Volunteer
We are seeking volunteers to support the delivery of our flagship event’s sixteenth edition.
Each year, Alchemy attracts a strong cohort of both new and regular volunteers, who support our event as cinema ushers and exhibition invigilators, and who provide general assistance including welcome desk support and gathering audience feedback.
Our festival has been commended for the meaningful experiences it offers, as well as the wealth of opportunities for new friendships and lasting connections that it provides.
Previous volunteers have praised our festival’s sense of purpose, its social value, its inclusivity and diversity, and its welcoming atmosphere.
Alchemy volunteers range from those with existing technical or hospitality expertise, to students developing their skills and experience of cultural events, to those looking for new challenges and to meet new folk.
“My time as a volunteer brought me an entirely new perspective on the importance of Community when working in film events. The kindness of the Alchemy team was truly what made my experience so wonderful.”
Further Information and Travel Support
Volunteers at Alchemy range from those with existing technical or hosting expertise, to students developing their skills and experience of cultural events, to those looking for new challenges and to meet new folk.
Volunteers are welcome to commit to anything from a single shift to the whole weekend. We will always prioritise your preferences and will never expect or ask you to do anything you don’t want to do.
Alchemy will reimburse a return ticket or day pass for any bus and train travel from within the Scottish Borders, including services starting and ending in Edinburgh.
Depending on shift length and role, volunteers will receive access to film screenings, free meals and relevant training.
Read our Volunteer Policy for further information.
What previous volunteers say about our festival
“It’s been genuinely inspirational and I know for every cultural organisation I’m part of, or every team I help build, I’ll always be asking – How can we make things better for everyone? How can we create an environment where everyone feels welcome? How can we be a bit more Alchemy?”
“It’s safe to say I really did not expect to have such a profound experience, and it’s a real credit to what an incredible team of people you all are.”
“Alchemy doesn’t just demonstrate the importance of inclusivity, but what a richer experience it helps make for everyone.”
“I came to the fifteenth edition curious to delve deeper into the world of experimental film and witness some of the organisation that goes into running an independent, community focused film festival held in the Scottish Borders town of Hawick. […] My learnings about Scottish culture as well as many other cultures represented through original, rule-breaking film has left me feeling inspired and in awe of the attentiveness of the Alchemy team.”
“I have never been to a festival with so much care at every level – programming, accessibility, safety, space, technical standards (buttery smooth projections, ingenious travelling loops, even having a team of volunteers trained on how to look after 16mm installations), hospitality, respect and just feeling so looked after, and to top it all off, not an ego in sight. It really showed what can be done with a team that really cares.”
