Volunteers Needed
We couldn't do it without our fabulous volunteers!
Some 300 volunteers are needed every year to stage our six-day festival.They are needed for everything from pre-fest office work and program guide delivery, to Festival week ushering at Festival events, picking up authors at the airport, food prep, bartending, helping to set-up stages and selling tickets for Festival events. Registration is now closed for 2011.
Below is a brief description of each volunteer opportunity:
Administration:
- Help with Mail-outs, stuffing envelopes, with general office chores and front desk reception.
- English fluency is a must for reception, as is a sense of humour and willingness to work as member of a team.
Author Hospitality:
- Walk writers to and from readings/events, or help with general author hospitality.
- Liaise with Festival staff, stage managers and other volunteers.
- Flexibility and people skills essential!
- Some late evenings and early mornings required
- Must be fluent in English and, for some events, fluent in French as well.
Books:
- Work with the Festival bookseller setting up and selling books at the Festival Bookstore and events.
- Moving stock, lifting and carrying, cash and credit card transactions all involved, as well as helping with book signings.
- Retail experience helpful.
- English fluency a must, and, for some events, fluency in spoken French as well.
Box Office:
- Sell and distribute tickets at Festival venues.
- Must be comfortable handling cash and credit card sales as well as dealing with the public, occasionally in high pressure environments.
- Previous retail experience and/or familiarity with box office procedures helpful!
- English fluency a must and, for some events, fluency in spoken French as well.
Distribution/Delivery:
- Deliver Festival program guides and posters to specified locations along a designated route and keep it stocked from late August until the end of the Festival.
- Access to a vehicle is a definite asset, but programs can be delivered by bicycle and on foot.
- Ability to take direction and work independently essential.
Floaters:
- Be available to help with a variety of tasks through the Festival, running last minute errands and filling in when regularly-scheduled volunteers cancel their shifts at short notice.
- Flexible people needed, must be patient and resourceful, ready to do anything.
- Ability to lift, carry and stand and walk for extended periods essential, as is comfort with cash-handling and credit card transactions.
- Fluency in English is a must and fluency in French a big asset for day-time weekday shifts.
- A great way to part of the inner workings of the Festival.
Food & Beverage:
- Assist Festival Food & Beverage staff with set-up and clean-up through Festival Week
- Assist with service at our Opening Reception and events such as our famous Sunday Brunch and Afternoon Tea.
- Help with concession ticket sales, bartending and snack orders at some evening events.
- Cash handling experience an asset, and ability to lift, carry, and walk and stand for extended periods are musts!
- Should enjoy working as a team-member and be ready to laugh and “hurry up and wait”.
Founts of Festival Wisdom:
- Serve as a Festival ambassador
- Help inform ticket line-ups at evening, Friday and weekend events about ticket availability.
- Shifts are only 90 minutes.
- Founts should be knowledgeable about the Festival program and Granville Island, willing to work outdoors, able to stand and walk for extended periods and enjoy dealing with the public.
- They have priority seating at events they work, but only if unsold seats are available.
Front of House:
- Ushering and patron assistance at Festival events.
- Must be comfortable dealing with the public, be able to stand for extended periods, take direction and work as a member of a team.
- English fluency a must and, for some events, fluency in spoken French as well.
La Joie de Lire:
- Assist with ushering, author hospitality, book sales and signings as well as ticket sales/box office for the Festival’s week-day French events.
Production:
- Assist Production staff with venue set-up and strike, moving chairs and signs, equipment pick-ups, technical needs on site, assisting stage managers.
- Some heavy lifting and late evening/early mornings required.
- A fabulous way to have a “hands-on’ festival experience.
- Patience, a sense of humour and willingness to work as a member of a team all essential.
Special Events:
- Assist with ushering, book sales and signings as well as ticket sales/box office for the Festival’s pre and/or post-Festival special events.
Transportation:
- Drive authors to and from the airport and for other transportation needs.
- Use of a car is essential, as is a minimum of $2million in liability insurance on the vehicle and under-insured motorist protection.
For additional information about volunteering, including our volunteer policies and benefits, please click here.