Volunteer Spotlight: Ryan French
Posted on 19 June 2022
This month we have asked Ryan French to contribute to our new Volunteer Spotlight series where we are asking volunteers to share their experience with us.
Thank you to our fabulous volunteers for contributing to the continued success of Castlefield Gallery.
Hi Ryan! Tell us a little about yourself. How long have you been volunteering with Castlefield Gallery
Hi, my name is Ryan Peter French and I am a multimedia artist based in Manchester. My practice consists of digital collages and oil paintings that are surreal and symbolic. I am also about to start an MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies in September at the University of Manchester. I have been volunteering at Castlefield Gallery for 8 months.
What made you want to volunteer here?
As I am both an artist and interested in building a career within the arts and culture sector, I saw volunteering here as a unique opportunity to learn more about how things work in a professional gallery setting.
What’s your favourite thing about volunteering at Castlefield Gallery?
I love that everybody on the team is so friendly and welcoming. It’s great getting to see how things work behind the scenes in the gallery and being able to talk to artists and curators. As I am a working artist, I enjoy the quiet space to work on my own research when there is time between our volunteering tasks such as greeting visitors to the gallery.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking of volunteering with Castlefield Gallery?
It is a great opportunity if you are in any way interested in working in a gallery or getting to know the art scene in Manchester. It is flexible and accommodating to your availability, and there are plenty of things to experience, from volunteering on the front desk on regular days to helping out with installations and events.
