We are looking for volunteers! 17 and up!
Suncoast Arts Fest is a volunteer-run event, and we are always looking for new friends to help make the festival a success. Volunteering is a fun way to see the Suncoast Arts Fest from a different perspective, meet new people, and promote art in the community. For students, it’s also a terrific way to earn community service hours, and we welcome applications from individuals or groups. Positions are currently available on the SAF planning committee. If you’d like to be a part of this great community event, please contact festival management for more details.
We are also taking registrations for on-site assistance at the festival. We particularly need some adult men/women to assist with set up on Friday night/Saturday morning and break down on Sunday evening. But that’s not all…Help is needed in every area! Please take a moment to read through the job descriptions below. When registering, you will be asked to sign up for time and job preferences. You are welcome to sign-up for multiple shifts. The earlier you register, the more choices you have! We do ask that you remain flexible, however, as it is sometimes necessary to adjust on-site.
As an on-site volunteer, you will receive a T-shirt. We ask that you bring a cell phone with you, so that we can call or text you at the event. More instructions and training information will be provided closer to the show date.
Youth and Student Registration
Community service hours are available during Suncoast Arts Fest. If you are a student, please make sure to check that you need community service hours for school on your registration form. We will provide the required documentation of your hours at the event.
If you are under the age of 18, parental permission must be provided to volunteer. Just download our Youth Liability Waiver, and return a signed copy to our Volunteer Coordinator on or before your scheduled shift.
Submit your Volunteer Registration online, or print the form and mail to Suncoast Arts Fest, P.O. Box 609, New Port Richey, FL 34656. If you have any questions, please complete our volunteer contact form, and we will follow up with you as soon as possible.
Volunteer Job Descriptions
PRE- and POST EVENT
Set-Up
The Suncoast Arts Fest is set up Friday and Sat. morning and we need all the help we can get. All day Friday the artists’ booths are laid out. Saturday morning the show equipment is set-up. Duties include a variety of items that range from setting up chairs, tables and tents to placing signs to running errands.
Registration of Artists
1) Fri., 9pm-12 Midnight: 6 older students or adults are needed.
2) Sat., 4am-8am: 6 older students or adults are needed.
Artists arrive and set-up their booths Friday night and early Sat. morning. Volunteers are needed to make this process as smooth as possible – hand-out registration packets, direct the artists to their spaces, do a little traffic control. Coffee and donuts available for volunteers and artists.
Floaters
If you are flexible, and easy going, this is the spot for you. Floaters will be assigned to roles when they arrive based on where they are needed. It is incredibly helpful to have a handful of Floaters to fill in the gaps for every shift.
Parking Security
At 5:30pm on Sunday, 2-3 volunteers will be place at 4 entry locations to Paseo Drive and given direction for traffic flow. At 6pm, artists and their vehicles are walked one by one to their booth space. The goal is to quickly and safely get artists to their booth site without blocking other artists also coming in.
Tear-down
10-12 older students or adults are needed for this task.
The event tear down goes fairly quickly! Items are folded up and gathered at spots along Paseo Drive. Then, a trailer drives through picking up gathered items.
DURING THE SHOW
Boothsitting/Roving Artist Hospitality
As a boothsitter, you will be responsible for staffing artists’ booths to allow them to take breaks. There will be a cellphone system so artists can request a boothsitter when they need one. Each artist will tell you how they would like potential buyers and additional questions handled. During downtime, volunteers can walk around the show and see if artists need water, information, or anything else to make their experience at the show more enjoyable.
Information Booth
The Information booth located in the center of the show is where everyone comes to ask questions! When the booth isn’t busy, volunteers can greet visitors to make them feel welcome.
Kid’s Art Garden/Art Makerspace
The Art Garden is the place for younger artists. The Art Maker Space is where technology and art collide! Hands on help with projects will be needed at both of these places.
Emerging Artist Area
Volunteers watch over displayed art of area high schoolers from throughout the county.
Music Stage
If you like being around music and performers, this is your job! Help prepare music and drama groups before and after performances.
Social Media
You will need a smart phone or tablet for this job! The Suncoast Arts Fest will be “tweeting”, sending Instagrams, posting to our Facebook and more throughout the event! Specific direction will be given to promote the SAF event as events happen!
Our Sponsors
All festival proceeds are donated back to the community through the Arts for Kids mini-grant program, which provides funding for fine and performing arts projects in Pasco schools. You can help us meet our goals by making a tax deductible contribution to Fine Arts of the Suncoast.