Volunteering at Medium

Our volunteers are the heart and soul of Medium. We love the opportunity to connect you with our team, with the public, and with the visiting artists who make the Festival an international destination.

Below you’ll find a list of regular volunteer opportunities. Scroll all the way to the bottom and fill out the form, we are always soliciting support for year round activities.

Be Part of Our Annual Festival!

We ask our volunteers to make a minimum commitment of two 4-hour shifts during the spring Festival dates. Volunteers are given access to Festival lectures and events before and after their shift, with opportunities to experience the Medium Festival first hand supporting our guests and visiting lecturers.

Join a remarkable team and an international audience of people who love photography. Below are the key areas we’re looking to fill for the 2023 Festival, with year round support opportunities always available.

VOLUNTEER LEAD

four 2-4 hour shifts, april 2023

Volunteer Leads offer an opportunity to assist with some of the more crucial aspects of Festival including check-in and guest services. We are looking for individuals who can take on added responsibility or possibly commit to additional time commitments. Volunteer leads are individuals that our Festival staff can count on to support a wide range of Festival activities and make decisions when needed.

The ideal Volunteer Lead is:

• Willing to support detailed needs of Medium Staff members.

• Comfortable making decisions and leading others.

• Computer savvy (Mac, Square reader, etc.)

• Available during the full Festival week

• Available for advanced training sessions 1-2 weeks before the Festival gets underway.

PORTFOLIO REVIEW MONITOR

two 2 hour shifts, march 2023

The Medium Review is a two day review event drawing photographers from across the country and around the world. Volunteers will assist with the smooth flow of attendees in and out of the review room, help monitor time, and support communications with participating photographers. This is an important position that requires leadership, timeliness, and great communication skills.

The ideal portfolio review monitor is:

• Organized and time conscious

• Comfortable directing groups of people

• Available for 2 hour volunteer slots during Thursday and Friday, March 30-31

FLASH! POP-UP SHOP ASSISTANT

Our FLASH! Pop-Up Shop is a central part of the Festival’s weekend activities and is open to the public. The Pop-Up Shop is shared with Festival sponsors and serves as a secondary location for ticket sales and general information.

The ideal Pop-Up Shop Assistant is:

• Available to set up / tear down vendor area in April 2023

• Competent at selling tickets and completing basic sales (Square reader and cash box)

• Knowledgeable about the festival events and interested to learn about products offered for sale.

• Intuitively mindful at keeping tables organized.

SOCIAL MEDIA EVANGELIST

year round support and dedicated festival positions

Social media is our favorite way to share the festival experience live from San Diego. We’re looking for 2-3 people with proven social skills who can help show the world what a great time we have at Medium and how we operate behind the scenes. You’ll cover our lectures, exhibition openings, free events, and flex your social skills throughout the festival—what’s not to love!?

EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS

year round opportunities

Event photographers help us record moments and events that make Medium Photo exceptional. Our volunteer photographers are invited to interact with our guest speakers, visiting photographers, and Festival attendees to record the essence of our year-round events.

The ideal Event Photographer is:

• Experienced with photographing people.

• Knowledgeable about digital file management and post-production.

• Able to send completed files within 24 hours.

• Comfortable navigating large groups of people.

EXHIBITION VOLUNTEERS

Exhibition Volunteers help make our exhibitions flow smoothly and support the gallery staff as needed. We’re looking for assistance with upcoming exhibitions and related gallery assistance during opening receptions.