VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
Overview
Berks Arts is deeply grateful for the hundreds of volunteers who share their time, energy, and talent for the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest. The festival is one of the best in the world thanks to the thousands of hours committed by our amazing Jazz Fest Volunteer Family!
Volunteers are critical to the festival’s success. Our volunteers assist our patrons as ticket takers and ushers, merchandise sellers, and general supporters and friends. Volunteers also support our artists through stage production, hospitality, transportation, and other logistical and operational support.
We are always looking for great new members to join our Jazz Fest family! Be sure to complete the NEW VOLUNTEER INFORMATION FORM as your first step!
SPECIAL NOTE: CURRENT/RETURNING VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE NEW VOLUNTEER INFORMATION FORM.
Volunteer Registration for the 2025 Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest will begin on Saturday, December 7, 2024 and remain open through January 15, 2025. Current/returning volunteers should check their emails for access to the 2025 volunteer registration form.
There is a MANDATORY volunteer meeting scheduled for Saturday morning, March 15, 2025. Additional meeting details will be shared at a later time.
Questions? Contact volunteers@berksarts.org.
General VOLUNTEER INFORMATION
All volunteers must be 18 years of age at the time of the event. Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult guardian.
Each volunteer must register through the official site each year.
New volunteers are required to attend a New Volunteer Orientation (in-person and virtual options available).
All volunteers, new and returning, must attend the Festival Prep Meeting scheduled for Saturday morning, March 15, 2024.
All volunteers are required to select a minimum of five (5) shirts and to work a minimum of three (3) assigned shifts during the festival.
Volunteers wishing to work during the getJazzed@berks Scholastic Festival will be required to have their clearances.
DEPARTMENTS AND ROLES
FRONT OF HOUSE
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House Managers are selected based on their experience and leadership as Berks Jazz Fest volunteers.
House Managers are the first to arrive, last to leave, and are ultimately responsible for a smooth and pleasant experience for patrons and volunteers alike. There is always at least one House Manager on duty while Front of House Volunteers are actively assigned at a venue.
Volunteers who are interested in the House Manager role should contact the Volunteer Coordinator for consideration; prerequisite experience as a Zone Captain is required to perform this role.
House Managers are generally required to arrive 2 hours prior to concert start time.
Attendance at leadership meetings prior to the festival are required to perform this role.
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Zone Captains are selected based on their experience and leadership as Berks Jazz Fest volunteers. Depending on the venue size and layout, there are generally 1-5 Zone Captains assigned to each event, depending on the venue and audience size.
Zone Captains serve as ticket takers and ushers in a specific area (Zone) within the venue, while also providing mid-level leadership and support to the team of volunteers assigned to that specific Zone.
Volunteers who are interested in the Zone Captain role should contact the Volunteer Coordinator for consideration; prerequisite experience as both a Ticket Taker and Usher is required to perform this role.
Zone Captains are generally required to arrive 2 hours prior to concert start time.
Attendance at leadership meetings prior to the festival are required to perform this role.
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Volunteer Greeters are responsible for arriving prior to the Ticket Taker and Usher volunteers to assist with volunteer “check in” prior to job duties beginning.
Greeters generally transition to a Ticket Taker or Usher role as soon as all volunteers are checked in for the shift.
Volunteer Greeters are generally required to arrive 2 hours prior to concert start time.
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Ticket Scanners are the friendly faces at the doors, responsible for checking and scanning patron tickets in a supportive and efficient manner as they enter a concert venue.
Ticket Scanners are requested to utilize their personal mobile devices with the ticket scanning app during events.
Ticket Scanners are generally required to arrive 1.5 hours prior to concert start time.
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Ushers are the friendly faces who escort patrons to their seats in a supportive and efficient manner.
Ushers are generally required to arrive 1.5 hours prior to concert start time.
PRODUCTION
ADMIN & LOGISTICS
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Site Managers are responsible for overseeing all activities and departments at a particular venue, fulfilling the ultimate leadership role on behalf of the organization.
Site Managers are responsible for understanding the details and nuances of all departments and activities, providing support to department leaders, liaising with the Executive Leadership team, and representing the organization with the highest level of professionalism and ability.
Site Managers are individually chosen by the Executive Leadership team. Volunteers interested in this role should indicate this interest with the Executive Director.
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Admin Support is essential at each venue, as the day of an event is filled with last-minute tasks, and a few curveballs.
Reporting to the Site Manager, an Admin Support volunteer may be assigned to help any department at any time, to run an errand on a moment’s notice, and perform any other number of tasks quickly and efficiently.
Admin Support volunteers are generally required to be onsite or on call several hours prior to the start of a concert, and sometimes beyond the end of the concert.
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Tech Support volunteers are onsite prior to the arrival of Box Office and Merchandise volunteers, ensuring that all devices (ticket scanners, sales tablets, hotspots, etc.) are set up and working for volunteers upon arrival.
Tech Support volunteers must be savvy with modern technology and able to solve problems or issues quickly.
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Before, during and after the festival there is a significant amount of moving bins, truck loading/unloading, and making sure supplies get to the appropriate venue and space.
Additionally, there are several instances throughout the festival when chairs need to be set up, stacked, and unstacked for transitions between theater and table seating.
Moving & Loading team may keep hours that differ from specific concerts and work directly with the Executive Leadership team to coordinate logistics across the festival.
Ability to lift, move, and drive may be required for many of the tasks on the Moving & Loading team.
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Stage Managers are selected based on their experience and leadership as Berks Jazz Fest Volunteers.
Stage Managers are responsible for the backstage production of each concert, supervising Stagehands and ensuring that everything runs smoothly behind the curtain.
Stage Managers are deeply involved in pre-festival communications with Artists, Agents, and Tour Managers, and the time commitment and level of responsibility for Stage Managers is significant.
Volunteers who are interested in the Stage Manager role should contact the Production Manager for consideration; prerequisite experience as a Production Stagehand is required to perform this role.
Stage Manager shifts generally last many hours, and sometimes all day long.
Attendance at leadership meetings prior to the festival are required to perform this role.
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Stagehands provide support for the backstage production of each concert, assisting Stage Managers and ensuring that everything runs smoothly behind the curtain.
The level of commitment and responsibility for Stagehands is significant.
Volunteers who are interested in the Stagehand role should contact the Production Manager for consideration. Stagehand shifts generally last many hours, and sometimes all day long.
HOSPITALITY
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Hospitality Volunteers are crucial to the Berks Jazz Fest operation, ensuring that Artists, Crew, and other key personnel are well-fed and cared for.
The Berks Jazz Fest Hospitality Team takes excellent care of everyone under their care, providing a warm meal, a cool drink, or just a few minutes of quiet relaxation before a big performance.
Volunteers who are interested in Hospitality should contact the Hospitality Coordinator for consideration.
Hospitality Volunteers are individually selected by the Hospitality Coordinator due to the close interactions with Artists and Backstage access, requiring the utmost professionalism and highest standards at all times.
Hospitality shifts generally last several hours, and sometimes all day long.
TRANSPORTATION
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Transportation Volunteers are crucial to the Berks Jazz Fest operation, ensuring that Artists and other key personnel are at the right location at the right time, transported safely and pleasantly.
Whether this means airport pickups in Philadelphia or local shuttles from hotels to concert venues, the Transportation Team performs a significant behind-the-scenes effort, managing a complex and ever-changing set of itineraries while delivering the best in friendly transportation service.
Volunteers who are interested in Transportation should contact the Transportation Coordinator for consideration.
Transportation Volunteers are individually selected by the Transportation Coordinator due to the close interactions with Artists, and must have a clean driving record.
Transportation shuttles/shifts may occur at all times of day or night, and generally last several hours at a time.
MERCHANDISE
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Merchandise Volunteers are responsible for selling apparel and other merchandise items, including Artist merchandise, to fans at most concerts and venues throughout the 10-day festival.
Merchandise Volunteers are individually selected by the Merchandise Coordinator, should be comfortable with modern retail technology (tablets, credit card processing, etc.), and should enjoy interacting with our patrons and making their purchase fun and enjoyable with the best possible customer experience.
Volunteers who are interested in merchandise sales should contact the Merchandise Coordinator for consideration.
Merchandise shifts generally begin 1 hour prior to concert start time and run well beyond the end of the concert, until the last patrons have completed their purchases.
BOX OFFICE
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Members of the Box Office Team are responsible for selling tickets and addressing any onsite ticketing questions through the Berks Arts ticketing system.
Comfortability with modern technology and customer service in a fast-moving environment are important characteristics for this position.
Our goal is to complete the transaction as quickly as possible so that fans may find their seats and enjoy the show.
Volunteers who are interested in joining the Box Office team should indicate this interest in the availability form.
