Volunteer Opportunities
Yes! I'd like to volunteer.
General Volunteer
We need volunteers to do many things: meet and greet people during special events, direct traffic or crowds during special events, assist with light office work and filing, check participants into group activities, etc. This is a vital part of our organization and we welcome folks who "just want to help out."
Docent
Docents complete a seven-week orientation (fee required) in art history, park history, and dealing with the public. In addition, as part of their instruction, you will participate in a morning-long tour of the park lead by the director. Docent orientation sessions are held in the evening, informal tests are given, and participants graduate with a working knowledge of the park and its artists.
As a docent, you will be expected to be friendly, courteous, and caring at all times. You will provide at least one scheduled tour of the park during our May–October season. In addition, you will be called upon to provide tours for groups of school children, teens, college students, and adults, help out with special events, and provide other services as the need arises. You should be in good health and able to walk at least a mile-and-a-half on our paths in two hours. We send our docents out in pairs to enhance both our visitors’ and their own comfort level.
Park Ranger
Park rangers enjoy working outside in the prairie landscape. You will be asked to spend three scheduled Saturday mornings during the May–October season working in proximity to the artwork: trimming and pulling weeds, sweeping pads, and otherwise “sprucing up” the sculpture.
Committee Member
Committee members work closely with members of the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park Board to build participation in the park, help organize special events, assemble exciting off-site trips to arts-related destinations both within the Midwest and beyond, educate our visitors, and expand the park’s profile. Please recognize that some committees’ rosters fill quickly. We will make every effort to insure you will be participating in the park within your area of interest.
The sculpture park has six standing committees.
Membership: Seeks to grow participation by actively recruiting people interested in accomplishing mission, tasks, and goals of the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park.
Development: Through creative events and strategies, works closely with the membership group in reaching fundraising objectives for areas such as conservation, programming, acquisition, and publicity.
Tour: The Off-Site Tour group works with and advises the Director/Curator in the planning and implementation of tours (local, regional, national, international) which create the opportunity for education, exploration, and enhancement of understanding of the arts in general, and sculpture in particular.
Docent: Works with and advises the Director/Curator in the development, training, and maintenance of a network of docents who provide both regularly scheduled and special tours of GSU’s Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park.
Conservation, Exhibition, and Acquisition: Works with the Director/Curator to compose and implement a strategic plan which will encompass maintenance and conservation of artwork, work to implement changing exhibitions, and provide a structure for the identification and review of proposed acquisitions.
Nominating and Governance: Identifies and nominates prospective Park Board members and officers while it provides oversight of the composition of GSU’s NMSP Board with an eye toward maintaining diversity at all levels of participation as well as planning for future additions to assist in attaining strategic goals.
