Organisation: Visual Arts Centre of Clarington (VAC)
Location: Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
Contract: 22-week position
Dates: 26 October 2026–26 March 2027
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Salary: $19.35 per hour
Application deadline: 18 September 2026
Eligibility: Young Canada Works – Building Careers in Heritage criteria apply
About the position
The Visual Arts Centre of Clarington (VAC) is seeking a friendly, energetic and organised individual interested in gaining valuable experience in curating, contemporary arts administration and community development.
Working in a creative and vibrant environment, the Assistant Curator will support the Curator in developing the VAC’s exhibitions and programmes. The role includes researching current and upcoming exhibitions, helping to develop the VAC’s 2026–2027 community exhibitions, engaging visitors during public opening hours and preparing well-researched reading materials for the education team.
Key responsibilities
The Assistant Curator will:
- Work with the Curator to coordinate and develop the VAC’s 2026–2027 exhibition programme
- Develop a curatorial plan for the VAC’s 2026 community exhibitions
- Develop a curatorial plan for exhibitions presented in public ancillary spaces
- Coordinate and manage exhibition installation and deinstallation logistics
- Liaise with preparators and contractors working on exhibitions
- Research and develop exhibition-related reading materials for education staff
- Work with the Curator to produce marketing, brochure and website copy promoting exhibitions
- Welcome visitors, lead tours and provide information about the VAC during public opening hours, five days per week
- Support ongoing programming, including event coordination, tour bookings and programme delivery
- Train volunteers and interns on exhibition content
- Evaluate completed exhibitions and provide recommendations for future development
Candidate profile
Applicants must have:
- A post-secondary qualification in Art History, Curatorial Studies, Visual Arts, Visual Studies or a related field
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and presentation experience
- Strong organisational and research skills
- The ability to manage multiple tasks and work both independently and collaboratively
- Experience working in an educational or creative environment
- An enthusiastic and energetic communication style
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Proficiency in standard office software and communication or document-sharing platforms such as Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Drive
- The ability to work for the full 22-week duration of the position
- Eligibility for the Young Canada Works – Building Careers in Heritage programme
The ability to speak French is considered an asset.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this internship, applicants must:
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person with refugee status in Canada; individuals holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent resident status are not eligible
- Be legally entitled to work in Canada
- Be between 16 and 30 years old at the beginning of the position
- Commit to the full duration of the placement
- Not hold another full-time position of more than 30 hours per week during the internship
- Be unemployed or underemployed
- Be a college or university graduate
- Not receive Employment Insurance benefits while employed through the programme
Priority will be given to graduates who have not previously participated in a Young Canada Works internship programme.
About the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington
The Visual Arts Centre of Clarington is a not-for-profit art gallery and arts education centre in Bowmanville, Ontario. Dedicated to bringing contemporary art to the Clarington community, the wider Durham Region and beyond, the VAC has a long history of connecting people of all ages and backgrounds through artmaking and learning.
The VAC occupies a four-storey mill dating from 1905. Its exhibition and studio spaces include a fully equipped pottery studio, a painting studio and a rustic loft gallery.
The organisation presents contemporary art by Canadian regional and national artists at different stages of their careers. It also offers educational and public engagement programmes for children, young people and adults, creating a space in which ideas can be exchanged, questions asked and connections made.
Equity and accessibility
The VAC is an equal-opportunity employer committed to employment equity and strengthening its organisation through diversity. Applications are encouraged from qualified candidates from visible and invisible minority communities, including women, Indigenous people, people with disabilities and individuals across the sexual orientation and gender identity spectrum.
The VAC acknowledges that its building is not fully accessible, with stair-only access to the third-floor loft gallery and basement storage level. The organisation will make every possible accommodation to support an inclusive recruitment process.
