You may have an interest in the Arts, just want to chill out on Tuesday/Thursday evening, want to make new friends or are looking to develop skills for your CV. If your answer is a YES to one or all of these, then Lancaster Arts is a great choice!
Lancaster Arts is the professional arts provider on campus, with an exciting programme of contemporary theatre, live performance, exhibitions, and classical concerts each term. Based in the heart of the campus, the organisation utilises the Nuffield Theatre, The Great Hall and The Peter Scott Gallery. Lancaster Arts host a range of interactive sessions from family workshops to artist talks, to supporting emerging artists.
A group of volunteers work with staff at Lancaster Arts to support the running of events. There are plenty of ways to get involved with the organisation as a volunteer, from becoming an Ambassador to carrying out front of house duties. Our marketing team run professional development activities including monitoring social media, collecting digital content, networking events and workshops on arts marketing. We run a promotion stall at the beginning of each term in Alexandra Square to promote the shows with free tea and coffee and special discounts!
There are shifts for the volunteers to sign up to at the beginning of each term, which is open to new sign-ups throughout the whole term. Volunteers can sign up to the events they are interested in, and as many shifts as they want. Most of us volunteer over seven shifts per term. There are many professional skills volunteers gained from our volunteering programme as well as the most enjoyable experience of university life and the best part about this program is everything counts towards the Lancaster award.
Here’s what the volunteers say about their personal experience at Lancaster Arts:
What has been your most memorable experience as a volunteer at Lancaster Arts?
“I remember it was always cold when I was helping with the stall but I kept volunteering because it was so fun to be in the square, giving people freebies and tea/coffee and updating them about our shows!”
“Several shows (concerts and comedians especially) were so good I still remember them more than a year after.”
What skills have you learnt during your time as a volunteer?
“Most probably I would say communication and marketing skills. The marketing team are really great and I would love to do it again! You also gain interpersonal skills, which is just great”
What has your experience at Lancaster Arts meant to you personally?
“It is an amazing experience, you get to meet great people who share our own passion for the arts. Also, it is a great way to spend your evenings by enjoying quality performances. And I love that at Lancaster Arts many young performers get to show their work.”
“Personally, it has meant that I have seen many shows I would otherwise not have seen, all of which caused me to think about different things in many different ways. I have always enjoyed the theatre and seeing as much as I can is always an enjoyment”
How would you describe your time at Lancaster Arts in one sentence?
“Worthwhile, challenging, interesting. I might not always have had the time, but I always had the willingness to volunteer for Lancaster Arts”
“One huge family. Great way to procrastinate from work and enjoy the best of everything else”
What thoughts would you share with someone who is considering joining the volunteer group?
“You don’t just see shows for free and gain skills or experience for your CV, you also join a family and create real friendships with the other volunteers.”
“If you’re interested in what goes on a bit behind the scenes and you want to see a variety of different events then this is the thing for you”
“It’s great fun, a chance to engage with art and to look “official” – plus you can put it on your CV!”
How would someone new go about getting involved?
We welcome new volunteers every term and there’s always something new to get involved with! Here is how you can to be part of our team: every term there will be ‘Lancaster Arts Volunteers Introduction Talk’. This session provides information about the volunteer programme, there will also be a talk from current Ambassadors and an interactive session in which all volunteers get to know one another. If you fancy meeting new people, developing professional skills and seeing quality contemporary art, you can join the volunteer group by emailing davidc@lancasterarts.org
