Volunteer
The best way to learn more about volunteering and what goes on behind the scenes to produce SOS is to attend an SOS meeting. If you can't attend, please email volunteer@somervilleopenstudios.org.
Be on the Event Committee!
Each year a volunteer event committee is formed to prepare for the event over an eight month planning period. Only through the effort of these dedicated supporters, artist and non-artist alike, can open studios happen each year. We are always in need of people to join the committee, each taking on one or more aspects of the event planning as a lead, co-lead or assistant lead.
Be brave! You won’t be alone: this is a shared effort. We’ll do everything we can to show you the ropes, work out job-sharing, provide guidance and put you in touch with experienced volunteers. Remember, this event is run entirely by volunteers from the Somerville artist community. If they can take manage a part of the event, you can too.
Most Urgently Needed Committee Roles There are many smaller tasks that need doing, starting in mid-November with flier distribution to let other artists know it will soon be time to register. As we get closer to the event, we need people who can donate even a few hours in the following areas: Please email volunteer@somervilleopenstudios.org if you can help in one or more of these areas. Until we have a volunteer coordinator or two on the event committee, we may have trouble getting back to you quickly, but we will absolutely keep you on our list of valued volunteers.
Volunteer Coordinators - The most important immediate need is for someone to respond to those volunteering to help with the event, keeping track of volunteers, and working with other key committee members who lead tasks requiring volunteers.
Trolley Coordinators - Contact trolley companies and reserve for SOS, review and update last year’s routes, coordinate with those doing trolley signage, coordinate with those handling sponsorship of trolley, prepare information to give to trolley drivers.
Out-of-Town Map Distribution - Oversee those volunteering to distribute both event fliers and map booklets to surrounding towns. This is a crucial aspect of promoting SOS and without someone to coordinate things, the effort becomes ineffective. A list of locations where we’ve distributed to in the past is available but needs updating.
If you would consider taking on even a portion of one of these roles, please email Peter Belford, 2010 Event Coordinator, at coordinator@somervilleopenstudios.org.
We can always use more help in areas like sponsorship, publicity and many other areas of event planning. And if you’d like to add something new to the event, float the idea with the group and go for it!
If You Have Only Limited Time…
• Artist's Choice Exhibit
• Community Outreach
• Distribution of Flyers + Maps
• Driving + Delivering
• Event Planning
• Sponsorship
• Trolley Sign Set Up + Take Down
• Graphics + Web Design
• Light Construction + Painting
• Map Stand Set Up + Take Down
• Photography
• Proofreading
• Public Relations/Press
• Community Space Set Up + Take Down