Opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to volunteer as docents at LACMA. For the first time, the docent program will have a shorter, adjusted timeline for training, making it possible to participate if you are a student. Please see the FAQ attached for more information on the program. Students can find the application here. It is due on November 11th, 2022 at 5pm PT.
What is a Docent?
● A volunteer (unpaid) who leads visitors on guided tours
● Docents at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) lead tours of selected exhibitions for K-12 students, college and university students, adults, and multigenerational groups.
● Docents are often older, retired adults, so applicants should be comfortable working with and collaborating with older adults.
Training:
● From Jan. 9, 2023 until March 5, 2023
○ 8-10 hours a week in independent study and facilitated training
● After training you must
○ Take a preliminary evaluation due by April 10 2023
● You should have access to the Internet as well as a laptop or tablet
● Online trainings will take place on Zoom
● Many docent materials will be shared using Google Docs
Touring requirements and time commitment:
● You must commit to at least one year of participating in the program after the completion
of your training
● Expected to complete about 20 tours each year
● Tours are offered every day that the museum is open to the public
○ Most tours are in the mornings and afternoons, sometimes evenings
● LACMA is closed on Wednesdays
What is a Docent “trainee”?
● A member of the docent training program
● You can go from Trainee to Touring Docent by successfully completing the training program
● It will probably take you 8 weeks to complete the training program
● Additional training may be required to conduct different types of touring (for example, touring with Schools or the Public)
How will I be evaluated as a trainee?
● Trainees will receive ongoing informal feedback and support throughout the program
● There are two structured and mandatory opportunities to receive feedback
○ The first evaluation is during week 6 of the training
○ Final evaluation is after the training is completed
● Trainees will be assigned a mentor who will work with them to develop materials, practice touring techniques, and become familiar with how the LACMA Docent Council works
Who will be my touring audience?
● Trainees will first serve as Gallery Interpreters
○ Working with general museum visitors– may be any age and in many group types
● School Tour Docents lead tours for students in grades K-12
● Public Tour Docents lead drop-in tours for the general public
○ May also be assigned to lead private tours for university groups, older adult groups, or other special requests such as families
● If you would like to become a School Tour Docent or Public Tour Docent, you must
complete extra training before taking on one of these roles
○ Exhibition-specific training
○ Shadowing current docents
○ Team teaching
Where do I park?
● Pritzker Parking Garage
● Docent Trainees will receive a LACMA security badge during the training program
○ Trainees may use this to access the parking garage
● Before receiving a security badge, trainees will receive parking validation when they come to LACMA campus for training events
Will I get paid?
● No; LACMA’s Docent Council is a volunteer organization
What are the benefits of being a Docent at LACMA?
● The opportunity learn about a variety of art
● Meet new people
● Become familiar with the museum space and the people who work there
May I follow a school or public tour before or during training?
● Yes
● More information about following one of these tours will be shared throughout the
process
How many trainees will be accepted?
● About 50
● If you are not accepted this time, please apply again in the future.
How many docents are there within LACMA’s Docent Council?
● 112 touring docents