interested in. This could include public engagement in the gallery, docents for public art projects, writing/editing, installation assistance, archiving, and a whole lot more.

Get in touch!

If you are interested in volunteering with Whippersnapper, message us at general@whippersnapper.ca with your name, what you’re interested in and why volunteering at whip excites you.

Whippersnapper Gallery accepts directors on a rolling basis. The Directors will support the Gallery to continue to be a leader in visual arts through the presentation of emerging artists, the provision of professional development and creation of public programming that starts conversations. We are recruiting individuals who support the mission, vision, and values of the organization and can share 4-6 hours of their time monthly.

If you possess any of the following qualities, please consider applying:- Experience fundraising for nonprofits, preferably with experience in the arts sector:
-Experience in risk management from a board governance perspective
- A familiarity of, or affiliation with IBPOC communities and issues
- Commitment to the arts in Toronto in your work or life- Belief in the artistic agency of young people to innovate and build community

Whippersnapper Gallery is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion within our community and to building an organization that reflects the communities we serve.

Interested candidates should send an letter of interest and CV to raven at general@whippersnapper.ca.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Have some funding opportunities you think would be a good fit for us? Send them to raven at general@whippersnapper.ca.

Are you an emerging artist or collective? Do you have approved funding for a project, but no exhibition space? Are you looking to collaborate on presentation and programming? Check out our collaborations page.