At Walton Arts Center, we truly depend on our volunteers to function on a daily basis – but especially on show days! They greet you when you walk in the door, help you get your ticket at Will Call, scan your ticket when you go into the theater and help you find your seat. But that’s not all…
Our volunteers also assist with our educational programs, special events such as Art of Wine and Masquerade Ball and assist with administrative tasks as well. We have a dedicated corps of volunteers that are involved in every aspect of the theater from helping in the administrative office, to box office, concessions and ushering in the hall. The donation of time and talents from our volunteers enables us to fill some key roles, and that helps keeps our overhead low, allowing us to pass those savings on to our patrons.
Volunteers create their own schedule by signing up online for opportunities that best meet their needs. Shifts are available during the day and at night, as well as weekdays and weekends. We encourage volunteers to try something new or explore more than one area of service. We love seeing volunteers expand their skills and shine in a variety of positions.
We ask members of our volunteer corps to contribute a minimum of 30 hours per season, which averages to about one volunteer opportunity a month. Volunteers also have the option of joining a more flexible volunteer path with our Volunteer Ambassador Program. This program is ideal for students that need to fulfill a service requirement, corporate employee volunteers or individuals with schedule restrictions.
All new volunteers will be asked to attend an orientation session before making the decision to join the team. The orientation sessions are designed to inform prospective volunteers about policies and procedures, plus details about opportunities. New volunteers are offered a mix of virtual, hands-on and mentorship training in order to provide the best possible patron experience. Seasoned volunteers will also attend a training session once a year in the summer as a refresher course.
Every year Walton Arts Center honors our volunteers at a Volunteer Appreciation Night. During this special evening, awards are given based upon years of service and number of hours. In addition, Walton Arts Center recognizes volunteers throughout the year with a complimentary ticket program, social outings, Volunteer Appreciation Month activities and more.
Volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded people in the community or for students to build leadership and job skills. Anyone interested in volunteering can visit waltonartscenter.org/volunteer. Orientation sessions are offered throughout the season so it’s always a good time to apply!
