In recent years, volunteers from all sectors of society, with unique roles and functions, have attracted increasingly higher attention in the art museum sector in the country. Volunteers, as an emerging new force, have gradually become an important link and bridge connecting art museums and the general public. They are playing more and more important roles in the public cultural service of art museums. From 2:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon of June 7, 2016, the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) held a seminar on art museum culture volunteer service and management in the academic hall in the 7th floor of the main building, a component of a series of activities commemorating the 10th anniversary of introducing volunteers to the museum. The seminar was aimed at exchanging views on culture volunteer service and management in art museums, so as to improve performances in the sector and enhance communication and cooperation. Before the seminar started, participants paid a visit to the picture and document exhibition, Share the Happiness of Art: Decade of NAMOC Volunteer Works, in the art education space of NAMOC. NAMOC deputy curator Hu Wei expressed welcome and gratitude to the participants on behalf of curator Wu Weishan. He briefed on the volunteer performances in NAMOC and major achievements in recent years. A team of culture volunteers from all sectors of society is active in the NAMOC. The team, established in 2006, is managed by the NAMOC public education department. It consists of about 120 members of all ages, providing increasingly professional services. In 2013, NAMOC was evaluated by the Ministry of Culture as “an excellent unit in the country in the organization of culture volunteer service”. NAMOC volunteers were also rated as “excellent volunteer team in Chinese art museums”. In 2016, it was awarded as the “best volunteer service organization” in the nationwide promotion of “Four 100” Volunteer Service sponsored by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the Organization Department of CPC Central Committee and the Central Civilization Office. In 2016, NAMOC will hold a series of activities celebrating the 10th anniversary of embracing volunteers in the museum, including holding a seminar on art museum culture volunteer service and management. As a sideline activity of the seminar, NAMOC will hold a picture and document exhibition, Share the Happiness of Art: Decade of NAMOC Volunteer Works. It will also edit and publish Share the Happiness of Art: Archives of Decade of NAMOC Volunteer Works, and Read the Classics: NAMOC Volunteer Guidance. It will organize NAMOC volunteer series learning and exchange activities.
Zhou Guanglian, an inspector of the public culture department of Ministry of Culture, spoke highly of the achievements of NAMOC volunteer work over the past decade, as well as the good example it ushered in the sector. She briefed latest policies and spirits of the central government on culture volunteer service. She pointed out that volunteer service was concrete practice of good virtues, and materialized the civic responsibility and new trend of the time.
Officials and experts on culture volunteer service and management from NAMOC, National Museum of China, Capital Museum and Central Academy of National Minorities made keynote speeches. They explored the subject in line with their respective working practice and academic researches.
