The 2017 Fellowship, Mentorship and Volunteer Placement Program is now open and provides professional development opportunities for everybody, whether you’re paid senior or volunteer staff in a museum or gallery.  The program is an Arts NSW devolved funding program, administered by Museums & Galleries of NSW on behalf of the NSW Government.

Fellowships offer senior staff from NSW museums and galleries the opportunity to undertake a placement at an international cultural organisation. Up to $6,000 is available to spend two weeks at the host organisation of your choice, or either at the Dallas Museum of Art in the USA or the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea,

In 2016 Paul Howard, Curator, Blacktown Arts Centre was awarded a Fellowship at Green Papaya Art Projects, a leading contemporary arts organisation in the Philippines. The Fellowship period allowed him to meet with local artists, as well as colleagues within the organisation, commercial galleries, and other cultural institutions.

 “… the Curator Residency in the Philippines, but mainly in Manila, allowed me to immerse myself in the art and culture of the region, and has enabled a deeper level of understanding of Filipino art practice to commission new work in Blacktown in 2017 with a greater sense of purpose and confidence..”

Mentorships are a valuable professional development opportunity for emerging and mid-level museum and gallery staff to spend two weeks with a state, national or smaller, more specialised organisation. In addition to our existing Mentorship hosts, the Australian Museum and Sydney Living Museums, M&G NSW are pleased to offer a new pre-arranged placement at the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW). Applicants can also choose to arrange a placement of their own. In 2017, M&G NSW will offer up to $3,000 for each Mentorship placement.

Kathryn Armstrong, Education Officer at Tamworth Regional Gallery was the recipient of a 2016 Mentorship at the AGNSW. During her self-organised placement she spent time with the Learning and Participation team developing her experience and skills in education program development, artist educator training, exhibition tours, audience development and issues relating to access.

“I was given extraordinary opportunities to actively participate in every facet of planning and delivery of the high quality programs AGNSW provide and have implemented new programs and changes to existing programs at Tamworth Regional Gallery as a result.”

The Volunteer Placement program is a great opportunity for anyone giving their time and expertise to a small or volunteer managed museum in NSW. Volunteers are placed in a cultural institution pre-arranged by M&G NSW, or in an organisation of their own choice. This year we are excited to offer a new placement opportunity at the State Library of NSW. In 2017 up to $1,000 is available for each Volunteer Placement.

Dianne Nolan from the Kempsey Museum undertook a 2016 Volunteer Placement at the State Archives and Records of NSW. The placement involved gaining practical skills in the management of paper based collections and archives, paper conservation and care, digitisation, cataloguing and indexing.

 “My Volunteer Placement has provided personal benefits ranging from professional development and knowledge exchange, to personal relationships and lifelong learning. I have achieved my aims and exceeded my expectations.”

Applications close 5pm, Friday 31 March 2017.

If you would like more information about any of these programs, please visit;

http://mgnsw.org.au/sector/funding/grants-we-administer/placement-programs/