Each year, Adelaide Fringe is honoured to have many hard-working, passionate and positive South Australian volunteers join us in helping to make each Adelaide Fringe even better than the last!
Although slightly down-sized this year in a post-COVID society, we still had a massive cohort of 120 Adelaide Fringe volunteers, who fulfilled an impressive 1,841 hours! While enjoying this year’s Fringe you may have spotted them around the place; assisting Fringe-goers at the bustling Rundle Mall Fringe Information Booth, and even at colourful Fringe events, like our pop up Fringe at Adelaide Railway Station (see below).
An Adelaide Fringe volunteer assisting at Fringe at event at the Adelaide Railway Station. Photo: Fumika Takagi, 2021.
Our volunteers cover a range of areas and this year we had sixteen Access Support Volunteers and eight Volunteer Photographers within our volunteer community. From providing information to first-time Fringe-goers about the festival, to supporting patrons with access requirements at specific events and venues, as well as capturing shows and the excitement of the festival - there are many important roles volunteers fulfill. In 2021, we even had two passionate, rurally-based photographers take on the roles of Regional Volunteer Photographer to capture the magic of Fringe on Tour in their part of SA.
Hear from one of our First-time Fringe volunteers.
Clara Moutakis, First-time Fringe volunteer.
Why did you volunteer with the Adelaide Fringe in 2021?
There were two main reasons:
- The Adelaide Fringe is well renowned for its impeccable reputation in providing outstanding artistic shows. Due to the impact that COVID-19 had on the Arts industry, I wanted to offer my support and experience to support the festival in Adelaide.
- I have a passion for the arts and studied it. I volunteered at the Adelaide Fringe to meet like-minded people and become a part of the arts community in Adelaide.
By far, joining the Adelaide Fringe Volunteer Program was the best decision I have ever made in my entire life (as clichéd as that might sound). I have made many new friends with both volunteers and staff members that I have met. I also want to say a special thank you to the Volunteer Managers for making my very first year volunteering at the Fringe so incredible and an enjoyable. Moreover, I would also like to give a big thank you to the volunteers and staff members I worked with on my shifts for being so supportive, fun, and safe to be around with.
What do you love about volunteering at the Adelaide Fringe?
There are so many things that I loved about volunteering with Adelaide Fringe including working alongside, and making new friends with volunteers and staff members. I also loved volunteering at the Fringe because I got to meet some artists and see the city come ALIVE. I loved socialising with the people I worked with including customers, the busyness of the festival and learning some operational aspects of the festival. I accomplished 90.5 hours which just shows how much I enjoyed being there and there was not one day that I did not hesitate to be there. I think that it was fantastic that our volunteer managers organised lunch parties for volunteers to get to know each other and get to know them. I loved the fact that there was also an awards party for the volunteers.
Overall, with my time at the festival, I felt so valued to be there which made me willing to put in 100% hard work on my shifts.
When volunteering, which is your favourite shift and why?
I loved working at Rundle Mall box office as well as at Fringe Corner. However, overall, working at East End was my favorite location to work at and in the position as ‘Box Office Assistant’. I loved the fact that I found it a lot easier to approach people, and when it got busy, I loved helping with enquiries and with covid marshalling. I loved seeing lines of people being organized and having customers thank me for my time.
For someone considering volunteering at the Adelaide Fringe in the future/next year, what would you recommend/say to them?
I would say apply for it, you will enjoy every single day and minute you are there. Whether you join just for the socialisation/making new friends or because you are studying something within events or the arts, it is so worth it to join up. You will learn so many new skills and knowledge about the festival as well as learn so much more about yourself as a person and what you are capable of. Becoming a volunteer with the Adelaide Fringe I think will build up your confidence as it certainly built up mine. It was a lot of fun and you will regret not giving it a go.
Overall, 96% of Fringe Core and Access Volunteers that completed our post-festival survey rated their volunteering experience as a 4 (out of 5) or higher for 2021 - a great result! Familiar faces are also a common sight within the program with 65% of our Core and Access Volunteers this year made up of returning volunteers.
If you feel like joining these, and many other wonderful volunteers in the Adelaide Fringe volunteer program for 2022, sign up your expression of interest below. We look forward to Fringe-ing with you next year!