Art Institute Seeks To Add 30 More Docents
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Art Institute of Chicago plans to expand its volunteer docent corps to give tours to more school groups in the future.
As WBBM Newsradio's Pat Cassidy reports, about 110,000 school kids tour the Art Institute annually, but thanks to more space with the Modern Wing, the iconic museum now has the capacity to serve up to 150,000 kids.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Pat Cassidy reports
Podcast
That means the need for up to 30 more docents, or educated tour guides, on top of the 117 on the current roster, <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/10185375-423/art-institute-of-chicago-plans-to-increase-docents.html" target="_blank".the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Docents must love art and engaging people, especially kids.
But becoming a docent is more complicated than just showing up and asking to volunteer. They are selected through a highly competitive application process, and will receive three semesters' worth of training in art and teaching techniques before starting, the Sun-Times explained.
The tours, for children between the ages of 4 and 18, are unscripted. The docents are responsible for engaging the children, the newspaper reported.
