Why a festival runs on more than ticket sales

Most chamber music festivals in the UK are small charities, run by a committee of trustees and a part-time administrator who is probably answering emails at ten o'clock at night. Ticket income rarely covers everything: artists' fees, venue hire, piano tuning and hire, printing, insurance and licensing all have to be paid before anyone thinks about marketing. The gap between what audiences pay and what a festival actually costs is filled, year after year, by volunteers.

A weekend festival with a dozen concerts might need seventy or eighty volunteer shifts. A week-long festival in a cathedral city or a Peak District village can easily double that. Stewards, box office helpers, drivers, cake bakers, programme sellers and page turners are not a nice extra; they are the reason the lights go on. And because most festivals return to the same churches, village halls and school halls each year, the volunteer team becomes something like a community.

Stewarding: what the shift actually looks like

Stewarding is the most common role, and the one with the clearest routine. You will usually arrive about forty-five minutes before a concert, sign in, collect a badge or tabard, and be briefed by the head steward. Expect to be given a specific responsibility rather than vague encouragement.

• Setting up: laying out programmes, donation buckets, name badges and reserved signs, and checking that chairs are arranged as the performers requested.
• Safety: confirming that fire exits are clear and unlocked, that aisles are passable, and that you know where the extinguishers and first-aid kit are. This is genuinely important in older buildings.
• Seating and doors: welcoming people, helping those with limited mobility or a wheelchair to a sensible spot, and holding latecomers at the back until applause gives you a natural moment to seat them.
• Interval: opening doors, directing people to the loos and the refreshments table, and keeping a calm eye on the queue.
• Resetting: stacking chairs, clearing glasses, and returning the hall to how you found it, ready for tomorrow's rehearsal.

The skills that matter are reliability, a friendly manner and the ability to say "I'm afraid that row is reserved" without causing offence. You do not need to read music, know the difference between a viola and a violin, or be able to pronounce anyone's surname. Curiosity helps; expertise does not.

Box office, front of house and the interval rush

Box office volunteers often have more contact with the public than anyone else. You might be selling tickets on the door with a card reader and a cash float, checking a guest list, handling returns, or keeping a list of complimentary seats for donors and press. Learn the seating plan properly before the doors open, and know which entrance is step-free. If a concert has sold out, you will be the person saying so, so have the details of the next event ready in your head.

Front of house also covers the interval bar and the merchandise table. Selling a few CDs after a recital is a real boost to a young ensemble's income, and mentioning it warmly at the door makes a measurable difference. If you are trusted with the mailing list, treat it carefully: collect sign-ups neatly, keep them in one place, and hand them to the administrator rather than tucking them into a pocket.

The page turner's quiet apprenticeship

Page turning is the role that most appeals to players, and the one people are most nervous about. It is usually needed for pianists and occasionally for string players reading from a full score. The job sounds simple and is not: a page turned early causes a stumble, and one turned late causes a disaster.

• Prepare in advance. Ask for a photocopy of the part or score, mark the turns with pencil, and check any awkward repeat or page with the player beforehand.
• Sit still. Keep your hands off the music until the last possible moment, and never rustle or fidget in the rests.
• Learn the signals. A small nod, a lifted eyebrow or a tap of the finger all mean "now". Ask which one they use before you begin.
• Never turn back. If something goes wrong, stay put and let the player nod again.

Page turners get the best seat in the house, a close view of how a professional rehearsal actually works, and, at most festivals, a very generous slice of cake. Ask the festival office in advance whether any artists need one; these arrangements are almost always made beforehand rather than on the night.

Getting started, and getting the most from it

Contact the festival administrator or volunteer coordinator directly, and be specific about what you can offer. "I can steward on Saturday afternoon and drive a minibus" is far more useful than "happy to help with anything". Mention any skills that are hard to find: first aid, photography, driving, baking, social media, or experience with access requirements. If the festival runs children's workshops, you may be asked to complete a DBS check.

Ask early about expenses, since many festivals refund travel and parking, and about what you get in return: usually free or heavily discounted tickets, interval refreshments, and an end-of-festival gathering for the whole team. Do be honest about how many shifts you can manage. Standing for a three-hour shift in a chilly church is more tiring than it sounds, and a tired steward is not much use to anyone.

Most of all, treat the job as part of the music-making rather than something adjacent to it. You will hear half a dozen concerts you might never have booked, meet players over a sandwich in the green room, and finish the week knowing that a festival happened because you turned up, folded the chairs, and smiled at the door.