Work exchange requires 16 hours of work over the course of the Festival in exchange for a full Festival pass. In limited cases, some or all these hours may be completed prior to the start of the Festival.
Volunteers have purchased a festival pass and offer whatever amount of time they choose.
We will make every effort to schedule your work shifts so that you can attend your favorite Festival events however by their nature some jobs must occur at specific times. Prior to completing the application form, please read through the job descriptions and requirements below. We have tried to be very clear about expectations for each job so that we can make the best possible match for you. If you are differently-abled and have questions about whether you could meet the job requirements for a job you would like, please contact us so that we can discuss possible accommodations for you.
Once the form has been completed, it will be sent to coordinators who have openings in the area/areas you have requested. That coordinator will contact you to discuss the position in more depth to determine whether it will be a good fit for you. We look forward to working with you and thank you for your interest in helping to make our 2024 Festival a success.
***NOTE—If you are a returning worker and have already talked with your area coordinator, you may go directly to the application form.
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CLICK HERE WORK EXCHANGE-VOLUNTEER APPLICATION
For more information about volunteer or work-exchange opportunities, please contact MARY at the address below. We look forward to working with you.
Mary Spillane – NWMF Volunteer/Work Exchange Board Liaison
Nwmfhouse@gmail.com
Click on the job to view the Job Descriptions.
Access Worker
Day Programming Office Worker
Finance Team Worker
Flex Crew Worker
Live Auction Worker
Load-in/Load-out Worker
Marketplace FestieWear Worker
Marketplace Greeter
Marketplace Load-In/Load-Out Worker
Marketplace Security Worker
Performer Care Worker
Registration Worker
Silent Auction Worker
Transportation Worker
ACCESS WORKER
The access staff assist Festival attendees with needs related to vision, hearing, or mobility. This position requires a basic awareness of access issues. Also flexibility, a ‘can-do’ attitude toward problem-solving, and good communication skills a must. This position is available Thursday through Sunday.
DAY PROGRAMMING OFFICE WORKER
These workers will assist in the Day Programming (Festival) office. Primary duties will involve copying/transferring files, printing files, and making copies. Other duties may be assigned as needed. This position requires good computer skills including a basic knowledge of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Workers should know how to copy files to and from a USB drive as well as how to
do basic troubleshooting on a printer (change ink, load paper, etc.). Familiarity with MS Windows computers a must. Familiarity with Mac Computers a plus. A positive can-do attitude, as well as the ability to both work under pressure and handle “downtime”, are important. While we will attempt to schedule around preferred activities, this job may cause you to miss some workshops or day
stage activities. This position is available Wed-Sat.
***NEW OPPORTUNITY*** FINANCE TEAM WORKER
Members of the finance team report directly to the NWMF treasurer. Finance team members will work for a total of 16 hours either before (Wednesday) or during the festival. Responsibilities will be determined based upon shift assignment. Responsibilities may include logging items for live and silent auction into excel, assisting with auction checkout or other sales functions, completing data entry tasks related to finance, and assisting with reconciliation of various festival areas (e.g. registration, auction, marketplace, emerging artists). Applicants should have a working knowledge of data entry (google forms and excel), experience handling cash and credit card sales, excellent attention to detail, ability to follow written instructions and processes, ability to problem solve independently, and the ability to work in fast-paced situations without becoming stressed. You will be trained on all festival processes prior to beginning work in this area.
FLEX CREW WORKER
Flex crew is on-call during the Festival to provide assistance wherever needed. This may mean doing clerical tasks, moving equipment or furniture (with help), working on the house crew at a stage, helping attendees with mobility or access issues, helping in the marketplace, or just about anything else that might be needed. Requirements include a working cell phone to receive texts, the
ability to move throughout the Festival (walking or with a mobility aid), flexibility, and a cheerful can-do attitude. This position is available Thursday through Sunday.
LIVE AUCTION WORKER
Live auction workers are responsible for assisting the auctioneer during the live auction. Duties include registering participants, assisting the auctioneer in spotting bids, encouraging bidders to continue to bid on items, and assisting with auction wrap-up activities. This job is best for workers who are out-going, energetic, and able to “ham it up” to keep participants engaged in the auction.
Workers must be available 1 hour before, during and 1 hour after the Live auction ends. For Work Exchange applicants, this person will also support the silent auction. The Live Auction portion of this position requires you to work during the day on Saturday.
LOAD-IN/LOAD-OUT WORKER
Load-in/load-out workers will work primarily on Wed, Thursday, and Sunday (pre/post-Festival). Some hours may also be available on Monday and Tuesday. Monday and Tuesday hours will involve assisting with transferring equipment from the festival storage unit to the festival (approximately 5 minutes away) as well as assisting with the pick-up of instruments or other equipment. A festival vehicle will be provided. During the Festival, workers will assist with unloading supplies and moving them to assigned areas as well as with loading trucks and vans on Sunday. Items will range in size from small bins and boxes to large sound, light, and video equipment. Workers in this area MUST be able to safely lift and move items weighing up to 40 lbs. (when working with a partner). Some of this work will occur outdoors in a non-air-conditioned environment. Safety is a priority and workers must be willing to follow all instructions of the stage manager when moving any sound and light equipment (e.g. two-person vs 1 person lift). Flexibility is also important for this position.
MARKETPLACE FESTIEWEAR WORKER
Workers in the NWMF FestieWear booth are responsible for all aspects of selling FestieWear to Festival participants. This includes unpacking, inventorying, and re-packing all goods prior to the opening and closing of the Marketplace on Thursday and Sunday. Throughout the Festival, workers will display the goods in an attractive manner; make price signs; promote the goods to potential
buyers; write receipts; handle cash and checks according to our procedures, process credit cards using Square; and secure the cash drawer. The skills required are good communication skills; a friendly demeanor; knowledge of cash-handling procedures; good organization; and the ability to think clearly. FestieWear workers need to arrive on time and be especially conscientious. This job
involves standing for long periods unless using a scooter or wheelchair. This position is available Wednesday through Sunday.
MARKETPLACE GREETER
The marketplace greeter welcomes and checks in all craftswimin as they arrive to set up. Check in includes providing booth assignments and information packets, explaining the load-in procedure, answering a variety of questions, and directing craftswimin and helpers to the marketplace load-in crew. The greeter also directs the load-in/load-out crew and coordinates the traffic flow outside in the loading area. The greeter works closely with the marketplace coordinator regarding booth corrections or changes. This is a physically demanding position that requires walking indoors and outdoors for 4-8 hours at a time. This job requires good communication skills; a friendly demeanor; good organization; and the ability to think clearly when busy. The greeter must be prompt and conscientious. Most of the work exchange hours will be used during load-in/load-out on Thursday and Sunday; however, providing booth coverage for craftswimin during their breaks may be required after the Marketplace is open.
MARKETPLACE LOAD-IN/LOAD-OUT WORKER
Marketplace load-in/load-out workers assist the craftswimin as they unload their vehicles and move goods into the Marketplace. They also coordinate the “traffic flow” of craftswimin outside in the load-in area as well as inside the marketplace. This is a highly physical job; it requires workers who are physically well-coordinated and able to lift at least 30 pounds and engage in physical activity in a “semi”-air-conditioned location for 4 to 6 hours at a time. Load-in/load-out workers will work primarily on Wed, Thursday, and Sunday (pre/post-festival) load out.
MARKETPLACE SECURITY WORKER
The marketplace security worker monitors the Marketplace exits and entrances and walks the aisles when the Marketplace is open and closed. The job requires good communication skills, the ability to confront un-authorized persons, and a general understanding of security protocol. This job starts at 8p.m. nightly (Thursday through Saturday) and works until the security worker closes and secures the marketplace between midnight and 1:00 a.m. ***NOTE This will require the worker to miss a portion of the SheRocks Stage.
PERFORMER CARE WORKER
Performer Care Workers will assist paid staff in food preparation and serving of food for
festival performers. They will also be asked to greet performers as they come to
the dining area and be certain they have the correct wrist band. Workers will
become familiar with food served in order to answer questions. Workers will
work closely with performer care staff to ensure the smooth preparation, serving
and clean up of each meal.
REGISTRATION WORKER
Registration workers staff the main registration desk, where they check-in people who have pre-registered, register people onsite, sell tickets to single events, take Festival donations, distribute wrist bands and programs, and show people how to use the WHOVA app. They need to be comfortable with technology as they use Square (on electronic devices provided by the Festival) to take credit card payments and laptops to check people in. They receive training but they also always have someone (assistant coordinator or coordinator) to ask if they have questions. This job requires a positive attitude, good communication skills, and the ability to stay calm when things move quickly. Registration workers should be able to solve problems and be comfortable asking for help or clarification as needed. Punctuality is critical. Experience with handling cash/checks or processing credit cards is a plus. Registration Workers should (ideally) be available on WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19 for training, 10:00-12:00 noon. After that, they will be scheduled for an additional 14 hours (16 hours total) with the emphasis on Wednesday and Thursday hours.
SILENT AUCTION WORKER
Silent auction workers are responsible for monitoring auction items as well as assisting with all aspects of the auction process. Duties include assisting with item check-in/auction setup, monitoring the auction area, assisting with closing the auction, and assisting with the check-out process. The silent auction position may involve long periods of sitting in the auction room. This job is good for workers who are equally comfortable interacting with potential buyers and sitting alone if no attendees are in the auction room.
TRANSPORTATION WORKER
Transportation workers will be responsible for driving performers and crew from/to Milwaukee airport and the hotel. Workers must have a clean driving record, a valid driver’s license, and proof of insurance. This job requires a positive attitude, good communication skills, and the ability to stay calm. This will be first contact for the performers and crew with the festival; so, you must provide them with a welcoming and safe ride to the hotel. Drivers are needed Wednesday, June 19th through Monday, June 24th.