Why you should volunteer for Open House Festival 2024
Open House Festival is a London-wide festival that opens up and celebrates the city’s architecture and neighbourhoods, with open days and events taking place across all 33 London boroughs. This would not be possible without our volunteers, so we need you to help make the festival happen.
This year the festival will take place from Saturday 14 to Sunday 22 September.
As an Open House Festival volunteer you will: get to know one or more of the amazing sites in the festival programme; meet new people; develop skills in stewarding, verbal communication and time management; enjoy a fun day or evening out in a stunning London building.
As a festival volunteer you will be given priority entry to many buildings across the festival programme.
What our volunteers have to say
‘It's great to get the insider knowledge from other volunteers about which buildings they would recommend visiting and reciprocate with my top tips. I always feel that my volunteering efforts are important in helping the Open House festival to include such a large number of open buildings and also in providing a good experience for those visiting.’
Hilary
‘The first time I volunteered I was at Balfron Tower in Poplar. The thing I remember most was the conversations I struck up with visitors waiting to see the tower. I had a delightful chat with two residents of the Barbican who were intrigued to see another residential Brutalist icon and we bonded over our mutual lamenting of the loss of the then recently demolished Barbican fire station. It made me realise just how incredible Open House was at bringing together people who shared not only my interests in architecture, but also my desire to take part in the conversations about what our city looks like and how it is shaped.’
Joseph
‘Volunteering at Open City has given me the opportunity to delve into London's architecture along with the people and community groups that add to its landscape.’
Iona
How it works
As a volunteer you will be helping to open up buildings for the public. In a lot of cases, the buildings would not be able to open at all without volunteer support.
All volunteers must be aged 18 or above.
We ask that all volunteers commit one morning or afternoon during the festival, although you are welcome to give as much time as you can. You will be able to choose a slot from a list of buildings that have requested support. This list will go live on the festival website at midday on Friday 16 August. All registered volunteers will be sent reminders in advance.
There are two different roles for volunteers: stewards and guides.
Stewards
As a steward you will help marshal visitors by organising queues, handing out factsheets and answering any practical questions visitors might have, for example around opening times or the wider Open House programme.
Guides
As a guide you will give informal tours of your chosen building, introducing visitors to the architecture, function and history of the building. You will need to do some research beforehand, so that you can speak about the building with knowledge and confidence. Your contact at the building should be able to provide further information to help you with your preparation.
Signing up to volunteer
Register now to volunteer at Open House Festival 2024. If you have registered to volunteer in previous years you do not need to register again.
Volunteer slots will be available to book at midday on Friday 16 August. We will let all registered volunteers know as soon as the slots go live. We also recommend that you sign up to Open City’s weekly newsletter for up-to-date information about the festival.
Please note that when you register as a volunteer we will ask for your email and other contact details. Your email address will be your username and will allow you to register for volunteer slots once they are live by signing into the festival website. After you’ve registered for a slot, we will share your email address with your chosen building or event so that they can contact you with further information. We will not use your details for any other purpose.
FAQs for festival volunteers
What do I need to do/bring with me on the day?
Arrive 15 minutes before your slot is due to start, so that you have time to introduce yourself to the building’s owner, staff or whoever is managing the building or event on the day
Make sure you bring ID with you, as some venues require it
Bring a bottle of water, as not all venues will be able to provide refreshments
How will I get my volunteer sticker?
You will be given a volunteer sticker by the person who is managing your chosen building or event. This is to help visitors identify you as someone who is there to help. We will not be sending out stickers to individual volunteers, only to contributors.
What should I do if I have questions about my volunteering slot?
We will send you contact details of someone from the building or event you are volunteering at, so that you can get in touch with them beforehand. They will be able to answer questions that are specific to that building or event, including a named contact for the day and a meeting point.
Do I need to do anything else before my volunteering slot?
If you are a guide you might want to make a research visit to your chosen building prior to the festival. Some buildings organise briefings with the building owner, manager or architect. Please contact the venue directly to make these arrangements.
What should I do if I am unwell/unable to attend on the day?
Please contact your chosen building or event directly and let them know that you will not be attending. The Open House Festival team will be out and about a lot during the festival, so won’t usually be able to pass along information to venues in good time.
How do I get priority entry to buildings?
We ask that contributors, where possible, give festival volunteers priority entry to buildings. You will need to show your volunteer slot confirmation email. You do not need a volunteer sticker to gain priority access.
Please note that entry is always at the discretion of the building manager, so this may not be possible at every venue, and you may still need to queue. Volunteering at the festival does not mean that you’re entitled to priority access to balloted buildings and pre-bookable events.