Archive Volunteer Opportunities at iniva
The Institute of International Visual Arts (iniva) is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to support the care, preservation, research, and interpretation of its internationally significant archive collections. The archive documents over three decades of exhibitions, publications, research, artistic practice and cultural activism related to Black and Global Majority Art Histories.
As part of the Living Legacies project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, volunteers will play an active role in preserving, researching and sharing the histories of artists, curators, writers, and cultural practitioners that have shaped contemporary art and cultural discourse in the UK and beyond.
Whether you are curious about archives, considering a career in archives or cultural heritage sector, or passionate about uncovering overlooked histories, we welcome your involvement.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Artwork Detective Volunteers
Become an archive detective and help us identify, research, and document artworks and artists represented in our extensive collection.
Activities may include:
- Researching artists, exhibitions, and artworks
- Identifying missing information in archival records
- Enhancing catalogue descriptions
- Contributing to the visibility of Black and Global Majority art histories
Archive Preservation Volunteers
Support the long-term care of the collection through hands-on preservation activities.
Activities may include:
- Repackaging archival materials into conservation-grade storage
- Learning best practices in archive handling and preservation
- Assisting with collection care projects
- Preparing collections for future digitisation and access
Archive Research Volunteers
Help us build richer narratives around key collections and histories represented in the archive.
Activities may include:
- Researching iniva’s exhibition histories and programmes
- Investigating the histories of Black and Global Majority artists and cultural movements
- Contributing information to collection records
- Supporting community-led interpretation and knowledge sharing
WHAT YOU WILL GAIN
Volunteers will receive:
- Training in archive handling, preservation, cataloguing, and research
- Experience working with a nationally significant arts archive
- Insight into careers in archives, libraries, museums, galleries, and heritage organisations
- Opportunities to work alongside archive professionals and artists
- Networking opportunities with peers and cultural heritage practitioners
WHO CAN APPLY?
No previous archive experience is required. We are particularly interested in hearing from people who:
- Are from Black, Global Majority, or other underrepresented communities
- Are interested in pursuing careers in archives or the heritage sector
- Live, work, or study in Westminster, Lambeth, Southwark, or neighbouring boroughs
- Have an interest in contemporary art, cultural heritage, social history, research, or community engagement
We welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds. We are particularly interested in hearing from young people aged 16–25 and older adults aged 65+, as part of our commitment to fostering intergenerational learning, skills development, and knowledge exchange through the Living Legacies project.
TIME COMMITMENT
We offer two volunteering pathways:
- Community Archive Sessions
Community Archive Sessions take place once every three months. Each session lasts half a day.
Sessions are held on selected Mondays (2–5pm), Wednesdays (5–8pm), or Saturdays (1–4pm). You can attend when a session is available and suits your schedule.
These sessions are a good option if you want to volunteer occasionally, learn new skills, and meet other people interested in archives and cultural heritage.
- Archive Skills Development Programme
One day per week volunteering opportunities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays for individuals seeking more in-depth experience and skills development. This pathway is particularly suited to those considering future careers in archives and heritage organisations.
Guidance, training and induction will be provided for both.
LOCATION
Volunteering will take place in-person at the Stuart Hall Library, iniva at 16 John Islip Street, London, SW1P 4JU.
Reasonable travel and lunch expenses will be reimbursed up to £15 in line with iniva’s volunteer policy.
HOW TO APPLY
To express your interest, please fill in the form with your contact details and a short statement (approximately 250 words) outlining:
Why would you like to volunteer with iniva?
Which volunteer opportunity interests you most?
Any relevant interests, skills, or experiences you would like to learn through this opportunity but it not yet mentioned.
We encourage applications from individuals who may not have considered archives, libraries, and heritage as a career path before. Your lived experience, curiosity, and commitment to preserving cultural histories are valued.
ABOUT INIVA
iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts) is a London-based arts organisation and registered charity, founded in 1994 to address the lack of representation of artists from African, Asian, Caribbean, and diasporic backgrounds in the UK’s visual arts sector. We explore themes of race, identity, migration, and social justice through exhibitions, commissions, residencies, community projects, and publishing.
Our home is the Stuart Hall Library, a free, publicly accessible research centre dedicated to global and diasporic art histories. It houses an extensive collection and iniva’s institutional archive and is the welcoming space for our core programmes. Each year, our work reaches over 70,000 people in person and online. While based in London, we reach national and international audiences through creative partnerships and digital platforms.
Our mission is to nurture anti-racist, equitable spaces where Global Majority artists and communities can connect, create, and thrive. We believe everyone should have access to art from a global perspective.
Read more: https://iniva.org/about/institute-of-international-visual-arts/
ABOUT LIVING LEGACIES
Living Legacies: Collaboration Community and Radicality is a transformative four-year project rooted in the legacies of Global Majority artistic practice. It activates iniva’s unique visual arts archive centred on radical global art histories and reconnects it with contemporary communities in Westminster, Lambeth and Southwark through co-created exhibitions, events, podcasts and digital resources. The project foregrounds identity, belonging and cultural memory through intergenerational partnerships with young people (16–25) and older adults (65+), artists, educators and grassroots organisations.
Read more: https://iniva.org/living-legacies-project-announcement/