Being a Festival Assistant is a great opportunity to take part in the Festival and see, meet and work with leading international potters. As well as making friends and meeting like-minded individuals, festival assistants gain skills and experiences. Festival assistants play a key part in the success of the Festival, the work they do may involve them working closely with festival organizers, arts centre staff, trade exhibitors and demonstrators. The jobs required vary widely from physical work such as building kilns, to administrative duties such as distributing information to delegates. Festival Assistants learn a variety of skills and gain excellent experience for career development. Tasks required vary widely from physical work to dealing with the public. You do not need to be a student or have completed a ceramic degree to apply.
***DAEDLINE EXTENDED to 7 March – Applications are now open*** download an application here >>> Festival Assistant Application ICF 2023
Festival Assistant Information 2023
The types of duties required are:
Setting up the Festival:
• Help put up signage and assist exhibitors and Arts Centre staff in setting up.
• Assist with the management of the outdoor/kiln area.
• Help build and fire kilns, stewarding, unloading and moving materials.
• Assist Trade Stands unload and set up.
Assisting Demonstrators:
• Preparing clay.
• Building and firing kilns or physically assisting the demonstrator during performances on stage.
Setting up the Exhibition and the Cup Sale.
• Assisting set up the exhibitions and cup sale.
• Assisting with exhibition sales.
Front of House/Stewarding.
• Monitoring ticket holder’s entry in to events.
• Assisting the audience in finding seats etc.
Front Desk.
• Providing information, help and assistance to visitors.
Closing the Festival.
All assistants are required to help clear the site after the event – dismantling kilns and stacking bricks, removal of litter etc. This will include physical and outdoor work. This is one of the busiest times and everyone will be needed to assist with this.
Comments from previous Festival Assistants
“I met so many wonderful people and feel so utterly reassured that ceramics is the right career path for me.”
“Fired up by Gareth Mason’s talk; I had a very special conversation with a member of the public-Gareth’s work inspired us to discuss our own experiences with clay in depth.”
“I felt honoured to be given the opportunity to hang out in such a prestigious community of ceramic artists.”
“Brilliant – best thing for me was the incidental + exciting conversations.”
“Lovely experience-friendly people, enthusiastic artists –really appreciate the freedom of speaking and hearing from them in person.”
Application Timeline:
February 2023: Applications are now open please click on links below and complete either the English or Welsh application form.
English: Festival Assistant Application ICF 2023
Welsh: Ffurflen Gais Cynorthwy-ydd yr Ŵyl Serameg Ryngwladol 2023
1st March 2023: Deadline for applications.
April 2023: Confirmation letters sent to successful applicants. NB If you have not heard from us by the 1st May you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.
More information for ICF 2023 Assistants:
• Assistants are required to attend from 9am Thursday, 29th June to 9pm on Sunday evening 2nd July. There will be a Health and Saftey briefing and induction on Thursday morning and attendance by all assistants is required.
• A small number of selected assistants will be invited to work from Monday 26th June until the evening of Monday 3rd July.
Please indicate on the application form when you would be available.
• Assistants are expected to work for approx 6 hours per day. Some tasks may involve you working for longer hours. A rota will be provided on arrival.
• There will be some manual lifting work involved (e.g. boxes of leaflets, bricks, bags of clay etc.) instructions on safe handling of loads will be given at the induction. Please can you indicate on the application form if you are unable to perform certain tasks due to any medical reasons.
• As assistants you will be part of the public face of the festival as well as working as members of the organising team.
• You will need to be professional in your approach to the public and the rest of the team.
• You will need to get to the festival site yourselves and get into work on time every day.
• You will need to bring appropriate clothing and footwear and work as cheerfully as possible throughout the event. (Wellington boots, raingear, suncream!)
• Self-catering accommodation will be provided. This will consist of shared bathrooms facilities and a kitchen/communal area. Bed linen will be provided.
• You will be given a daily food allowance.
