Full-time summer student employment (35 hours per week)

Compensation: $20/hour
Start Date: June 17, 2025 flexible
Duration: 8 weeks

Location: In-person at the Durham Art Gallery, West Grey, Durham, Ontario.

251 George St. E., Durham, ON N0G 1R0

The Durham Art Gallery is seeking two (2) post-secondary or senior high school students with an interest in contemporary art, kids arts programming and a studio-art practice to join our small team in Durham, Ontario.
The successful applicants will gain hands-on experience developing, planning, implementing, and running arts programs and arts-organizational tasks. You will be instrumental in the design and facilitation of two week-long summer art camps for kids and a range of arts programs for adults and youth throughout the summer. All initiatives and work will be done under the supervision and guidance of the Gallery’s Director and Coordinator. We are seeking organized, creative, and self-driven candidates with an emerging artistic practice to spearhead arts and cultural initiatives that engage the community through the Arts while developing your own creative practice.

*Some evenings and weekends will be required.

The ideal candidates will have the following skills/experience: 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

• Organizational and time-management skills

• Creative problem-solver

• Experience working with children or facilitating children’s programs

• Visual or new-media art experience

• Adaptable with the ability to think critically and creatively 

 

Preference for candidates with the following:

• Some post-secondary education in visual arts, art history, arts-administration or art education.

• Interested in developing their arts practice at the gallery.  

 

In addition to the gallery program coordination and facilitation of the kids’ summer camps, there is ample opportunity in this role for personal and artistic development and access to arts professional mentorship. By participating in all levels of arts programming at the gallery, you will gain valuable hands-on experience in numerous aspects of the Arts sector working independently and with children, adults and seniors.

 

A dedicated space in the Gallery will be provided as a temporary artist studio for the successful applicants to explore their creative process, deconstruct ideas, and further develop an art-based practice. This summer position is an immersive professional development opportunity that facilitates the building of connections between industries and emerging arts professionals from many backgrounds.

The successful candidates will gain arts sector experience organizing and assisting in Gallery events, workshops, and operations as well as tending to their personal artistic development. 

The Durham Art Gallery is an inclusive workspace and we are committed to providing opportunities and support to young artists from diverse backgrounds, identities, abilities, cultures, skills, perspectives and experiences. We are a wheelchair accessible space and we can provide any additional accommodations as required. 

These employment opportunities are funded by the Canada Summer Jobs program and in order to be eligible for the positions, candidates must:

• Be between the ages of 15-30 at the start of the position.

• Be a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or someone to whom Refugee Status has been granted/conferred.

• Have a valid SIN.

Unfortunately, International students, and those who are here in Canada on a work, youth, or visitor visa/permit are not eligible for the program.

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About the Durham Art Gallery
Durham Art Gallery (DAG) is a non-profit, exhibition-driven space for contemporary art and culture in West Grey, Ontario. From its earliest incarnation in the local Carnegie library to its current purpose-built home, the Gallery’s 40 years of growth have been marked by an engaged community and diversifying landscape. Durham Art Gallery rests on the traditional land of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, which is represented by the communities of Saugeen First Nation and Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.

 
The Durham Art Gallery provides a welcoming, inclusive centre for community engagement and appreciation of contemporary art, ideas, and culture, while continuing to build Community, Equity, and Diversity through responsible stewardship. We produce dynamic public programs that inspire cross-generational creativity, appreciation, dialogue and engagement while building bridges to span the perceived gap between contemporary art and rural communities. Founded in 1979 in Durham, West Grey, the Durham Art Gallery is a regional arts organization serving Grey and Bruce Counties. Our mandate is to inspire, educate and delight people of all ages through access to a wide range of contemporary art. We embrace a multidisciplinary view of cultural practice and present visual and media art together with literary and performance events. From our earliest incarnation in the local library to our current purpose-built home, the Gallery’s evolution has been marked by transformation and innovation.

Over the past years we have introduced new exciting initiatives: off-site exhibitions in supermarkets, public parks and local businesses; satellite events in underserved communities; collaborations with art universities and colleges across Ontario, and the launch of several professional arts festivals: the Words Aloud Spoken Word Festival began as a collaborative effort between the Gallery and the Words Aloud Collective. Hosted by the Gallery and organized in collaboration with OCAD University, the Common Pulse Festival is a panorama of emerging art genres and practices. Over the past three years we have expanded our education, community outreach arts education and children's programming to provide accessible arts & culture-based learning and
engagement opportunities for the region.

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To apply, please send your cover letter and resume to info@durhamartgallery.com by May 26th, 2025 at 4:00PM.

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