Getting Involved
Work experience and Internships
We offer work experience placements to those aged 18 years and over, however, if you are under 18 please get in touch as we may be able to offer you some time with us depending on the time of the year and what projects we have on.
We also offer longer internships which can be negotiated.
Volunteering
We look for volunteers each year to help out at our events and at Birmingham Book Festival events (our annual literature festival).
We look for people who are have a passion for reading, enjoy meeting new people and are confident working in a team, engaging audience members and working alone. Volunteer roles for the festival include:
•Helping in the Festival bookshop
•Distributing our promotional material before the Festival begins
•Assisting with literature interventions in city centre
•General assisting at our events- book sales, drinks serving at certain events, ushering, gathering audience feedback, event set ups and break downs, assisting with roving microphones, meeting writers and speakers and ensuring that they have everything they need during their event
Other roles for Writing West Midlands’ conferences and training events include:
•Preparing and handing out conference/information packs
•Setting up rooms for training and assisting with technical issues (where necessary)
•Setting up and monitoring lunch
•Ensuring all sessions run smoothly
•Ensuring all speakers have everything they need and set up their rooms
We are very flexible with when our volunteers help out, if you would like more information and to register to become a volunteer for us please email Joanne Penn at joanne[at]writingwestmidlands.org
Friends
Our Friends scheme supports the work of the Birmingham Book Festival. It is designed to allow support and engagement of those who wish to help the festival and the work it does encouraging the city of Birmingham to read, write and think.
The money generated through the scheme will be used directly to continue our work, creating innovative and inspirational opportunities for readers and writers in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
As a Friend you are welcome to contact us at any time to share suggestions or ideas. We are always willing to try new activities, and know that it is our audiences who make the Festival what it is.
Friends of the Birmingham Book Festival receive a welcome note from the Festival Director, a Festival loyalty card which entitles you to 20% off all books purchased at our events, a discount code which entitles you to a percentage off all tickets and invitations to VIP events and launches.
If you are interested in signing up, please email joanne[at]birminghambookfestival.org.
Sponsorship
We are always happy to discuss ways in which your business or organisation can get involved us and offer numerous sponsorship and partnership opportunities. Please get in touch through our contact page.