Volunteering for the Arts Festival

Sparkles

Dear all,

Has anyone volunteered for the Arts Festival before? Am thinking of signing up this year because I'm out of work and wouldn't mind doing something with my time but would like to have an idea of what to expect before I do.

Another question: why when the Arts Festival seemingly makes a large quantity of money (basing this on fairly exorbatant ticket prices) do they not pay people a little to help out??

Cheers,

Sparkles

megamac

I've volunteered with macnas a few times and loved it!!!
It was great craic met loads of people - lots that i have stayed in contact with.
I even got a job out of it after a few years.
Its a great way to spend a day. (or two or three lol)



As for payment, they havent a huge budget for payroll (well with macnas) most money is spent on materials needed etc.
And to be honest its really laid back so its not like your working anyway.

Not sure about the rest of the arts festival but im sure if you contact macnas at fisheries field they can let you know if they need more volunteers.

Sparkles

Thanks for the info Megamac,

I volunteered for the Macnas parade myself about 10 years ago and ended up pretty annoyed when on the night of the parade some eejit who had never been to rehearsals jumped into my spot (holding aloft a skeletal serpent with a couple of others) and I got the alternate job of pushing a lighthouse which really wasn't half as much fun!!

I'm sure Macnas' budget is much more limited and really wouldn't expect payment off them but the Arts Festival itself is a much bigger player.....

Would like to hear off anyone who volunteered solely with the Arts Festival.

What a great job you must have/had with Macnas. Nice one indeed.

Thanks again,

Sparkles

Das Kitty

I volunteered with GAF about 13 years ago. I was put standing in the back of the big top during the daytime kids show every show for the entire festival. I wasn't even able to see the stage. Was expecting a t-shirt but we weren't given one. We were given a ticket each to an Arts Festival event, which turned out to be the same one I was working at, there were we hoping for Big Day Out tickets. I wouldn't recommend it really. Being in the parade sounds cool though so maybe Macnas like the above are saying?

siltirocker

Das Kitty wrote: »

I volunteered with GAF about 13 years ago. I was put standing in the back of the big top during the daytime kids show every show for the entire festival. I wasn't even able to see the stage. Was expecting a t-shirt but we weren't given one. We were given a ticket each to an Arts Festival event, which turned out to be the same one I was working at, there were we hoping for Big Day Out tickets. I wouldn't recommend it really. Being in the parade sounds cool though so maybe Macnas like the above are saying?

exactly dude!

Mrs OBumble

I volunteered to marshall for the parade last year: signed a nice form with lots of event-safety words on it about being assigned to a supervisor and always in line-of-sight contact with someone with a radio. But when it came to it, I did what I was told by other randoms in fluro vests, never knew who the supervisor was, and hardly saw anyone with a radio. Felt quite exposed, especially when we got onto the Dyke Rd, where lots of little sh***s were trying to push "my" performers over. Never again.

I don't know how much profit the festival actually makes, it gets council etc subsidies though, so perhaps not as much as you'd think. IMHO they should be paying minimum wage for everyone who has to be present for an event to run safely: volunteers should only be used for nice-to-have stuff. But I don't think this is how it works.

Bottom line: if you're unemployed, why not. It gets you involved in something at no (very little) cost to you, and might get you a line on your CV or a contact that gets you a job one day, so why not.

Let us know how you get on.