Volunteer at Cheltenham Literature Festival
The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival will be looking for friendly, hard- working and enthusiastic volunteers. They will be needed Thursday 3 October – Monday 14 October 2024 to help with all aspects of running a successful Festival.
Why should I volunteer?
Volunteering is a valuable experience especially for those passionate about arts administration, events management and stage production.
It's also a very good opportunity to give something back to the community, and whether you’re a fan of literature or simply looking to get into it, this is a great opportunity to discover more about the scene.
Above all, being a volunteer is also being part of a family, getting to know new people and have a great time all together.
In return for volunteers’ hard work, UK travel expenses are paid and accommodation is provided if not local, as is a small contribution towards living costs (please note that we are unfortunately unable to offer single rooms and the accommodation is in shared apartments). You will also receive a free Cheltenham Festivals t-shirt to wear during the Festival and to keep. And of course, the opportunity to get behind the scenes at a famous Festival with the chance to see great events for free.
What does it involve?
Site Preparation
Furniture distribution; venue set-up; backstage/artist set-up; site vibing/dressing the site
Site Support
Keeping the site tidy; checking banners and posters are still secure; maintaining levels of security in No-Access areas; waste/recycling management
Site Production
Erecting banners; securing posters and publicity; maintaining directional signage; maintaining venue signage
Audience Support
Directing audience members to locations and venues; advising audience members of site facilities; supporting less-able audience members to their venue
Front of House
Welcome audience to the venue; queue management tearing tickets and directing audience to their seats; leading an evacuation if necessary; preparing the venue for the next event
Office Support
Answering telephone or radio calls; typing or other word processing; issuing Radios, stationery, venue kit, etc; responding to call-outs
Writers Room Assistant
Supporting the Artist Manager; maintaining the Writers Room; assisting speakers with their preparations or requests
On Call
Responding to any radio calls asking for assistance
Stage Support
Preparing the stage for performance – chairs, tables, water, equipment, etc.
Driving
Festival Drivers must have a valid driving licence and provide a DVLA check code before each festival.
- Drives could include artists / speakers, crew, volunteers, staff or kit
- Driving our Festival Cars
