VOLUNTEER

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Volunteer Benefits

  • At the end of the festival, the volunteer staff write and email a reference letter for all of our 200+ volunteers. This process typically takes 1-2 weeks after the end of the festival. We are however, unable to be listed as references for The Works volunteers as we have a small department that is mostly seasonal, and we are usually unable to answer the full breadth of questions a typical interviewer would have. If you would like to discuss further, please email volunteer@theworks.ab.ca 

  • Yes! We typically get a few students who required signed service hours. If you need something signed by a staff member, please email volunteer@theworks.ab.ca and/or bring your paper needing signed to your shift.  

  • Along with exclusive volunteer perks such as an exclusive Works volunteer T-shirt, daily snacks, refreshments, chances to win prizes, and attendance to the wrap up / appreciation party you'll also:  

    • Contribute to visitors’ positive experiences at the festival by engaging with them and increasing their interest in art and design.   

    • Meet and work with festival artists   

    • Receive deeper art interpretation training to promote meaningful conversations about art with patrons   

    • Get to make connections in local and new communities, meet people from different ages and backgrounds, and meet local artists, curators, staff, and other volunteers.    

    • Experience some summer fun and a deep dive into Edmonton’s art scene 

    • Learn about Edmonton's vibrant cultural, festival, and art scene  

    • Contribute to festival patron’s positive experience with The Works festival.   

    • Know you’re an integral piece to the running of North America’s largest free outdoor art & design festival. 

Group Volunteering

  • Absolutely! Most of our volunteer positions are designed to be in pairs and many can be done in trios. If there is a specific volunteer you would like to be paired with, make sure you indicate this on your application form. 

  • Most of our positions unfortunately cannot accommodate more than 2-3 volunteers, and it would be great to have more volunteers spread out instead of in one spot. If your group is 4+ we’ll keep all of you at the same time scheduling and in the same position (when possible) but we will split into different areas. 

Volunteer Requirements

  • Every new volunteer will have an opportunity to meet with a volunteer department staff member to pick a volunteer position, schedule your shifts, and go over any questions. Meeting face-to-face (even virtually!) with each volunteer ensures that everyone is scheduled in a position that is rewarding and aligns with what you are looking for in volunteering. 

  • While we ask each volunteer for minimum 3 shifts or 12 hours, we completely understand that this is not accessible to everyone. If you are only able to commit to 1-2 shifts we will work with you during our initial meeting to ensure that your volunteering experience is rewarding and enjoyable.  

  • We ask all new volunteers to attend one in-person orientation or one online orientation, scheduled prior to the festival. We understand that this is not feasible for everyone. If you’re unable to attend orientation, let us know and we can make accommodations! 

  • No problem! Many of the volunteer positions we have require no previous experience and are very beginner friendly. In our chats we’ll discuss what you’re hoping to get our of volunteering, what your comfort levels are, and help you pick the best volunteer position for you.

Accessibility

  • We have plenty of volunteers every year who have support worker(s) with them. We are able to easily accommodate different shift times and shift requirements to ensure that anyone who wants to volunteer is able to! We ask that in the volunteer application, to sign up as the person volunteering, and then when it comes time to schedule we can get additional information about the support worker and accommodations.

  • We have plenty of volunteers who require additional support or accessibility measures. As a result we have a lot of measures in place. During your scheduling conversation, we’ll ask you if there are any accommodations can help with or anything specific we need to know. We are able to provide halal, vegetarian, vegan, and/or kosher food for your shift if we know ahead of time. We have two spaces to pray and we can flex your shift and break times to ensure you pray at the time you need. We also have an accessible entrance for Head-Quarters and we’ll make sure the volunteer position you choose is well suited to your needs.   

Hours and Commitment

  • No problem! We accept volunteers until the last day of the festival and we have plenty of volunteers who's schedules are inconsistent. For many positions (such as exhibit attendant, grounds maintenance, parking attendant, and more) we have plenty of shifts throughout the day that do not typically fill up and can be scheduled even the day of. For other positions, especially WorksShop Attendant, shifts fill up quickly and may be full by the time you are able to pick your schedule for the festival. 

  • We’d love to have you! We usually have plenty of shifts throughout the day that could use more volunteers. During the festival, the volunteer department is quite busy and won’t always be able to check emails in a timely fashion. If available, the best route to sign up as a volunteer during the festival is to come to Volunteer Headquarters on Churchill Square during festival programming and we’ll be able to get you signed up and make a schedule right there. If this is not feasible, the next best option would be to text the volunteer cell-phone number (780-699-2467) and we can find a time to chat over the phone.

TAart

  • TArt is a free educational leadership opportunity available for volunteers interested in expanding their knowledge in art and design, art interpretation, and building confidence in discussing art. This session provides training in art interpretation, preparing participants to engage in discussions with festival patrons as an Exhibit Attendant. No experience necessary. This consists of one approximately one-to-two-hour classroom session.   

  • This session is a requirement for those interested in the Tour Guide position, with on-site tour training included for Tour Guides who will lead public tours of the festival site. Outside of Tour Guide positions, TArt is highly encouraged for Exhibit Attendants and any other volunteers interested in gaining confidence and comfort in discussing art.  

    TART Volunteers have opportunities to:  

    • Lead patrons on tours around the festival site  

    • Receive deeper art interpretation training to promote meaningful conversations about art with patrons.  

    • Provide suggestions for improvement and growth of the festival. 

During the festival

  • Every volunteer will start their shift at Volunteer-Headquarters. This is located in Chancery Hall (3 Sir Winston Churchill Sq NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 2C3) on the East side of Churchill square next door to L’Espresso. There is a side door found on 102A Avenue (Across from the Art Gallery of Alberta) that is open. Once inside we’ll sign you in and show you where you’re shift will take place.