FITS Volunteer Programme is perhaps the largest non-formal education programme in Europe dedicated to performing arts and cultural management, built on selection, training and active involvement in a major international cultural event.
Launched in 2007, within the framework of the Sibiu European Capital of Culture, the Volunteer Programme has grown continuously, becoming an essential pillar of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival.
Each year, around 500 volunteers are trained and integrated into the festival’s organisational structure, contributing directly to the smooth running of performances, events and international collaborations. Volunteers are carefully selected and assigned according to their personal interests, skills and professional development goals.
Alongside local and national participants, the programme welcomes international volunteers from all over the world, forming a diverse and dynamic community that, over the years, has included participants from countries such as Bulgaria, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Mexico, China,Italy, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey and Hungary.
The FITS Volunteer Programme is developed in close collaboration with international cultural partners and institutions, including European Capitals of Culture, SPAF (Seoul Performing Arts Festival), EU-Japan Fest, and Takayama City Hall, within the framework of the STEP – Sibiu–Takayama Exchange Project. Since 2023, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan has also joined as a programme partner, supporting the participation of Japanese volunteers and strengthening cultural exchange between Romania and Japan.
The programme operates in full compliance with Law no. 78/2014 regarding volunteering in Romania. At the end of the programme, each volunteer receives an official certificate attesting to the professional competencies acquired through participation in both theoretical training sessions and hands-on practical activities, designed and coordinated by the FITS Volunteer Programme team.
To ensure an efficient and inclusive organisational framework, the FITS Volunteer Programme is structured into three departments: Local, National and International, each designed to respond to the specific needs, contexts and expectations of its volunteers.
PROFILE OF A VOLUNTEER
- 16+ years old
- curious and eager to learn, discover and connect with people
- reliable, committed and trustworthy
- assertive, respectful and responsible
- empathetic, open-minded and positive
- attentive and observant
- flexible and polite
The FITS Volunteer Programme welcomes volunteers from diverse backgrounds and encourages personal growth through collaboration, responsibility and cultural exchange.
DEPARTAMENTS
The FITS Volunteer Programme offers a variety of activity areas. A selection of departments is presented below as an overview of possible involvement opportunities.
Each volunteer is assigned to an activity area in accordance with their interests, skills and personal development goals. The final placement is made following the training period, during which volunteers explore the programme structure, discover the full range of departments and receive guidance from the coordination team, in order to identify the most suitable role together.
COMPANIES
Responsibilities:
- Acting as a liaison between performing companies and the FITS team
- Maintaining communication with the logistics department regarding assigned companies
- Assisting company members throughout their stay at the festival, including rehearsals, performances and dismantling
TICKETING
Responsibilities:
- Checking and scanning tickets at festival venues
- Assisting the audience with seating and venue orientation
- Providing information about performances and schedules
VIDEO
Responsibilities:
- Supporting the video team during the recording of performances and events
- Assisting in basic video editing and post-production tasks
- Handling and supporting the use of technical equipment under supervision
THE CRISIS CELL
Responsibilities:
- Supporting the management of unforeseen situations that may arise during the festival
- Assisting coordinators and volunteers across different departments when needed
- Collaborating with multiple teams to ensure continuity of festival activities
- Being familiar with the responsibilities of all departments in order to provide efficient support
- Adapting to dynamic schedules and working outside the pre-established timetable when necessary
TEAM
Violeta Buduleci
Coordinator FITS Volunteer Programme & Head of the Local FITS Volunteer Programme
Mayumi Taniguchi
Head of the International FITS Volunteer Programme
Ioan-Bogdan Minzat
Head of the National FITS Volunteer Programme
Daniela Maria Gorduban
Executive Assistant for International Volunteer Training
Ioana Ioniță
Executive Assistant for National Volunteer Training
Rareș Ștefan Bănica
Crisis Cell Coordinator & FITS Volunteer Programme Assistant
The registration schedule for the FITS Volunteer Programme is established annually as follows:
- for local and national volunteers: September 1 – October 1, for the edition of the festival held in the following year;
- for international volunteers: January 23 - February 27, for the edition of the festival held in the same year.
THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME IS AN ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE TO THE SIBIU INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL AND IS ORGANIZED BY THE “RADU STANCA” NATIONAL THEATRE SIBIU.
Become a FITS volunteer by checking the detailed info
here.
