How it works
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don't see an answer to your question below, please email artgallery@ncc.nsw.gov.au or call 02 4974 2025 to speak to the Public Programs Officer. As we get new questions, we will add them to our FAQs.
How many members can there be in the group?
The maximum number of group members for each year is six - this allows the Gallery to ensure that the learning experience provided for each Youth Advisor is also tailored to them individually. If a Youth Advisor needs to leave the group throughout the year, then the group can be maintained with five or four members and so on - but at each meeting at least half of the members must be present. This is outlined in Section 13 of the Youth Advisory Group Charter.
What are the age requirements for being involved with the Youth Advisory Group and why is it important?
You need to be 18 to 30 years of age to be a Youth Advisor, you must already be 18 at the time of application, and your 31st birthday must not fall in the calendar year of your involvement with the group.
The Youth Advisory Group is a peer-led model for programming, which means that the group makes decisions for itself, decides on the programs and activities they will undertake and then they are assisted by Gallery staff to implement their ideas. Newcastle Art Gallery is committed to engaging and growing our young adult audience and we also aim to provide additional early career learning opportunities. With this in mind - the Youth Advisory Group is targeted to the 18 to 30 age bracket. This is outlined in Section 7 of the Youth Advisory Group Charter.
Can I apply if I will be turning 18 during the year 2024?
No, we need you to be 18 at the time of submitting your application.
Can I apply if I will be turning 31 during the year 2024?
No, your 31st birthday must be in 2025.
What are the responsibilities of a Youth Advisor?
Members must be prepared to make a twelve-month commitment which includes attending two meetings per month, contributing to a roster of hot desk shifts and supporting program delivery intermittently throughout the year. Other responsibilities are mainly in an advisory capacity, contributing to the Gallery with advice, feedback and ideas. This is outlined in Section 5 of the Youth Advisory Group Charter.
Is there anything the Group is not allowed to do?
The roles and items that are explicitly not the responsibility of the Group are:
- Fundraising, guiding or donor contact
- There will be no exhibition of work by any Group member at Newcastle Art Gallery
- Youth Advisors will not act as a replacement for any staff or paid role.
This is outlined in Section 5 of the Youth Advisory Group Charter.
How long do I need to commit to be a Youth Advisor?
The Youth Advisory Group is approximately a one-year commitment. Recruitment occurs each year in February and March, and the new group is recruited by April. The previous year's Youth Advisors will stay on until the last meeting of the year (mid-April) to help the new group get settled in and learn how things work.
What will I do as a Youth Advisor?
The first thing each new Youth Advisory Group will decide is what day of the week to host their meetings - Youth Advisors attend two meetings a month, one in the first week of every month, and the other in the third week of every month. Each meeting goes for one hour. Each meeting, a new Chair is selected - for that meeting the Chair directs the flow of the meeting according to an agenda.
The next thing each new Youth Advisory Group will decide is what kinds of programs and activities they would like to see occur at the Gallery. These programs and activities need to be interesting and relevant for young people aged 18 to 30, but they are open to visitors of any age. You can explore some of the projects and activities that our previous Youth Advisory Group had undertaken during their tenure by looking at the Y2C Project page.
Youth Advisors work alongside Gallery staff to present their programs and activities - this is from ideas through planning and implementation. As a group, Youth Advisors will decide the best ways of working together on their projects alongside Gallery staff. This may include developing smaller working groups or hot desk shifts with the Gallery team. When the event or activity occurs, Youth Advisors play a range of roles according to their interests and abilities, this could be presenting a workshop, talking to visitors, taking photographs or video, and so on.
So, in summary - you'll attend two one-hour meetings per month, and a handful of project-based shifts throughout the year. Then your involvement with implementing events and activities is based around what you are interested in doing and what kind of professional experience you would like to build.
Other experiences and one-off opportunities can often arise - previous Youth Advisors have assisted artists on special projects, been invited to meetings or networking opportunities across Newcastle, represented the Youth Advisors at external events and so on. These things are entirely up to you - you only get out what you put in!
Is this considered an internship?
No, the Youth Advisory group is not an internship, and you are not allowed to undertake the Youth Advisors Group as part of a course of study (eg, a required internship placement). this is outlined in Section 5 of the Youth Advisory Group Charter.
Do you have to a tertiary student in the creative sector to apply for the Youth Advisory Group?
No, you do not need to have studied or be studying a tertiary education to apply. The Gallery recognises there are many different ways to engage in the arts, and that this kind of professional learning experience can be beneficial to any number of future paths for young people.
Youth Advisors will need to be able to demonstrate a passion or investment in the arts and creative industries in some way, although the number of ways in which this could be demonstrated is pretty limitless! Enrolment in a Fine Art or Creative Industries tertiary course is a great example. Other examples could include sustained involvement in an arts or cultural group, previous volunteer or paid experience in an arts or cultural organisation, and previous exhibition or event experience, in either a curatorial, exhibiting artist, event programmer or presenter role.
Applications will be assessed on merit to meet this selection criteria. A panel of three people, including a current Youth Advisor, will decide on interviews and ultimately, the six group members for next year's group. This is outlined in Section 7 of the Youth Advisory Group Charter.
Can I apply if I won’t be able to make every meeting?
Yes that's fine, the group will decide at the start what day of the week suits everyone best for their meetings, and we understand everyone has busy lives. Overseas travel and those sorts of things are also fine - just make sure you communicate your availability to Gallery staff. We do expect you to be able to attend most meetings, but absences are perfectly understandable.
How many meetings are there in 12 months?
There are two meetings per month - in the first and third week. We skip the first meeting in January and the last in December - so the total number of meetings is 22 per year. The group decides which day and time suits everyone - and the meetings are held at the Gallery.
Do I need to have any experience working in a gallery to apply?
No, but when reviewing applications, we will be looking for evidence that you are passionate about the arts and creative sector. We think we will find a range of wonderful applicants because creativity has limitless modes of expression.
- Are you a poet? Great!
- Are you in a band? Good to know!
- Do you sell your wares at the markets? Good on you!
- Have you assisted or organised an event or an exhibition, or have you exhibited works of art? Wonderful!
Will I be able to refer to this experience on my resume?
Yes! Through the Youth Advisory Group, you will work side by side with Gallery staff, and the Public Programs Officer will be your supervisor. You can ask them if they would be your referee on your resume, and you are also very welcome to ask for help with your resume or anything else we might be able to help with - we'd be happy to give feedback on your drafts and give you some advice on improving it. These are the kinds of extra opportunities that Youth Advisors will gain from being involved in this program - the Gallery staff will become your colleagues and peers, and we are invested in developing your professional experience and opening you up to new opportunities.
If I don’t make it in this year, can I apply again next year?
Yes - we would love that. There are so many different ways to get involved in the arts. If you are unsuccessful in your first application, you are very welcome to apply again in the following years - and while you are waiting for the next round, why not go looking around the Hunter region for other versions of opportunities to get involved, start a group, or volunteer somewhere?
