Gallery Host

• Casual position
• Base hourly rate including casual loading (Monday – Saturday) $32.12 per hour; Sunday, Public Holiday and other rates apply
• Engagement Department
• Reports to the Visitor Experience Manager

Join the MCA’s talented team of museum and arts professionals and become part of the future of Australia’s leading contemporary art museum. The MCA acknowledges the enormous contribution of artists, staff, educators, arts professionals, and a broad and diverse public who have been at the heart of the Museum since its inception. The MCA is committed to equal opportunity and diversity. We promote a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment, and where our employees are treated with fairness and dignity.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) is Australia’s only public museum dedicated to contemporary art. 

The MCA presents, collects and engages with the art of now.

Guided by the principles of belonging, connection and influence, we aim to be the defining platform for contemporary art and ideas in Australia and beyond.

Located on Sydney Harbour at Tallawoladah, a home to stories, art and culture for over 65,000 years, the MCA contributes to the continuity of culture on our site. 

We connect the widest possible public to contemporary art through our Collection, exhibitions, events, creative learning and access programs.

Our evolving Collection of over 4,500 artworks is the only public collection in Australia dedicated to the work of living artists, with over a third represented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.

As an independent, not-for-profit organisation, the MCA raises over 80% of its revenue each year through donations and commercial activities to deliver its artistic and engagement programs.

The MCA’s vision is to take a leadership role in shaping a creative and equitable Australia that values contemporary art and artists, and we are committed to making contemporary art accessible and inspiring for everyone. 

Gallery Hosts are the first point of contact for visitors to the Museum. Their role is to welcome all visitors to the Museum and to ensure the safety of both the artworks and visitors. Gallery Hosts enrich our visitors’ experience by providing high-level customer service in a friendly and welcoming manner. They provide information on our exhibitions, programs, events, activities, and facilities, and offer a cloakroom service.

An MCA Gallery Host has a genuine desire to provide excellent customer service. They enhance our visitors’ experience of the MCA by always exhibiting professionalism. They use their outstanding interpersonal skills and judgement to support visitors and reinforce gallery guidelines. 

MCA Gallery Host play a key role in revenue raising by promoting MCA membership and converting visitors into members. Gallery Hosts sell tickets for MCA’s paid exhibitions. They are also a key storyteller of the MCA’s not for profit self-funded story to encourage visitors to donate while they visit. 

The Gallery Host role is also to provide feedback on visitor’s responses to visiting the MCA, and to report on art and building incidents. 

Hosts work collaboratively within a team environment to ensure the organisation’s objectives are met. They share information, expertise, and observations to enhance the visitor experience and to support a collegial team dynamic. 

The position involves being on your feet for the duration of a shift – moving through allocated gallery spaces to safeguard artworks and attend to visitors’ needs and engage in conversation. It is a mobile, active role (any access requirements will be considered, in keeping with our commitment to creating equal employment opportunities).

Customer service and artwork protection

• Welcome all visitors and guests. 
• Inform visitors of current and future exhibitions and education programs.
• Brief visitors on gallery guidelines in a way that is engaging and positive.
• Invigilate the gallery, ensuring security of the artworks while maintaining a warm rapport with visitors.
• Report artwork incidents and building maintenance requirements.
• Provide feedback to the MCA on visitors’ experience.
• Support the MCA in delivering high-quality visitor experiences by always maintaining outstanding customer service.
• Provide information and informed interpretation of the Museum’s exhibitions, public engagement programs and events.
• Promote MCA memberships and sell memberships and tickets as required.
• Promote in-gallery donations from visitors.
• Provide appropriate assistance to visitors with access needs. 
• Effectively handle visitor and guest complaints, including receiving and recording visitor feedback.
• Assist and conduct in-gallery visitor surveys.
• Cloak items at Front of House.

Museum environment

• Ensure a safe, comfortable, and clean environment for all visitors and guests.
• Ensure security and crowd control in public spaces.
• Report maintenance and cleaning issues promptly and conduct regular checks of all public areas.
• Promote safe working practices.
• Follow evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency and assist visitors.
• Maintain well-stocked and tidy supplies of MCA brochures and other relevant collateral.
• Develop solutions to problems with work procedures in consultation with other staff or supervisors as appropriate.
• Ensure that you have sufficient supervision, instruction, and equipment to undertake your work safely.
• Attend training as required. 

The MCA is looking for people with solid experience in customer service working in busy, public spaces, who work well within a team and have a genuine desire to provide excellent customer service.  

The successful applicants will be available to work various shifts, including weekends, and be flexible with the number of weekly hours based on business needs. You will be punctual, reliable and have good interpersonal skills. You will be a positive ambassador for the MCA and pride yourself on personal presentation. 

We have casual shifts available throughout the whole week and the number of hours per week varies depending on our exhibition and events program.  

As a Gallery Host, you will be required to familiarise yourself with all MCA exhibitions and be happy to support visitors and colleagues to explore ideas and meanings in the art on display. You will be respectful, courteous, and cooperative in all dealings with visitors and colleagues. 

The successful applicant will be self-motivated and be open to change within the organisation.

Essential criteria

Applicants must be able to demonstrate they have:

• 2 to 3 years’ proven experience in a customer service role (for example, busy tourist attractions, hotels, catering, retail, airports, etc.)
• well-developed communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to deal effectively and courteously with visitors
• demonstrated sales experience
• an awareness of cultural sensitivities
• an ability to undertake tasks with limited supervision
• an understanding of security issues with regards to artwork and safety of people and comfortable directing others in emergency situations
• a curiosity about contemporary art (please note that training on exhibitions is provided)
• commitment to the Museum’s objective of promoting the work of living artists and making contemporary art accessible to broad audiences through the imaginative and creative presentation of exhibitions and programs on contemporary visual culture 
• a demonstrated commitment to the MCA’s values 
• availability to work weekday shifts, weekend shifts, and late-night shift. 
• Please note this is a mobile, active role and it involves being on your feet for the duration of the shift. A good level of physical fitness is essential (MCA will consider workplace adjustments to enable an employee with disability/access need to perform the role).

Desirable criteria

It would be good if applicants have:

• previous experience working in a busy gallery/cultural sector or visitor attraction
• comfortable with public speaking
• experience working with people from a broad range of cultures
• proficiency in a language other than English
•  First Aid Certificate
• a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) (please note that this is not a requirement of the role, however, there may be extra shifts available to work within public programs that require a WWCC.

We require that all our employees: 

• demonstrate support for innovation and for organisational changes required to ensure the MCA accomplishes its strategic aim and objectives
• work cooperatively with others to produce innovative solutions and recognise the merits of diverse perspectives and the ideas of others
• demonstrate commitment to, and knowledge of, the principles and application of equal employment opportunities and anti-discrimination legislation in the workplace 
• work in accordance with the principles of equity, access and fairness; respect and follow Safety work practices and procedures; work with due care and consideration to safeguard your own health and safety and the health and safety of others. 

This is a casual position reporting to the Visitor Experience Manager. Hours worked per week will vary depending on weekly business needs. Your flexibility is essential.  

The Museum is open Wednesday to Monday 10am to 5pm, with occasional after-hours event shifts. All Galleries are closed on Tuesday. A full-day shift starts at 9:50am (with a 10-minute briefing) and ends at 5pm. A 20-minute paid rest break in addition to a regular unpaid 30-minute meal break are provided. 

Shorter shifts are also available. 

Casual hourly rates:

• Base Hourly Rate which includes casual loading (Monday to Saturday): $32.12
• Sunday: $40.65
• Public Holiday: $64.24
• Overtime rates
• Casual loading paid for overtime
• Meal allowance paid for specific shifts
• Superannuation: 11% super payments (in accordance with the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992).

Benefits of working with the MCA include but are not limited to the below, as per the MCA's Policies and Procedures

• Employee Assistance Program
• Free Flu Vaccination Program
• Exhibition Pre-Views (Curatorial Walkthroughs)
• Free Entry to Paid Exhibitions

Other benefits available to part-time Gallery Hosts. We may have some additional part-time permanent positions available. 

To submit your application please follow the directions below. 

Shortlisting for interviews will be based on applicants meeting the essential criteria listed in the position description. 

Please email your application to ***************@mca.com.au, sharing with us the following:

• CV
• Short video (maximum duration of 2 minutes) of yourself addressing the following questions:
  1. Why do you want to be an MCA Host?
  2. What qualities do you bring to this position?
  3. What experience do you have in selling tickets, memberships, or fundraising?
  4. What about your approach to customer service that would make it world class?
  5. What days are you available?
• There may also be a limited number of Part-time Gallery Host positions available (3 consistent days per week); please indicate if you would also like to be considered for any available part-time positions.
• Written confirmation of availability (additional to video answer). 
• Contact details of two referees (professional referees are preferred; however, personal will also be accepted in the case that professional are not available). 

Closing date

Monday 13 May, 9am. 

How to submit your video

Video submissions should be submitted as email attachments, as compressed zip files, or links from a drive (such as those from Google Drive/MS OneDrive). Please ensure that your video is in .mp4/.mov format.

If you have any questions about submitting your application in this format, 

please contact  ***************@mca.com.au 

The MCA encourages people with disability to apply. If you would like more information about the role or have questions related to any access requirements, please email ***************@mca.com.au.

If you are unable to submit your application by the closing date of Monday 13 May, please get in touch via the same email address. Late submissions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

The MCA encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people from diverse cultures. The MCA acknowledges the enormous contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, staff, educators, arts professionals, and guests have made to the fabric of the museum since its inception. Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art practice has long been central to MCA collection and exhibition programs. 

The MCA is committed to equal opportunity and diversity. The MCA promotes a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment, and where individuals are treated with fairness, equality, and dignity. Find out more about the MCA.