Volunteer

Become a Volunteer!

CREATE Community Studios provides a safe, nurturing space for self-expression and creativity. We offer art workshops and groups, community wellness activities, and open studios to promote art-making and the creative process as a vehicle for personal growth, communication, and social change. We believe that the healing capacity of the arts should be affordable and accessible to everyone. Our goal is to use the creative arts as an equalizer across cultural and economic barriers, and for participants to learn how to use art as an expressive medium to increase their general wellbeing. This would not be possible without the generous assistance of CREATE’s volunteers.

Our volunteers come from many backgrounds, with varied skills and reasons for joining us. All share an interest in creativity and helping others. All volunteers complete an application and a background check, as well as a volunteer training, and interviews for volunteer positions. We welcome volunteers at both our Schenectady and Saratoga Springs locations.

 

Current Volunteer Positions Available at CREATE

 

Studio Mentor:
 Monitors the studio during "Open Studio" times to ensure safety and respect of the space.
 Orients new artists to the studio and assists them in finding supplies & engaging in art projects.
 Performs light cleaning duties.
 Safely opens and closes the studio for designated hours.
 Takes care of payments, records attendance and payment in the log.
 Volunteers at least two hours per week, for at least three months.
**Good customer service skills, organizational skills and work ethic required.

 

Assistant Instructor:
 Assists a professional facilitator in running a workshop.
 Sets up the space before the group arrives, and cleans the space after the group leaves.
 Orients new artists to the studio and assists them in finding supplies & engaging in art projects.
 May perform additional facilitation duties as requested by the group leader.
 Volunteers at least two hours a week, for at least three months.
**Some background in counseling, art therapy, or teaching is extremely helpful for this role.

 

Exhibition Assistant:
 Identifies artworks & artists to exhibit that fit with CREATE’s mission.
 Collaborates with featured artists/ organizations to showcase their work.
 Creates promotional materials for exhibitions.
 Physical assistance/manual labor in exhibition preparation & display of art exhibits.
 Ensuring the safety of the artwork and return to the artists/organization.
 Volunteers about 10 hours per month for at least three months.

 

Event Assistant:
 Represents CREATE at public events.
 Connects CREATE with community events in which we may have a presence, such as fairs, festivals, etc.
 Acts as a liaison with the coordinators of these events, communicating regarding schedule, items required (tables etc) and people needed to staff the table or activity.
 Assists in the staffing, set up and clean up during these events.
 Volunteers at least 6 hours per month, or as needed, for at least 3 months.

 

Volunteer Coordinator:
 Reviewing volunteer applications & responding to volunteer queries.
 Overseeing volunteer orientation and background checks.
 Interviewing volunteers for specific volunteer placements.
 Communicating with staff about needed volunteer roles.
 Managing volunteer schedule.
 Maintaining volunteer data & contacts list.
 Volunteers at least 3 hours per week for 6 months.

 

Special Event Ambassador:
 Assisting at events by welcoming guests.
 Providing answers & information to guests, handing out promotional material.
 Maintaining crowd control
 Assisting staff with tasks for the special event, and other duties as assigned.

 

Special Event Helping Hand:
 Any tasks that do not fall under the other volunteer roles, such as assisting in booths or at activity stations at events, helping with preparations for events by decorating, preparing signs, stuffing bags, etc., and providing administrative support.

 

Program Development/Grant Writing:
 Develops and writes grant proposals to foundations & other grant-making organizations.
 Persuasively communicates CREATE’s mission and programs to potential funders.
 Research, write, and prepare grant proposals and reports.
 Works as member of CREATE’s team: participates in regular staff meetings & trainings
 Highly organized, with writing, computer & database skills.
 Volunteers 2-6 hours hours per week for 6 months.
**Experience with non-profit development, grant writing, fundraising preferred. Potential to turn into paid position.

 

Board members:
 We are seeking to expand our board of trustees and are seeking talented professionals who will actively participate in the development and execution of plans in the following areas: fundraising, finance, personnel, technology and operations, communications, and marketing/branding.
 We are seeking several new trustees to work on strategic priorities with current board leaders. Thus, ideal candidates will be experienced in any one of the following areas: development of brand and market presence, financial reporting/analytics/accounting, fundraising (planning and execution), communication, human resources, or technology.