Hidden Door Festival is back—and we’re building an incredible team of volunteers to help bring it to life!
The team are busy on site clearing, tidying, preparing and transforming a vast disused factory into an exciting festival venue for audiences to explore…
We’re still looking for a few more friendly faces to join our lovely stewarding crew. In return for a few shifts, you’ll get free access to the festival and other perks! See further down for details.
We also chatted to some volunteers during the build weekend…
We’re still looking for a few more friendly faces to join our lovely stewarding crew. In return for a few shifts, you’ll get free access to the festival and other perks!
Wondering what to expect?
You’ll be assigned an area to patrol and you’ll be a friendly face to answer any questions or give directions to the stages, toilets etc.
You’ll have a radio in case you need any help or have a question you can’t answer. Hidden Door audiences are very lovely and well behaved, and you’re there to help folk have a good time. We’ll have security on site so you won’t need to do anything that we would expect them to do – if you spot anything that concerns you, just radio it in and reinforcements will arrive in seconds!
Before and after your shift you’ll have access to our volunteer room where you can relax, grab a drink and some free snacks, and meet some of the other wonderful volunteers. Plus you’ll be free to experience the festival itself, of course!
Register your interest in joining the team
Hidden Door brings disused and forgotten spaces to life with immersive events featuring visual art, music, theatre, spoken word and dance. We’re a volunteer-led arts charity, working together to support Edinburgh’s creative community.
In June 2025, we’re transforming a huge industrial site, The Paper Factory, into a spectacular multi-arts festival packed with visual art, music, spoken word, and dance. None of this can happen without our amazing volunteers, and now is the time to sign up!
By joining our volunteer community, you will…
We need volunteers for a range of roles, including:
No experience? No problem! We’ll provide all the guidance you need.
This is your chance to be part of something extraordinary. Help us unlock the Paper Factory’s hidden potential and make 2025 a year to remember!
To express your interest in volunteering with us, fill out this short form to let us know a little more about you, your skills and experience.
If you’re looking to play a bigger role in bringing the festival to life, we also welcome expressions of interest in joining our year-round organising team. These roles involve regular, ongoing commitment, coordinating and leading on various aspects of the festival and our operations to help make Hidden Door happen.
If you want to understand more about what’s involved before signing up, email volunteer@hiddendoorarts.org to learn more about our volunteer community.
We work hard to be a diverse and inclusive team, and we warmly welcome people from all backgrounds. If you’re not sure if we’re the right fit for you, please do get in touch and give us a chance to tell you more. Equally, if you have any particular requirements that would help you to take part, do let us know.
We welcome volunteers from all walks of life. We believe that Hidden Door is for everyone and we are taking positive action to help people who are discriminated against, at a disadvantage, who have particular needs, a disability, BPOC+, those from diverse ethnic communities and all those who feel they are not commonly represented in the arts sector. If you can help us with this mission, we are especially keen to hear from you.
