Gallery Chats Facilitator
GALLERY CHATS at OMCA
In-Gallery Conversations with Everyday People Sharing Real Stories
DESCRIPTION
Gallery Chats puts a twist on the traditional museum tour by encouraging meaningful conversations and fresh interpretations of the artwork, artifacts, and stories in OMCA’s galleries. This informal drop-in experience is an opportunity for visitors to share their personal reflections with and ask questions of our enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteer facilitators.
Visitors can find Gallery Chatters—wearing their blue “Let’s Chat” shirts— and floating between OMCA’s Galleries of California Art, History, Natural Science, and the Great Hall during 星期五 Nights (四月–Oct), ThursDates (Jan–三月), and our community celebrations, including Lunar New Year, Día de los Muertos, and Juneteenth (hours vary).
Whether you’re curious about something on view or excited to reflect on your own experiences, Gallery Chatters are here to help spark conversation and connection. Your stories matter at OMCA—just say hello to start exploring together.
GOALS
- Recruit a diverse volunteer facilitator pool reflective of OMCA’s audience
- Create spaces of belonging and connectedness by providing opportunities for visitors to explore meaning-making in OMCA’s galleries.
- Diversify interpretation and deepen understanding of content by encouraging inquiry-driven experiences.
- Disrupt harmful systems of hierarchy in the Museum setting by centering the visitor’s interpretation.
- Activate galleries by providing opportunities for visitors to engage in dialogue.
FRAMEWORKS
- Social Cohesion: Create the space and context for greater connection, trust and understanding between people and social groups.
- Anti-racism: Strive for equitable exchanges that center BIPOC voices and lived experiences. Disrupt harmful systems of white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism.
- Inquiry-Driven: Explore ideas through an open-ended approach that leads to asking deeper questions, making discoveries, and drawing connections in the search for new understandings.
COMMITMENT EXPECTATIONS
The Gallery Chats program offers a robust training series to set you up for success. We require volunteers to commit to the below expectations to participate in this program. We appreciate your consideration!
- Facilitators must be in alignment with the goals and frameworks of the program listed above.
- Commit to at least one year in the program.
- Sign up for at least one shift a month while programs are in session (no programming Nov and Dec).
- Engage in self-guided study and review exhibition and core gallery content materials.
- Attend 8-12 training sessions. We ask that volunteers attend required sessions and miss no more than 2 of the other sessions. Most sessions are held on Wednesdays between 3–6 pm. The training cycle runs Aug–Oct. Additional enrichment sessions are held Novembe–5月.
DRAFT TIMELINE
| Activity | Target Month |
|---|---|
| Annual Recruitment Cycle Begins | JULY |
| Placement Process | JULY |
| 1x Program Orientation (in person) REQUIRED | AUG |
| 1x OMCA Social Impact/Warm Welcome Presentation (Zoom) | AUG |
| 2x Cultural Competency (Zoom and in person) REQUIRED | AUG |
| 1x Visitor Engagement Workshop (in person) REQUIRED | SEPT |
| Self-Guided Practice/Study Period | OCT |
| 1x Program launch gathering (in person) | OCT |
| 2x – 6x Content Trainings and Mixers (Zoom and in person) | VARIED |
GALLERY CHATS SHIFTS
- Year-round evening programming
- 星期五 Nights (四月–Oct) & ThursDates (Jan–三月)
- 2 shifts 5:30–6:30 and 6:30–7:30 pm
- 4 floater slots per shift
- 文化庆典
- Lunar New Year, Día de los Muertos, & Juneteenth
- 2 shifts 1–2 and 2–3 pm
- 4 floater slots per shift
Interested? Sign up for an upcoming volunteer information session. If you’re already an OMCA volunteer, contact [email protected].