Student Volunteers in Festival-based Public Engagement

Dr Eric Jensen in collaboration with Nicola Buckley

This research explores the role of university students in festival-based public engagement. It finds that University student volunteers play a key role in making festivals effective spaces for public engagement. Not only do they bring enthusiasm - which was identified as invaluable for enhancing visitor experiences - but they provide crucial human resource without which many cash-strapped festivals could not successfully operate.

More than half of festivals surveyed employ no more than five members of paid staff and rely on students to fill crucial roles such as stewards, workshop leaders and behind the scenes support. Most festival organisers in this survey work with universities and benefit from access to free or reduced cost venues, access to experts and, of course, students. Festival organisers praised students for their enthusiasm and the ease with which they interact with the visitors, particularly younger ones. The most challenging aspect of working with student volunteers identified by many organisers is the level of training that must be provided each year and the lack of reliability demonstrated by some volunteers.

Download the full report here (PDF, 733 KB).