Africa Oyé seeks volunteers for next generation of event professionals

Fancy working for one of Liverpool’s biggest festivals?

Africa Oyé is giving the next generation of event industry professionals an opportunity to work on the UK’s biggest celebration of African and Caribbean music and culture.

The Liverpool institution has put out a call for those aged 18 to 24 and based in the Liverpool City Region, as it looks to recruit for a whole host of work placement roles that could be the first step into a career in the arts and cultural sector.

Whether it’s an office-based role helping put together the annual Africa Oyé festival; working on educational projects across local schools; producing the Africa Oyé radio show; or shadowing a variety of roles at the festival itself in June, this could be a chance to get some valuable experience with the team behind the UK’s biggest celebration of African music and culture.

Artistic Director of Africa Oyé, Paul Duhaney said:

“There are some fantastic local programmes for artists trying to break through into the industry, but we’re very conscious that there’s a lot of young people who would like to get into the ‘behind the scenes’ of the music and events industry that don’t know where to start.

“It can be a very closed shop at times and if you don’t know anyone already in a higher position then it can be hard to get a foot in the door. We want to change that with these placements and offer young people a wide range of roles where they can learn from our experienced Oyé team of professionals.”

Paul added:

“The volunteer team is a vital part of our fundraising each year. We want to make sure that everyone who is enjoying our free festival has the chance to show their appreciation by donating whatever amount they can and we can only make that happen with a dedicated team of volunteers on site interacting with the audience. They’re a key part of helping keep Oyé free and open to all.”

If the work placements sound like something for you or someone you know, please email your CV and a short covering letter detailing what aspects of the organisation you’d like experience in, to training@africaoye.com

For those who simply love the festival and want to help keep it FREE and open to all, there is the opportunity to be on the frontline collecting donations and conducting surveys with the thousands that attend the event in Sefton Park.

Africa Oyé is organised by a very small core team. The support of volunteers across the festival weekend is a crucial part of the organisation. The chance to meet the festival audience face-to-face only comes around once a year, and volunteers will be working to ensure the survival and growth of the festival by creating positive relations with attendees and raising funds to sustain future editions.

For the volunteer placements, they are asking for a minimum of 2 hours of your time during the Festival weekend (or more if you like!) to help them:

Raise donations to ensure the event stays free and open to all. The festival is put on at enormous cost and the challenge to keep it free gets harder and harder each year. Africa Oyé is a registered charity (number 1062484) supported by funding from Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council.
Support the Audience Development and data capture programme, that is crucial to Africa Oye’s future; this involves conducting a short questionnaire with audience members.

No prior training or experience is required and a briefing session will be provided before you commence your Volunteer shift.

The two days are a fantastic celebration of the music and culture of Africa, and volunteering will give you an opportunity to be part of the festivities, to meet a variety of people and help keep the event free for future generations.

How do I apply to volunteer?

Please complete the application form – CLICK HERE

If you have any queries, do not hesitate to email them at volunteer@africaoye.com or scan the QR code below for more information.

Whether it’s a placement that puts you in the heart of the Africa Oyé team in the build-up to the organisation’s flagship summer event, or a volunteer role that has you on the frontline in Sefton Park raising vital donations for the charity, they want to hear from you.