Possible activities as theatre usher
- Ticket checks and providing information to the audience; you are the first point of contact when visitors enter the theatre. You warmly welcome them, scan their tickets, and answer any questions they may have.
- Merchandise sales; the Holland Festival offers a wide (sustainable) range of merchandise including t-shirts, tote bags, and water bottles. You stand behind a counter and assist interested visitors. Additionally, visitors may have questions about the theatre or the performance they are attending.
- Assisting at art installations; alongside music and theatre performances, there are also art installations.
- Cloakroom duties; you receive the coats/bags from the audience and hang them in the cloakroom.
- On-site ticket sales; the Holland Festival has a central box office. Perhaps is this your workplace today, or maybe you are assigned to the box office in a theatre. Here, you assist visitors who want to buy a last-minute ticket.
- Hosting receptions; the Holland Festival has many friends and benefactors who make the festival possible. Evenings are organized to thank these individuals.
Here's what your workday might look like
At 7 pm, you arrive at the artist entrance of the theatre. You enter the artist lounge/backstage area and see your colleagues with whom you worked last weekend in another theatre. At 7.30pm, you have a briefing with the (technical) producer of the performance. They explain how the evening will unfold and what is expected of you. Your schedule indicated that you would scan tickets tonight, but the producer assigns you to the cloakroom. You don't mind; a festival is a dynamic workplace that is always changing. Depending on the role you fulfill tonight, you may get to see the performance. What a treat! If it doesn't work out tonight, it will surely happen another time soon. After the performance, you help with cleanup and have a drink with your colleagues in the artist lounge. You've heard great feedback from the audience tonight, so you decide to come to the theatre tomorrow evening and hope to get a ticket with your staff pass.
What we offer
- A zero-hour contract with Holland Festival, with a salary of €19.15 gross per hour. Additionally, you will be insured as an employee through Holland Festival. This way, you receive the highest possible net amount while still having all the security we consider important. Unfortunately, freelancing is not an option due to the DBA law.
- The work takes place in Amsterdam, mostly in 'real' theatres, but sometimes in constructed (location) theatres such as the Gashouder or a warehouse in Amsterdam North. You can find this year's locations here.
- The working hours are irregular; mostly during the day or in the evening and can take place between 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., and sometimes at night. After 12:00 a.m., the compensation is 25% higher. During weekends and holidays, you receive the regular rate of €19.15 per hour.
- Your shifts will always be for a minimum of 3 hours. Shorter shifts do not exist.
- It's important that you are regularly available in the month of June (weekends only is also okay).
- You receive a staff pass that allows you to attend Holland Festival performances at a discount. Additionally, you get a Holland Festival T-shirt.
- Fun gatherings, activities, and staff drinks are organized where you get to know your colleagues even better.
- You get a unique behind-the-scenes look at special international productions and are part of an enthusiastic and international team.
What you bring
- You're a social butterfly and a team player at heart! You're excited to meet a wide range of people in the vibrant international temporary staff team. Moreover, you consider collaborating with different personalities a cool challenge!
- The 9-to-5 mentality isn't your thing! You embrace the adventurous side of the working world, where tasks often take place in the evenings and on weekends. Flexibility is your second nature; you cherish the unexpected and are open to spontaneous twists on a workday that's always full of surprises.
- You have the ability to come home late at night (and possibly during the night) using public or private transport.
Who we are
Holland Festival is the largest international performing arts festival in the Netherlands. Thanks to the festival, internationally acclaimed performances are brought to our country that would otherwise pass by the Netherlands.
The festival has a core team of about 25 enthusiastic and passionate employees. In the run-up to the festival, this team is supplemented with freelancers, and eventually, about 70 temporary festival workers are added. Collaboration and having fun are important to us. We work hard, but also make room for fun. In this dynamic and inspiring work environment, you as a temporary worker are indispensable for the success of the festival.
Diversity, inclusion, and sustainability are high on the agenda. In recent editions, the festival has made great strides in this and continues to innovate in this area. We endorse the Code of Cultural Diversity and apply the method of inclusive recruitment to give people equal opportunities. In terms of sustainability, hybrid cars are used during the festival, our meals are always vegetarian, and employees and artists use reusable Holland Festival water bottles.
How do you apply?
Are you interested in working with us? Holland Festival wants to be a reflection of the current society and therefore invites everyone to apply. We select objectively and assess all applicants in the same way. Name, age, and other personal details are not shown to the selection committee. We do not ask for a cover letter or CV. Instead, we ask a few questions to get to know you better.
The success of our organization depends on the quality of our people and what they bring. A successful festival arises from a collaboration of cultures, personalities, and experiences. Even if you need assistance or support in any way, you are welcome to apply.
You can apply for this vacancy until Thursday, April 9 by using this link.
You will receive a response to your application on Friday, April 10.
The interviews will take place on Tuesday, April 14 & Wednesday, April 15. If you cannot attend on this day or have any other questions, you can contact Boris Mulder by email at [email protected].
If this isn't quite what you're looking for, we also has vacancies for Production Assistant or Technical Support Assistant.