This is an indoor venue within the town, mainly dance workshops, storytelling plus Shooting Roots workshops and some evening family events. Team member’s tasks include checking and selling tickets, manning fire exits, cleaning between events. Experience – Good customer skills and a happy disposition.

Anchor team consists of one venue manager who is on call throughout the week as well as having scheduled shifts, and 6 stage managers. It is an outdoor venue that has a capacity on 550 customers. Stage managers are required to keep all fire exits clear, assist the band’s entrance and exit to/from the venue and stage, introduce bands, deliver health and safety announcements, time management to ensure bands are on and off stage on time, run interference for the sound team, move chairs/tables/benches between events, check attendee numbers, collect donations. The venue manager has the same responsibilities along with liaising with the pub staff and security, making the 'tough calls', organising changes/replacements to the line-up.

4 volunteers are required to help facilitate the self-catering accommodation for artists by making beds and delivering towels at the beginning of the week, midweek bed changes & and collecting bedding and towels on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th Aug. Own transport an advantage as accommodation is often out of town.

The Artist Liaison Team helps ensure artists are supported, in the right place at the right time, and that the programme runs smoothly. Acting as the festival’s eyes and ears, the team feeds back in real time to the Artistic Administrator and Artistic Director. Volunteers may be roving between town venues, checking everything is running well and helping artists with refreshments, directions, and general assistance, or based at the Bulverton or Ham Marquee working alongside technical teams, venue managers, and MCs. This role suits people with good people skills, an interest in the folk scene, and ideally some knowledge of Sidmouth Folk Festival. Hours are flexible and agreed at the start of the festival. Expect to be on your feet, so comfortable shoes and practical clothing are essential.

This team is based at the festival’s admin centre at Sidmouth Primary School and is responsible for meeting and greeting artists as they arrive at the festival and dealing with their queries throughout the week. This involves dealing with festival passes, camping wristbands, meal vouchers, and vehicle passes etc. and generally helping the artists navigate the festival. There will be three team leaders drawn from more experienced members of the team and all will be supported by the festival’s Artistic administrator.

The Transport Team helps ensure artists get to the right place at the right time and that the festival runs smoothly. Volunteers will transport artists between railway stations, airports, their accommodation, and performance venues, and assist other Artist Liaison teams with moving equipment and supplies. Shifts and driving schedules are allocated a few days in advance, with a designated driver on call for each shift. Volunteers can expect to work an average of around 5 hours per day, with some busier days requiring more time and others much lighter. Vehicles include a hired 9-seater, sponsor cars, and volunteers’ own vehicles. Driving the hired or sponsor vehicles requires a clean licence; volunteers using their own vehicles must have insurance covering business use. This role suits flexible, reliable volunteers who enjoy driving, meeting artists, and being part of the team that keeps the festival running smoothly.

For 2026 we are looking to continue to create a new team to support the build and break phases of the event working alongside contractors and suppliers to ensure the Festival looks amazing for when the guests arrive and helping top pack it all down at the end. Due to the nature of the role and the extended dates we are offering an enhanced volunteer package only for this role. Starting on or around the 21st July and completing build on the 31st July .You can then take the festival week off to enjoy the festival to the maximum and return for the derig phase on the 8th and completing the derig on the 11th August. Whilst the campsite is being built at the start of the project and at the end of the derig we will provide B&B accommodation for you or commercial campsite if preferred. You will be provided with a food allowance for all the days on site including during the festival week itself and free camping throughout at the Festival campsite with power hook up if so desired. You will provided with all the other standard volunteer benefits. You may be offered training in specific tasks such as telehandler/fork training for example prior to the event.

Set up, run and dismantle bar in Blackmore/Bulverton Marquee. (Volunteers are specifically chosen by bar Manager – do not apply for this role unless you know you are part of this specific team).

This area has a Marquee venue within the gardens and is situated in the centre of town. It has dance workshops, displays and ceilidhs. Team members' tasks include staffing fire exits, cleaning between events, checking and selling tickets, The role also includes supervising events and gates in the gardens themselves. Experience - Good customer skills, venue and crowd management

This is a late-night venue and can be very busy at times due to the calibre of bands performing. During the day it is predominately a workshop venue. Responsibilities are with the day to day running of the venue including car park. Car park duties are directing and parking cars, greeting people, selling car parking tickets and bus passes, handling money. This is an indoor/outdoor role. The venue roles vary from being responsible for fire exits and backstage gates. Front of house on the door involves checking ticket, selling tickets, and counting members of the public in and out. Roaming stewards in the venue are responsible for overseeing generally and reporting any issues to team leaders. All stewards are expected to tidy the venue before and after events. Stewards may be required to use a radio. This role includes a free bus pass.

Campsite Box office involves checking pre-booked tickets confirmations & issuing the correct Festival passes & wristbands. We also take cash and card payments for Festival passes, camping, programmes etc. and deal with ticketing enquiries. We are very busy from the Wednesday before the festival starts until the Sunday after which time it generally gets quieter. There are usually 4 people working at busy times reducing to 2 as required. This role entitles volunteers to a free festival bus pass.

Volunteers support events for children and families, assisting the artists and workshop leaders without delivering the workshops themselves. Tasks are varied but generally involve working in the same venue with the same time slots each day. The Children’s Festival programme runs in the morning, afternoon, and early evening. A major part of this role is engaging with families on Peacock Lawn and assisting with collections, helping ensure the festival is welcoming and smoothly run. Volunteers should relate well to children as well as adults, parents, and carers, and be flexible with a positive, “can-do” approach. Many volunteers also help out during the Torchlight Procession (Fri 7th). This role suits friendly, adaptable volunteers who enjoy working with children and families and want to play an active part in creating a fun and welcoming festival experience.

The volunteer collections team members provide a vital role in helping to boost festival income. Collectors visit several locations in the town including Blackmore Gardens, the Anchor Garden, Market Square and the Esplanade, collecting donations from visitors and festival goers at free events, processions, informal events including street theatre and music performances, dance displays and outdoor ceilidhs. Collectors are mobile and go where things are happening! It’s a great way of finding out what’s happening around the festival. Some collectors work in tandem. There are morning, afternoon and tea-time shifts: volunteers would do one shift a day. We avoid early starts and late finishes. Collecting starts on Saturday, although if some volunteers can start on Friday, that would be great! All collectors get the opportunity to be a part of the last night Torchlight Procession. This is a friendly team, whose members’ contributions are very much valued.

Collections are a vital part of festival income. The Collections Office Team supports the volunteer collectors. The role involves preparing collecting tins and buckets, issuing them to dance display groups and the festival’s volunteer collectors and especially processing the tins and buckets when they are returned. There are morning, afternoon and tea-time shifts: volunteers would do one shift a day. We avoid early starts and late finishes. Volunteers will start on Friday or Saturday. This is a friendly team, whose members’ contributions are very much valued.

This role involves checking pre-booked ticket confirmations and issuing the correct Festival Passes and event tickets. We also sell Festival passes, event tickets, camping, programmes etc. and deal with ticketing and other enquiries. The festival Box Office is open 11 hours each day and has different peaks and troughs throughout the two-week period. Desired skills – Excellent customer facing skills, a good knowledge of the town and festival, working within a team and answering phone enquiries. At peak times a calm, level head is required as it can be very busy.

The festival campsite is situated just out of town. During the folk festival it is serviced by a circular bus route to the town centre. The campsite team welcome and site campers into the right areas of the campsite (general, campervans/caravan, accessible etc), Check wristbands and passes on the gates, make sure fire lanes are kept clear. Answer any customer questions and manage any problems that arise appropriately, calling for help if required. It is a very friendly team with campsite managers on hand at all times. This role entitles volunteers to a free festival bus pass.

Experience desired for the venue is of running a folk club or concerts, both as front-of-house (checking tickets, selling tickets, managing the queues including having to turn customers away from sold-out events) and behind the scenes (setting up the room for each event and cleaning it between events, greeting performers and MCs), and being aware of health and safety requirements. The Guide HQ is a low-key venue with a programme of acoustic traditional performances, workshops, storytelling, and ballads.

Experience of running a venue desirable. Roles include front-of-house (checking tickets, selling tickets, managing the queues, including having to turn customers away from sold-out events) and behind the scenes (setting up the room for each event and cleaning it between events, greeting performers and MCs), and being aware of health and safety requirements.

The volunteer team work afternoons and evenings. They assist in managing queues, ticket checking, setting the room, working with the festival technical team and Kennaway manager and staff. Kennaway is a small venue and can be very popular so keeping track of queue numbers is important to minimise customer disappointment if a ‘full house’ has to be called.

Manage lost property received during the event from venues etc and handle lost property enquiries & returns to owners during and post event. Friendly demeanour with a logical approach to cataloguing and handling lost property. Ideally local to Sidmouth for handling returns post festival.

This is a venue with several rooms within it and has concerts in the theatre, and a variety of events in the arts centre. There are also workshops and sessions within the building. Experience required checking tickets, selling tickets, managing the queues including managing sold-out events, setting up the rooms, cleaning between events, greeting performers and MCs and being aware of health and safety requirements.

Merchandise Team - To sell official Folk Festival Merchandise. Looking after 2 outlets (Blackmore Gardens and The Ham) from Thursday to Friday inclusive. To interact with the public and potential customers visiting the stand. To take an active interest in the merchandise, upsell wherever possible- take a pride in the display of goods. Accurate record keeping of sales and handling of money. Reliability and honesty. Needs a pleasant, friendly welcoming disposition.

Managing up to 4 simultaneous events within the Methodist Complex. Events include dance, performance, youth events and workshops. Main duties: greeting/helping customers and checking/selling tickets; ensuring bands, workshop leaders and performers have everything they need; operating lift and stair lifts, clearing up after events and ensuring the building is secure, in co-operation with Church members. May include moving chairs, tables, as needed.

Including but not limited to: Stowford Rise, Conservative Club, Unitarian Church (Dissenters). These are indoor venues within the town, mainly dances & workshops, storytelling, and acoustic concerts. Team member’s tasks include staffing fire exits, cleaning between events, checking and selling tickets. Experience - Good customer skills and a happy disposition. If selecting this role, you may be asked to make up hours required for a full week pass by helping out at other areas/venues during the week.

The venue requires that chairs and/or tables are set out for the morning workshops. Checking season tickets and selling workshop or individual tickets is a key part of each event. As the venue is on the 1st floor, some assistance is sometimes required to help attendees up the stairs with large instruments. A disabled chair lift is also available on the emergency stairs. These stairs are staffed during the performances. At the end of each event the venue is tidied ready for the next session. The programme comprises workshops, mainly instrumental and some dance, singing sessions and evening sessions.

This is an indoor venue within the town, mainly dance workshops and evening dances. Team member’s tasks include staffing fire exits, cleaning between events, checking and selling tickets. Experience – Good customer skills and a happy disposition.

Based indoors at the All Saints Church complex. There are usually 3 or 4 workshops each day. The volunteer role consists of collecting tickets from Admin office, checking tickets and/or selling tickets on the door. Volunteers are not required to work evenings and would finish approx. 18:00/19:00. If selecting this role, you may be asked to make up hours required for a full week pass by helping out at other areas/venues during the week.

There are two rooms used for workshops - The Classroom and the School Hall. There are usually 5 or 6 workshops each day spread between the two rooms and the volunteer role consists of helping the workshop leader set the room depending on the type of workshop (Music or dance), collecting tickets from Admin office, checking tickets and/or selling tickets on the door. Volunteers are not required to work evenings and would finish approx. 18:00/19:00.

The Site Decoration team are responsible for making the festival look great. To install the bunting, site flags and signage. This is predominantly an outdoor role and requires volunteers who are physically fit and capable of using ladders.

The Tech Ops team provide technical support for sound, lighting and stage management at all festival venues. Experience in professional live sound and/or lighting is essential.

The Ham is the main festival concert venue with 1200 seats. Stewards work in pairs or small teams both inside the marquee and outdoors, litter picking, cleaning tables, managing parking, checking tickets, and monitoring doors to both public and backstage areas. All roles can be trained on the job but any experience of working in a festival concert venue would be an advantage.