By Daisy Game, Arts Sub-Editor
‘No, it wasn’t paid - I volunteered’.
Aaaaand queue the inevitable round of ‘oh – you didn’t even get minimum wage?’, ‘is that an optional thing?’ and ‘oh... right...’ among a crowd of confusion-scrunched-eyebrows and generally sceptical murmurings.
In a country stuffed to the gunnels with unpaid internships - dun dun duuuuun - big-city-big-budget ‘work experience’ and ‘industry participation periods’ – to defend the value and legitimacy of voluntary work seems an optimistic task. And yet – this is exactly what I propose to do.
This summer, I volunteered - shock, horror, gasp - for Bristol based film festival, Cinema Rediscovered. Programmed and coordinated by independent cinema and arts centre Watershed, the festival endeavours to get the films which once graced our cinemas - classic and obscure alike - back up and onto the big screen. I’m here to give you five reasons why you should consider volunteering for your local arts festivals.
A major new report into Scotland’s film and TV sectors has raised concerns about the “widespread” use of unpaid internships, a lack of diversity across its workforces and a gender pay gap holding back future growth.https://t.co/vkDnsQDGqk
— Scotsman Arts (@scotsman_arts) September 23, 2019
1. You’ll be supporting your local arts scene
First and foremost, by volunteering at an arts festival you will - of course - be supporting your local creative scene. Massive Attack, Portishead; Banksy; The Bristol Old Vic Theatre and Theatre School; The Watershed, The Fleece – from music to theatre, artists to venues – Bristol lays claim to some of the most influential artists and artistic locations of recent decades. In a city like ours, which snaps, crackles and pops with artistic bite, giving up a little of your time and energy to ensure that the city retains its artsy reputation for years to come is a fabulous way to love-your-city-back.
In a city like ours, which snaps, crackles and pops with artistic bite, giving up a little of your time is a fabulous way to love-your-city-back.
2. You’ll meet all kinds of groovy people
It’s the classic one liner – ‘ooooh you’ll meet so many /likeminded/ people’ – but this cliché is rooted in reality. If you want to meet people with true passion for a subject – voluntary work is the place to look. These are the individuals willing to sacrifice their time and energy in support of what they love, without the incentive of a cash gain.
During my two days volunteering at Watershed, I met a whole host of deeply impressive individuals: a film student polishing off a PhD dissertation exploring the history of Disney animation; a film-maker-actress from New Zealand; a newly employed member of the BBC’s Bristol offices. It is inspiring, and really rather lovely, to meet and hear from a bunch of new people about their relationship with the arts industry.
3. You’ll gain exposure to all kinds of new cinema/arts
Constantly surrounded by the goings-on of a chock-a-block festival schedule– you are guaranteed exposure to something new and different to your usual repertoire during a voluntary position. In terms of my own experience, I found myself reading up on directors I had never heard of and into films which weren’t even anywhere in the vague vicinity of my radar - Nicolas Roeg, Maureen Blackwood; Volunteering exposes you to the vastness of the arts scene – and it is a wonderful vastness.
Volunteering exposes you to the vastness of the arts scene – and it is a wonderful vastness.
4. You may get the opportunity to sit in on otherwise costly/ticketed events
Often volunteers will be given the opportunity to take up free tickets to events and shows in return for the time they give. The Watershed’s volunteering system is particularly wonderful in this respect, with the festival coordinators doing a stellar job of getting to know each of their volunteers - and what said volunteers might be interested in getting involved with festival-wise - on a personal level.
I was given the chance to sit in on a film critics’ panel discussion considering the value of film criticism in today’s cinematic environment, including guest panellist, writer for the Guardian and Sight and Sound, Pamela Hutchinson. This was a lovely opportunity, and one that leads me onto the discussion of my final reason you should volunteer – networking.
5. You may get the chance to meet with people in your industry of interest
Networking – it’s a word that strikes fear into the hearts of many, my own included. But be that as it may, in the ferocious competitiveness of today’s arts scene, it can be a huge benefit to have met the people with whom you may wish to work with at some stage. By volunteering at an art’s based festival, you may get the opportunity to lift and peek beneath the lid normally shut firmly against mere ticket holders. At Watershed, the team work tirelessly to connect its volunteers with members of their own team, and beyond, who may prove useful links.
You might not get cold, hard cash – but the arts thrive from love and care, and a little bit of time – so if you do happen to find yourself with a little extra of the above on your hands – you might consider volunteering: it’s not so mad as it sounds.
Featured: Getty Images / Tim P. Whitby
Have you ever volunteered at a festival? Would you recommend your experience?
