Poetry Center
Located at 1508 E. Helen St., the Poetry Center is among the most comprehensive libraries of contemporary poetry in the country, with a collection upwards of 80,000 pieces of literature, recordings and an archive of around 3,000 portraits of poets. The center provides comfortable study spaces and generous natural lighting for visitors to indulge in.
Library specialist Aria Pahari referenced that volunteers assist in such duties as shelving books that are returned by patrons after use. Additionally, catalogued books that are destined as new additions to the collection are processed by adding such items as stamps or bookplates. “They sound like very simple tasks, and they are, but they are crucial to keep the library running smoothly,” Pahari said.
A former volunteer herself, Pahari believes that receiving exposure to the sheer volume and diversity of poetry was an eye-opening experience for her both as a poet and a Master of Fine Arts graduate student in Creative Writing.
“Volunteering at the Poetry Center library was like therapy because working with the books, whether you’re shelving them or processing them, it’s meditative. Just being able to do something more tactile and where you can clearly see your progress was a nice balance to the work I was doing as a student,” Pahari recalled.
The center works with students to schedule shifts that are compatible with their class schedules. A minimum requirement of one hour per week is expected of all volunteers.
Students interested in volunteering at the center may email ariapahari@arizona.edu for more information or call the center’s main line at 520-626-3765.
Museum of Art
The University of Arizona’s Museum of Art boasts an impressive collection of over 7,000 artworks spanning numerous time periods, styles and mediums. One can also expect to find pop-up contemporary exhibitions spotlighting work from local and visiting artists alike.
Interactive, guided tours are available for K-12, college and adult groups and are facilitated by docents, also known as Gallery Guides. Prospective docents must complete extensive, on-going training not only to familiarize themselves with the museum’s contents, but to build and refine their skills as an educator.
“Every couple of years we run a training cohort, and students would attend 10 or so training workshops with us over the course of a semester,” said Willa Ahlschwede, assistant curator of Education and Public Programs at the museum. The next cohort is scheduled to take place next fall.
In addition to leading tours, docents assist with facilitating special events such as exhibition openings, performing such duties as greeting visitors and providing information about the museum. Occasionally, docents may also participate in developing training courses or educational talks, as well as researching the collection.
“Getting to learn more about how museums work and get that behind-the-scenes access to learn more about art and how we create exhibits and getting to know our staff, students have a good time getting that experience,” Ahlschwede said. “If you’re a student that is interested in education but also potentially interested in working in museums, working in the arts and interacting with the public, you’d be a great fit.”
The museum can be found at 1031 N. Olive Road.
Centennial Hall
This historic performing arts venue has kept Tucson entertained for over a century. Each year, Centennial Hall offers upwards of 20 performances presented by Arizona Arts Live, including classical and dance, and showcases performers from across the world. The venue also hosts musical performances put on by Broadway in Tucson.
David Goldblatt, house manager for Arizona Arts Live, believes that volunteers are an integral part of Centennial Hall given their level of interaction with patrons. “They are important in every aspect of operations such as resolving ticketing and seating issues, assisting in the resolution of disputes and making every show great.”
The dedicated work of volunteers, although perhaps not apparent to the average patron, makes possible what Goldblatt believes to be the goal of the arts.
“Exposure to new experiences and viewpoints that would otherwise have no knowledge about. Without the volunteers, our patrons would not be able to experience stories and experiences from around the globe and would therefore be without the knowledge and messages imparted by said stories and experiences,” Goldblatt said.
More information about volunteering at Centennial Hall can be found on the Arizona Arts Live website.
The venue is located at 1020 E. University Blvd. just east of Main Gate Square.
