Volunteer

Do you have a passion for the arts? Love to work with kids or maybe just love to volunteer? We want to hear from you!

Running annually in the September school holidays, volunteering at the AWESOME Festival offers opportunities to gain real experience in all aspects of the arts and event management.

We accept volunteers aged 15 or older. Volunteers aged 18 or older must hold a current WA Working with Children Check (can be obtained through Barking Gecko Arts).

Volunteer registrations for the 2026 AWESOME Festival will open in June. In the meantime, please submit an expression of interest form below to join our volunteer database and receive updates on new opportunities!

A bit about myself: I am semi-retired and have been volunteering at the AWESOME Festival for 7 years. I have one adult daughter, husband and 2 horses (which we inherited from her). I used to take my daughter to the AWESOME Festival when she was young, and now I volunteer there, so I have come full circle.

I am also a volunteer/docent at Perth Zoo and assist with their Wildlife 4 Warriors kids programs throughout the year. You can also find me on Tuesdays at the Old Central Fire Station as a volunteer guide for kids, adults, and groups. Throughout the year, I invigilate exams at various high schools for their ATAR students, and in my downtime, I enjoy camping, dinners with family and friends and Pilates.

My volunteer role at the AWESOME Festival: Program mail-out, Festival Guide for School Excursions, Festival Assistant, Kids Market Stall Co-ordinator (paid role), and Front of House Assistant

My reason for volunteering: The fun atmosphere, variety of activities, amazing performances, talented artists, meeting fabulous volunteers and showcasing AWESOME to the public of Perth. The festival dates are always locked into my calendar, so I don’t miss it and can juggle any other work contracts or my other volunteering around it.

Favourite volunteering memory: I don’t think I can pick a favourite memory, I have loved it all, especially the Aliwah Bardinar! performance and Chicho Gelato, Deb Fitzpatrick’s kids' writing workshop, and finding shelter from the rain on the last day

What have you been up to since volunteering? More volunteering and a little Rotto holiday. Planning more camping across the Nullarbor soon!

A bit about myself: I love most things arts and culture, including music, pop culture, books and physical art. Not the best creator in the world for any of those things, but I like to give it a go and really love talking to people about what they love in the creative world. I was formally an orchardist, but now I am looking to start something else in life.

My volunteer role at the AWESOME Festival: I did a few things, including helping at the Messy Bears Creative Hub, lending a hand at Drip Drop Play, and rallying people to visit one of the less easy-to-find venues to see the lovely artist-in-residence. It was my first year doing it, and it was very easy to jump into any of the roles available.

My reason for volunteering: I was between employment and looking for some good short-term things to volunteer for. I saw this and remembered seeing a production of the "Gumnut Babies" when I was a kid by Barking Gecko, and loving it. I felt it was a good opportunity to give back, and I loved that it focuses on reasonably priced ways to entertain kids and help them express themselves in different ways.

Favourite volunteering memory: Apart from talking to all the lovely people and artists, it was probably working with the Messy Bears. Give the kids the paint and watch them go at it. Some asked quietly and drew with intensity, whilst some just loved having the space for big messy art, and it all felt good, encouraging them as well as getting a tiny bit messy with the (thankfully very washable) paint.

What have you been up to since volunteering with us? I have continued volunteering. I do a shift a week at the Art Gallery of WA and am also a tutor in adult literacy, and I am looking forward to volunteering at the Fringe Festival this year. I am, of course, looking to get back into some work, mainly so I can afford to see bands. I am also hoping to volunteer again, as I had a great time!