Ten (and more) ways to be a volunteer

Volunteers are the heart and soul of Festivaletteratura. Since the first edition back in 1997, hundreds of people - mainly youngsters - have come from all over Italy to play their part in this five-day event. Volunteering at Festivaletteratura means putting yourself forward and rising to the many different challenges that can arise during the course of the Festival.

Festivaletteratura

box office I’ll have two tickets for number 8, one for 62, any places left for 181? Every event has its own number. Box office volunteers need to know how to juggle them well in order to keep each festivalgoer happy.

Festivaletteratura

info point Those who volunteer at the Info points know all too well that the questions people ask can be highly unpredictable. They also know that 80% of them can be answered with a thorough read through the programme and good local knowledge. Politeness and friendliness are essential.

Festivaletteratura

site team Totem poles, chairs, tables, fire extinguishers, banners, desks and cardboard bookshelves don’t have legs. The logistics team is responsible for moving them around: teamwork, planning, engineering, problem solving and a good sense of humour are required.

Festivaletteratura

floating teamsBrochures have to be delivered, flowers have to be watered and posters have to be hung. The flying squads have a solution for every problem. They also take care of sponsors, camping and the canteen.

Festivaletteratura

drivers With incoming flights from Tokyo, New York, Bogota and Timbuktu, an international festival needs reliable drivers to collect writers from airports at any time of the day. Festivaletteratura will provide the vehicles, but volunteers must be reliable, patient and have a driving licence.

Festivaletteratura

event stewards Volunteers who assist events have a special opportunity: they can attend events all day long. In exchange for this, they have to organize seating, supervise the audience as they enter and exit, help ensure that the events run smoothly and manage the venues.

Festivaletteratura

photographers Even when Festivaletteratura ends, it lives on in a multitude of wonderful images. Photographers need to be able to grasp the essence of each event so that we can even appreciate moments we were not able to see in person.

Festivaletteratura

web editors A website full of stories, images and themes that invite discussion before, during and after the Festival. Festivaletteratura.it needs volunteers who can write articles and interview people, post on Facebook, hold Twitter debate sessions, download material from the web and publish original content with the aim of sharing exactly what it is that goes on during the five-day period.

Festivaletteratura

film crew Festivaletteratura makes for a gripping film and the volunteers who record it need to be able to capture details, showcase their protagonists and present their locations in the right light. Film crew volunteers not only document the festival, they also produce original material and camera operators are just as important as editing pros.

Festivaletteratura

blurandevu There is a group of blue-shirted volunteers whose task is to get on stage and interview writers, leaving any sense of awe behind them. Their events are extremely popular, but there is a lot of preparation behind them, all under the supervision of a writer who acts as a tutor.