ABOUT LIFT
LIFT is London’s international biennial festival of theatre. LIFT stands for radical empowerment and inclusion. We promote the power and urgency of international perspectives, understanding that difference makes us stronger. LIFT is where artists and audiences meet for necessary conversations and essential cultural experiences. The theatre we offer audiences is compelling, meaningful, provocative, excellent, topical, singular. We advance contemporary thought, introduce new forms and ideas and offer new ways of experiencing art.
Every two years, LIFT presents a festival full of daring and relevant culture, international perspectives and unforgettable theatre. Whether it’s a much-loved venue, iconic landmark or unsung corner of London, LIFT gathers Londoners around incredible art. We want our audiences to feel more London and more global every time they encounter LIFT.
LIFT creates contexts where artists make transformative culture happen, as a commissioner, presenter and connector. LIFT is the essential link between leading international artists and London and the UK. We connect British makers abroad. We offer essential supports that give UK artists working abroad momentum and connections; the partnerships we create advance artists and their projects.
Our reach and impact are local, national and international, we co-commission and tour projects in with an array of UK and global partners. We engage and create communities around ideas and projects connecting leading artists to locals and together we make incredible art happen. We celebrate London as a place where the local and international meet.
We do it full of ambition, joy, thoughtfulness. Our team is skilled, productive, connected and ambitious. LIFT loves London. A charity limited by guarantee and based in Toynbee Studios in East London; LIFT is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.
“LIFT continually push artistic boundaries, embrace risk and is inspired by the creatively impossible…”
Justine Simons, Deputy Mayor for Culture, Greater London Authority
VOLUNTEERING WITH LIFT
Every festival, volunteers are crucial to LIFT; we could not deliver the ambition and scale of LIFT without you. We love our volunteers and the community they help build around the festival.We want to ensure that volunteering with LIFT is a valuable experience. Volunteering with LIFT provides a great opportunity to meet new people, contribute to a major cultural event, learn about international theatre and gain new skills. As well as working alongside people who like daring and relevant culture, volunteers will expand their networks of artists, venues and theatre professionals.
WHAT VOLUNTEERS CAN EXPECT
- A welcoming, creative environment
- A supportive team, clear communication and relevant training
- Opportunities to contribute in a variety of roles that suit different experiences and interests
- The opportunity to network, work alongside like-minded volunteers and make friends
- A free ticket to a LIFT show, and ad-hoc ticket offers during the festival.
- A LIFT branded t-shirt to keep
- A thank you wrap up event for LIFT volunteers
Please note that volunteer roles are unpaid, but travel expenses will be reimbursed up to £10 per day. During longer shifts i.e. those where 2 shows are covered, food expenses will be covered as well.
WE’RE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS WHO:
- Are curious, passionate and enthusiastic about LIFT’s vision
- Enjoy working with and talking to a wide range of people of different ages, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds and with a broad range of access requirements
- Are comfortable communicating with staff, other volunteers and the public
- Are organised and reliable, with excellent time keeping skills
- Work and remain calm under pressure
- Can work independently as well as part of a team
- Are aged 18+
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT VOLUNTEERING FOR LIFT
LIFT’s varied programme means there’s opportunity to volunteer on a huge range of work, developing your skills, community and understanding in different ways. From a soundscape and choreographed performance at a criminal court, to an immersive sensory experience and night of films and discussion that takes us to Lagos, Mumbai, and across London, volunteers can expect a varied, engaging and exciting experience.
VOLUNTEER ROLES
Events Volunteers
Supporting venue front of house staff, giving audiences LIFT programmes and information about other LIFT shows, seating audiences, responding to audience enquiries, gathering audience feedback
Artist Support Volunteers
Meeting international artists at their accommodation to provide a friendly face and represent LIFT, providing support with artist liaison at venues
Access Support Volunteers
Facilitating and signposting venue staff with access support needs for audiences leading up to and after performances
Lead Volunteers
Supporting in the management of events volunteers, preferably someone with some experience in managing people
KEY DATES and LOCATIONS
LIFT will be taking place from 5th – 23rd June and 13th – 27th July this year. We are seeking volunteers to work during these periods. Details of the volunteer meet and greet, and training will be communicated to volunteers after the application deadline.
June
Week 1: Wed 5th June – Sun 9th June
Week 2: Mon 11th June – Sun 16th June
Week 3: Mon 17th June – Sun 23rd June
July
Week 4: Friday 12th July – Sat 19th July
Week 5: Sun 20th July – Sun 27th July
We’d like volunteers in various locations across London, including Brixton, Bank, London Bridge, Islington, Sloane Square, St. Paul’s and Southbank.
HOW SHIFTS WORK
Weekday shifts are in the evening (17:00-22:30 or 18:00-22:00) and weekend shifts are in the morning (10:30-14:30), afternoon (12:30 – 16:30 or 13:30-18:30) or evening (17:00-22:30).
Shifts last between 4 – 6 hours and will be agreed with volunteers ahead of time depending on your availability. On the application form you can give us an idea of your availability over the festival period.
We’d like for volunteers to commit to at least 2 shifts across the festival period. This is the minimum requirement to receive your complimentary ticket to a LIFT show.
ACCESSIBILITY
We are eager to accommodate for volunteers with access requirements or different needs. The application form allows you to tell us about your access needs. LIFT will work hard to accommodate every different kind of access requirement within our team. There is also information around content warnings of each show, so volunteers can opt out of volunteering at shows with content they’d like to avoid.
We want all people to feel safe and welcome at LIFT events and expect volunteers to uphold our safe space policy.
HOW TO APPLY
Please fill in this application form by Sunday 19th May 2024. We’ll get back to you w/c 20th May 2024 or sooner.
Please also fill in this Equal Opportunities monitoring form. If you prefer you can send us this information as a video or voice message by emailing volunteers@liftfestival.com as an attachment with the subject line LIFT Volunteer 2024.
We are particularly keen to receive applications from Black and Global Majority applicants, applicants who identify as living with a disability, and applicants from backgrounds which are currently underrepresented in the arts. If you have any particular requirements which will support your application, please email us on volunteers@liftfestival.com
If you have any questions or would like to chat about volunteering and what it might involve, please get in touch with Ada Kalu at volunteers@liftfestival.com.
