Rhiannon Jeffrey (visual arts)
Working in an art gallery seems to have been in the cards for Rhiannon Jeffrey (she/they)—in high school, the visual arts student was voted most likely to have their art featured in this type of space. So finding a co-op work term as a collections assistant with the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) was a natural next step.
A passion for the arts
Rhiannon grew up in Kamloops, B.C., where they attended arts-focused schools before coming to Victoria and trying some arts history courses at Camosun College. “I really enjoyed those courses and was delighted to find and be accepted into UVic’s Art History program,” they say.
Rhiannon has always been interested in what happens behind the scenes of art and museum exhibitions. They started volunteering at the AGGV in 2023, working in admissions and building relationships that led to their current role.
“Starting small can make a difference, especially in the arts sector where positions can be limited and competitive,” they say. “I was able to meet the right people here who in turn were able to support my co-op journey. Making those connections, even by starting as a volunteer, has been really vital.”
Art as a community builder
As collections assistant, Rhiannon is transferring items from one of the AGGV’s previous travelling exhibitions, From Geisha to Diva: The Kimonos or Ichimaru, into the gallery’s permanent collection.
This involves handling each object to assess damage and condition, creating up-to-date condition reports and properly storing these artifacts. They also support the collections team with the installation of new exhibitions.
For Rhiannon, public access to art is a critical part of community building.
“Art is for everyone, it’s part of everyone's culture and history and I'd like to share that passion with people in whatever role I can,” they say. “I’m excited to be able to encourage and facilitate access—whether that be through seeing it online, making art or visiting museums.”
An exciting future
Rhiannon’s role is helping them build relevant skills to continue in a career in museums and gain a deeper understanding of the type of role they'd like to pursue in the future, which includes another co-op and completing their bachelor’s degree. As one of the first people in their family to be able to pursue a university education, they’re excited at what lies ahead.
“After graduation I'm considering continuing my studies here at UVic in a diploma of Cultural Resource Management, a Master's in Art History or a Master's in Archival Studies at the University of British Columbia,” they say.
“I think everyone has a role to play in supporting the access to art and so I really appreciate being a part of that.”