Welcome to Newcastle City Council’s Cultural Events Team Volunteering Page!
Newcastle City Council are delivering an ambitious 10-year Cultural Events Programme that will help transform the city into one of the UK’s leading cultural destinations. From spectacular outdoor festivals to bold, city-wide celebrations, there’s an exciting pipeline of events and creative projects ahead with a newly assembled Cultural Events team at the helm.
Our volunteer opportunities are a unique opportunity to be right at the heart of the action, playing a key role in bringing unforgettable experiences to life for both residents and visitors to Newcastle.
We’re looking for friendly, reliable people who want to play a part in bringing large-scale events in Newcastle to life. You’ll enjoy working with others, chatting to the public and getting stuck in as part of a team, bringing a positive, can-do attitude to everything you do.
With a range of roles and flexible ways to get involved, this is your chance to be part of something bigger, and a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in events, whether supporting activity behind the scenes or helping deliver an event by engaging with the public.
Annually, we have two headline events we need volunteers for:
- NOVUM Summer Festival – multi-day Newcastle City Centre takeover of culture, play and entertainment transforming streets, squares, venues and unexpected places into a fun playground of performance, creativity and community celebration. NOVUM volunteer recruitment is open now!
- Enchanted City - a dynamic, family-friendly annual after-dark arts Winter event that transforms Newcastle city centre through immersive light installations, performance and creative experiences for all ages. Enchanted City volunteer recruitment will open later this year!
Why get involved?
- Be part of major city events and unforgettable moments
- Meet new people and join a supportive team
- Gain practical experience, build your confidence, develop skills and boost your CV
- Work alongside artists and event professionals
- Connect with your community and support creativity in Newcastle
- Enjoy festival and event atmosphere from the inside
- Celebrate your contribution with fellow volunteers
How volunteering with us works
- Take a look at the roles listed below — we’re currently recruiting for these positions only.
- Please sign up as a Volunteer and we will get back in touch when our volunteer shifts and roles are ready to sign up to.
- We add new opportunities throughout the year, so do check back if you’re looking for something specific.
- Click on a role to find out more and submit your application.
- Once we receive your application, we’ll be in touch to confirm it’s been received.
- You’ll be added to our expression of interest list, and we’ll contact you with next steps, including booking onto an induction session.
- If you’d like to have an informal chat at any stage, you’re very welcome to contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator: alison.flanaganwood@newcastle.gov.uk
Please use the appropriate link below to sign up:
Individual Applications - https://bttr.im/7i3vd
Group Applications - https://bttr.im/au2zg
Family Applications - https://bttr.im/dy569
I would like to volunteer
Get Social
Dominoes
We’re looking for over 300 friendly volunteers to help make Dominoes Newcastle happen on Sunday 9 August.
Dominoes Newcastle by Station House Opera is the headline finale of NOVUM Summer Festival - a spectacular, city-wide artwork culminating in a giant domino run through Newcastle city centre.
Across the day, thousands of breezeblocks will form a sculptural chain running east to west through the city centre - on streets, through public spaces, into venues, off buildings, pausing for striking playful large-scale structures, then continuing its journey.
Threading through Newcastle’s historic streets and everyday spaces we know and love, Dominoes Newcastle will connect neighbourhoods, landmarks and communities in a powerful chain of cause and effect; a shared moment shaped by the city itself.
Over 300 volunteers will help bring Dominoes Newcastle to life and thousands will watch the domino run fall, creating a one-day, city-wide celebration of Newcastle and the people who make it.
Dominoes has been staged in more than 20 cities worldwide, with landmark presentations at iconic locations including St Paul’s Cathedral, the National Museum of Denmark, the Royal Swedish Opera House and Melbourne Town Hall. Its arrival in North East England marks a major cultural moment.
Dominoes Newcastle is part of NOVUM Summer Festival (7–9 August), a three-day celebration transforming Newcastle city centre into a playground of events, performance, music, creativity and unexpected moments. Find out more about NOVUM via: www.novumnewcastle.com
Volunteers will play a vital role and will be a part of a once-in-a-lifetime, city-wide artwork, helping bring a spectacular domino run to life across Newcastle. With a range of roles and flexible ways to take part, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved…..
Volunteer Information Events
We’re hosting two informal information events for prospective volunteers, as well as volunteer coordinators from other organisations, to find out more about getting involved in NOVUM Summer Festival.
These sessions are a great opportunity to meet the team, learn more about NOVUM Summer Festival and volunteer roles, and ask any questions you may have before signing up.
Upcoming events:
- Thursday 4th June, 10.30am-11.30am - Newcastle City Library
- Thursday 4th June, 5.30pm - 6.30pm - ONLINE
Sign up to an information session via our registration form.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Builder | 1 | |||
| The Protector | 1 | |||
| The Storyteller | 1 | |||
NOVUM Festival
We’re looking for over 80 friendly volunteers to help bring NOVUM to life from Friday 7 – Sunday 9 August.
NOVUM Summer Festival is a three-day takeover of culture, play and entertainment across Newcastle city centre, that will transform city centre streets, squares, venues and unexpected places into a fun playground of performance, creativity and community celebration.
Iconic spots and hidden corners will burst into life with a packed family-friendly programme of free events, outdoor spectacle, playful installations, creative workshops, music, unmissable performances from local, national and international artists and plenty of “you just had to be there” moments - from daytime right through to the evening.
At the heart of the festival is a free, family-friendly performing arts programme, filling outdoor spaces and venues with theatre, dance, circus and pop-up performances; from up-close performances to big crowd-pulling moments!
Brand-new artist commissions will pop up across overlooked corners of the city centre, turning familiar places into playful festival moments and bold, eye-catching spaces you’ll want to stop, explore and enjoy. There’ll also be drop-in, hands-on creative workshops and activities throughout the weekend, inviting all to try something new, get creative and be part of the action. #TheCityIsOurPlayground
Volunteers will play a vital role in the festival; helping people feel welcome, navigate the programme and get the most out of their experience. With a range of roles and flexible ways to take part, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved…..
Volunteer Information Events
We’re hosting two informal information events for prospective volunteers, as well as volunteer coordinators from other organisations, to find out more about getting involved in NOVUM Summer Festival.
These sessions are a great opportunity to meet the team, learn more about Dominoes Newcastle and volunteer roles, and ask any questions you may have before signing up.
Upcoming events:
- Thursday 4th June, 10.30am-11.30am - Newcastle City Library
- Thursday 4th June, 5.30pm - 6.30pm - ONLINE
Sign up to an information session via our registration form.
| Activity | Shifts | Start | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information Stewards | 1 | |||
| NOVUM Event Support | 1 | |||
| Sustainability & Green Team Volunteers | 1 | |||
Our Mission
Newcastle City Council’s Cultural Events Team is delivering an ambitious 10-year Cultural Events Programme, transforming Newcastle into one of the UK’s leading cultural destinations by bringing unforgettable experiences to life for residents and visitors alike.
Our role is not only to deliver, but to enable, unlocking the potential of artists, communities, partners and businesses, and connecting culture to place, economy, health and wellbeing. As placemakers, we use culture to animate spaces, strengthen identity and bring people together, creating the conditions for culture to thrive, where people are empowered as active participants, not passive audiences.
From neighbourhood projects to city-defining moments, we create event experiences and engagement projects that leave a lasting impact on artists, communities and audiences, shaping Newcastle’s future as a vibrant, inclusive and culturally ambitious city.
