The registration for volunteering at the 2022 Bergen International Festival is now closed. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified when the 2023 registration opens.
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The Bergen International Festival depends on hundreds of volunteers every year, and we would like to welcome both new and old volunteers to participate from Wednesday 24 May–Wednesday 07 June 2023 with events across the city!
Why volunteer at the Bergen International Festival?
As a volunteer you get the chance to experience the festival from behind the scenes in exciting venues and with innovative artists from Norway and abroad, as well as getting to meet many nice people and gain valuable experience as part of the Nordic region's largest festival in its genre.
We need volunteers of all kinds, so whether you speak several languages, enjoy practical work, are service-minded and love people, we would very much like to have you join us.
What can I do as a volunteer?
Audience host (no: Publikumsvert)
Are you a social person and enjoy meeting many different people? As a host, you'll be the first person the audience meets at the venue. The audience host's most important task is to make the audience feel welcome, be helpful and knowledgeable about practical information including entrances, seating, toilets and wardrobe. The shifts will take place both indoors and outdoors - anywhere where the Festival is present.
We need many sociable and service oriented audience hosts. Where the audience is, the hosts are!
Festival assistant (no: Festivalassistent)
Do you enjoy a day that is varied, and want to experience different sides of the festival?
The work of a festival assistant suits versatile people who enjoy varied missions. The work load and content will vary from shift to shift, but the most important is to be present and available for new tasks. Festival assistants should be quick on their feet, always looking for solutions, enjoy helping out, know the city well, and appreciate both hectic and less busy shifts. Anything can happen during a festival!
As festival assistant, one should also be available for shifts before the festival period. There are many things to prepare when the Bergen International Festival is getting ready to make its mark on the city.
Information host (no: Informasjonsvert)
Do you know the Festival well, and enjoy talking to people? The information hosts are tasked with manning the Festival information and accreditation stand, which handles accreditations and answering questions from the audience, volunteers, press and artists. The information host's task is to answer questions and to pass on inquiries to the right people.
An information host must enjoy talking with many different people as well as getting to know the whole Festival programme, venues and contact persons. Language skills are essential, and knowing both Norwegian and English at a high level is important.
This volunteer group often fills up quickly, and we recommend that you sign up for other volunteer roles as well.
Artist contact (no: Artistkontakt)
Are your language skills at a high level, and do you know the city well? As artist contact, you are responsible for hosting and being the contact person for the Festival's Norwegian and international artists. The artist contacts make sure that the artists' meeting with the Festival and the city is the best possible. The artists should feel welcome, safe and informed from arrival to departure, and it's the artist contact's task to make sure this happens and to be the artists' link to the administration. An artist contact must be available both in person and on the phone during the artist's stay, and language skills in Norwegian and/or English is a prerequisite.
Previous experience in the role is highly valued. This volunteer group often fills up quickly, and we recommend that you sign up for other volunteer roles as well. Relevant candidates will be contacted for a short interview.
Student volunteer (no: Studentfrivillig)
For many students, the Bergen International Festival coincides with a busy exam schedule. There are still many students who wish to volunteer with us, so it's now possible to become a student volunteer! You'll work 10–15 hours instead of the regular 20–25 hours, and receive one free ticket instead of two. Otherwise, the perks and tasks are the same.
You can now sign up as a Student volunteer, just check the box in the sign up form!
What do you get as a volunteer at the festival?
- T-shirt and festival merch
- Two free tickets that can be used whenever you want during the festival period
- Kick-off and after party
- Certificate of service
What does the festival expect from you?
- That you work between 20 and 25 hours before and / or during the festival period
- That you read up on the festival's program
- That you are friendly and professional towards the audience, volunteers and other staff
- That you meet punctually and soberly to your shifts with the festival t-shirt and ID around your neck
- That you notify your immediate superior as soon as possible if you are delayed/prevented from appearing on duty
- That you attend a kick-off/information meeting before the festival starts
Did you know that when the first Festival was held in 1953, more people gathered at Torgallmenningen than on that national day 17 May? If you are interested in reading more about the history of the festival, you can do so here.
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