When I got an email from my tutors about volunteering to help I thought that it would be a great idea to get involved as I could see behind the scenes and what it is like for the artists and designers and how much work goes into a show like this.
I volunteered for two days during the week, helping set up of Wednesday 3rd of October, were I had to help clean up to get ready for the exhibitors, and the public. In the afternoon all of the exhibitors started arrive with their work, they had a strict and limited time to drop their work off to the venue. We had to give them a parking spot and then help them quickly and efficiently bring their work into the venue for them to set up.
I was also there on Sunday 7th October on the last day it was open, I had a quick look around the show before the exhibitors and the public arrived. Then when it opened I helped give out booklets, take payments, give out wrist bands, and help with the raffle.
Overall I really enjoyed the experience and would definitely volunteer again some time in the future, it was a great insight to how much work goes into these shows both for the organisers and the artists and designers exhibiting, and how difficult it is for the artists to get into these shows as there is so much competition and the standards of the work must be to a very high quality.
Some of my favourite exhibitors were;
Ruth Green
