Get involved! Volunteering opportunities at Southwell Music Festival 2025

Southwell Music Festival 2025 takes place over August Bank Holiday weekend, 22-25 August.

In addition to our volunteer-led Organising Committee, many other members of the local community also get involved by helping at events, providing transport, and hosting visiting artists.

New Volunteer Roles For 2025

We have new volunteer roles for 2025, for those looking to take on additional responsibility and get more involved with the Festival.

Deputy Front of House Manager

This volunteer will work closely with our Front of House Manager, shadowing him during the run-up to the festival. They will likely lead Front of House for some smaller events, supervising other small groups of Front of House volunteers. This role would suit a current Front Of House volunteer looking to get more involved or someone with professional Front of House experience.

Venue Manager, Archbishop’s Palace (potential job share opportunity)

These volunteers will be stationed in the Archbishop’s Palace at Southwell Minster during the Festival. They will liaise with artists, ensuring access to green rooms and refreshments and keep spaces tidy. They will develop knowledge of events and activities taking place at the Archbishop’s Palace to assist with queries from artists, contractors, other volunteers and the general public. They will maintain close contact with the Festival Hub in Trebeck Hall. This role would suit a calm, friendly and organised person who enjoys face-to-face contact with a wide variety of people.

Festival Site Manager (potential job share opportunity)

The Site Manager role combines elements of coordination and logistics with hands-on tasks. This is an active role, and you will be out and about at Festival venues, bringing you into contact with a wide range of people. Working closely with the Festival’s General Manager, this role will help coordinate and liaise with contractors and vehicles coming to the site and maintain close contact with the Minster Vergers and Festival Hub. The role would suit somebody who is physically fit and active. You should be based in the Southwell area, or nearby.

Ticket Desk Coordinator (potential job share opportunity)

This role will work closely with our professional team in the Festival Hub at Trebeck Hall. This person will develop an in-depth knowledge of our ticketing system and events programme, to help support ticket desk activities, particularly during busy periods. Full training will be provided. This role would suit somebody who is a confident IT user and happy dealing with the general public face-to-face, over the telephone and by email. Ideally, you would bring previous box office experience or be keen to learn.

Friends Newsletter – Article Writers (potential job share opportunity)

This is a year-round role suitable for those with experience in journalism and/or written communications, ideally within the arts sector. We are looking for people to help propose and prepare occasional news articles for our Friends Newsletter. The role would suit those interested in the arts and/or classical music or keen to learn more. Articles may include interviews with artists, conductors and guest speakers and event write-ups. This is a creative role, and your ideas/suggestions will be welcome.

Assistants to the Artistic Director (Production Assistant and/or PA, potential job share opportunity)

The title of these roles will be defined based on the role-holder’s experience level.

This new and exciting year-round role will support the Festival’s Artistic Director, Marcus Farnsworth, with various tasks. Depending on prior experience, these could include organising meetings, diaries, and travel arrangements; liaising with artists, agents, and Festival teams; and administrative activities related to scheduling and logistics.

The role would suit somebody with prior PA experience and/or experience working in the arts. You may be looking to develop a career in arts management, programming, or event production.

In addition to working with Marcus, you will maintain close contact with and be supported by the Festival’s General Manager and volunteers. The role description will be refined with the Artistic Director and General Manager based on your experience, career intentions and availability. You should be based in the Southwell area or nearby.

Digital Communications Assistant

These volunteers will assist with capturing and/or creating content for social media during the Festival (Facebook, Instagram and potentially other new platforms). You will need to be a confident user of technology and have familiarity with social media/digital marketing, as well as creative flair! Content could include photographs, film, graphics and short interviews. You will need access to a reliable mobile device and a good digital camera or camera phone. Familiarity with photo/video editing and basic graphic design (e.g. Canva) would be helpful. You will need to be able to attend the Festival onsite in Southwell 22-25 August. Days and hours can be agreed based on availability.

Exhibition Volunteers (Visual Art)

During the 2025 Festival, artist and cellist Nathaniel Boyd will be displaying a selection of his artwork for sale in Trebeck Hall on the Minster site. A proportion of the proceeds will be donated to Southwell Music Festival. Exhibition Volunteers will be based in Trebeck Hall, alongside our Festival Makers and staff, as part of the Festival Hub. Volunteers will greet exhibition visitors, answer questions about the artworks and take expressions of interest. Training and information about the artworks will be provided. Volunteers may also distribute flyers about the exhibition and assist with “Meet the Artist” events. These roles are flexible, and hours can be agreed based on availability.

How to apply for volunteering roles

If you are interested in applying for any of these roles or would like to find out more, please email the General Manager, Sarah Rennix, at SAR@southwellmusicfestival.com.

Please include a brief summary of your relevant experience and outline why you are interested in the role. You may also wish to attach a CV.

Volunteer recruitment will be on a rolling basis until positions are filled.

Suitable candidates will be invited to an informal interview/further discussion over Zoom or in person.