Volunteering

Volunteer with Babylon ARTS to help make the city a brighter place. We are looking to grow our volunteer team, to help brighten Ely’s cultural offer by supporting its cinema, gallery and events.

At Babylon ARTS, we manage the part-time independent cinema at The Maltings. We also run a varied programme of exhibitions at the Babylon Gallery on the riverside in Ely and have plans for a range of outdoor performances and events this year.

Volunteers have always played a big part of our work at Babylon Arts, however the challenges of Covid have had an impact on the number of people who can still regularly help and so we’d love to welcome more people to our volunteer team. We will provide training for the duties that people get involved with.

Budding volunteers need to be aged 18 or over and the charity is committed to supporting those with access needs or who have never volunteered before to get involved.

“Babylon Arts is powered by people.  We are always welcoming of anyone who wants to help us make the cinema, gallery and our events brilliant experiences for those who take part. We’ve got lots of exciting activities in the pipeline for later this year, and we can’t do it without extra help!”

- Michael Corley, Chief Executive of Babylon ARTS

Volunteer roles

Babylon Arts volunteers undertake a wide range of tasks, depending on our current programme of activities. Volunteers may be involved for one-off events or on an ongoing basis. You can find out a bit about some of our common volunteers roles below.

Babylon Cinema Steward

We have a part-time cinema that takes place in The Maltings, Ely usually two days per week. Cinema stewards provide a warm welcome to our audience and ensure everyone has a safe and comfortable cinema experience. A cinema steward will arrive 45 minutes before the film and help the Duty Manager ensure the venue is ready for the public. During the film, they will sit in auditorium and attend to any audience issues that arise. In the event of an emergency, they will help the Duty Manager safely evacuate the building.

Exhibition Guide at Babylon Gallery

Exhibition Guides in the Babylon Gallery act as the first point of contact for visitors. They provide a warm welcome and can converse with the public about the exhibition and help with any questions. A strong interest in art is important for this role, and a sensitive approach to customer service. Shifts are usually 2 hours long.

From time to time, our Gallery Technician may require help with particularly large or complex installations. Strong DIY skills and an eye for detail are vital for this role.

Outdoor Events Team Member

Our live outdoor arts events are becoming some of the most anticipated events in Ely and the surround area. From pop-up events, like our Drive In Cinema or outdoor Suitcase Shakespeare, or a presence at regular events such as Eel Day or Ely Markets, our volunteers are there to provide event management support. These roles are often quite physical, and can involve long days and working in inclement weather.

Publicity, Leafleting and Poster Distributor

Enriching the life of our community is at heart of all our activities as an organisation, so getting our message out is vital. Our volunteers are key in building our audience and creating direct connections to the community. Whether you delivering posters and leaflets, suggest ideas for new ways to diversify our audience, or simply talk enthusiastically about our cinema screenings or exhibitions.