With preparations under way for this year’s Festival, let’s take a look at one very important aspect to the success of any Festival; volunteers. Volunteering plays a key role for Canterbury Festival, and here at HQ we thought it would great to share some top tips on why you should volunteer and what to expect.

There’s no doubting that volunteering is great to boost your CV, meet new people and learn valuable skills. But why volunteer for the Canterbury Festival? Simple answer, because where else can you see two opera singing ukulele players, a string quartet and a trio of acrobats. There are countless reasons as to why volunteering for Canterbury Festival is a no-brainer. Gaining event management and customer care knowledge, while supporting the arts in Canterbury makes for an extremely rewarding experience. The entire team is supportive and willing to help volunteers old and new learn and develop.

It can seem overwhelming just before you arrive at your first event, however you have nothing to worry about. Everyone at Festival HQ will make you feel completely relaxed and guide you through what is expected of you. The main roles volunteers carry out include helping in the preparations of an event, checking tickets at the door, showing guests to their seats, stewarding the car parks and end of event duties such as seeing guests out of a venue. The variations of roles make each shift unique; no two days are the same working for Canterbury Festival. If that wasn’t enough, volunteers get a preference on which events they attend. So, if a masterclass in piano isn’t your thing but you can’t get enough cabaret, we’ll have an event you’ll love to help make happen.

Now you know what volunteers get up to. Let’s take a look at how you can get involved. All you have to do is download an application form and send it to Tina at [email protected]. Still not sure, check out our full volunteers guide. All we ask in return, is that our volunteers are committed to helping support the Festival. So, if you’re reliable, dedicated, and love the arts – we want to hear from you. Here at Festival HQ we encourage applications from all ages and backgrounds, so get in touch and join the team.