When I started at the AGH four and a half years ago, in the newly created position of Manager, Volunteer Services, I was struck by how organized and cohesive the AGH Volunteer Committee was. The metaphor of the well-oiled machine came to represent to me the professionalism, tenacity, and motivation of a group of individuals who have earned their reputation as the backbone of AGH programming.
The fact that the AGH (which started 100 years ago as a collection of 29 works) has grown into a vital community hub enjoyed by people of all ages is testament to the passion, dedication, and perseverance of AGH Volunteers, past and present. The AGH boasts a collection of over 10,000 artworks that is recognized as one of the best in Canada. Indeed for its first 33 years the AGH was entirely Volunteer led, with the first paid staff member not hired until 1947.
On the 65th anniversary of the AGH Volunteer Committee, during National Volunteer Week, I am proud to highlight one such Volunteer who has made an unprecedented contribution. This year Helen Hadden is celebrating her 50th anniversary as an AGH Volunteer!
In 1965 Helen was invited to join the Volunteer group, then the Women’s Committee. She began her involvement by leading children’s tours and was quickly asked to be a docent, joining an elite team of individuals, conducting tours of the Gallery and presenting public lectures on the AGH collection. In 1977, when the Gallery moved to its current home on King St West, Helen put her years of experience as a Librarian in the Toronto Public Library system to work and began building a library out of the vast collection of books and magazines stored in boxes. For the past 38 years Helen has been our only Librarian. To this day she comes in once a week, like clockwork, to review and catalogue and steer the direction of our library and archives. Thanks to her dedication, the AGH has a library featuring an impressive collection of print articles, magazines, books, and archival footage – all very well organized.
If you have ever visited the AGH you can credit an entire team of Volunteers for your experience: from Helen Hadden, the Volunteer Librarian who built a library from scratch; the Volunteer Docents offering tours to members, students of all ages and the general public; Volunteer Acquisition Committee members, who decide what artwork will grace our walls and our vaults; front-line Volunteer Committee members, who welcome you when you arrive; to the Volunteer Board of Directors, who ensure the viability of the institution for generations to come. AGH Volunteers are one of the Gallery’s most valuable assets.
Volunteers are the backbone of the ilovefilmseries and AGH World Film Festival, from the Programming Committee to the ticket desk. They also help out at special events. Education Studio Volunteers, a new volunteer opportunity, will share their passion for art and assist the children at PD Day and Summer Camps this summer.
As you can see, as a visitor to the AGH, there is no aspect of your visit not made possible by Volunteers. And so I would like to celebrate 2015 National Volunteer Week, taking place Sunday, April 12 to Saturday, April 18, by recognizing the idealists who believe in the importance of art and work together to strengthen and support the Hamilton arts community.
From all of us here at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, thank you for your extraordinary contributions.
