Student Volunteer Opportunities at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Come volunteer at one of the premier performing arts organizations in the world! The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust seeks to provide students opportunities for volunteerism that are enriching, engaging, dynamic in nature, and fit for anyone, no matter what your career aspirations are.
Don't miss out on an opportunity to be around world class performances, facilities, and people!
Are you Ready to Go Beyond The Stage?
Why Should You Go Beyond The Stage?
- Resume Building: Boost your resume and any other professional documents with quantified and documented experiences while at a major performing arts non-profit organization!
- Flexible Scheduling: We operate on a self-scheduling basis, where you are only required to meet a minimum number of hours volunteered or shifts worked. This will fit nicely with your busy schedules as students.
- Networking Get your “foot in the door” by meeting with industry professionals on the Trust’s staff, learning about their careers, and developing professional connections!
- Institutional Knowledge: Learn the ins and outs of an internationally recognized mission driven organization that is fast-paced and dynamic in nature!
- Professional Development: Develop your social and customer service skills by interacting with staff, volunteers, and patrons in a variety of settings.
- Exposure: Experience new shows, people, places, and more! You will learn things you never knew about to begin with!
- Long-term Benefits: Gain experiences and develop connections that can last a lifetime, no matter what your goals are!
- Professionalism: We provide a level of training and coaching that is hard to beat! We cover topics year-round such as emergency evacuation, de-escalation tactics, accessibility services, security protocol, and customer service excellence to name a few!
- Opportunities Year-round: From Theaters, to festivals, to Galleries and Gallery Crawls, and more, we have opportunities to volunteer year-round!
Frequently Asked Questions
How old do I have to be to volunteer?
The Beyond the Stage program is open to all 9th – 12th graders.
What are the physical requirements to volunteer?
Volunteers must be able to stand for extended periods of time, especially during the portions of the shift when guests enter, exit, and otherwise navigate the venue (intermission, etc.) You must also be comfortable navigating slightly sloped passageways and steps in dimly lit or dark spaces of the theater.
What is the time commitment for a shift?
Each event is very different, but a typical shift is between 4-6 hours. You will see the start and approximate end times very clearly in the online portal before signing up for a shift.
What is the time commitment year-round?
We ask that every member of the program volunteer at least once a month to remain active in the program.
What are the uniform requirements?
In general, we ask that you provide a white button-down long-sleeved dress shirt, black dress pants, fully black shoes, black socks. The Trust will provide you with a black vest and a basic black bowtie.
Outdoor events are casual attire, or an event T-shirt may be provided.
In-depth uniform requirements will be covered at the orientation.
What opportunities are included if I sign up to volunteer?
We have many opportunities year-round to volunteer.
Theater opportunities include events at the Benedum Theater, Byham Theater, Greer Cabaret Theater, or Liberty Magic.
We do NOT offer opportunities at Heinz Hall or the O’Reilly Theater through this program.
Other opportunities include the Three Rivers Arts Festival, First Night Festival, Gallery Crawls, helping with Tours of our venues, and other miscellaneous events.
What will I be doing as a volunteer?
The volunteer function varies depending on the show and whether it is an indoors or outdoors event, but our volunteers handle various guest-facing tasks such as scanning tickets, greeting patrons, taking patrons to their seat, coat check room support, and donor lounge support.
How does scheduling work?
Scheduling is flexible! You pick and choose your own shifts. All our scheduling is done through an online portal that is very easy to use.
Because there are so many different events that you can sign up for, students from all walks of life are able to make it work due to the flexible scheduling.
What happens after I apply?
Please note that not all applicants are accepted. After applying, you will receive an email informing you of your acceptance. If you are accepted, you will then be informed of the next orientation date, which is mandatory to attend. This is to ensure that you receive the proper training before beginning to volunteer.
How often are orientations?
Once every quarter. Each one is on a Saturday from 9am-5pm at the Benedum or Byham theaters.
What happens after orientation?
If you’ve got your uniform components ready, you are welcome to start signing up to volunteer! (Please see the question above for uniform requirements. The vest will be provided at your first volunteering shift after your orientation).
You will also be paired with an experienced student volunteer who can mentor you through your first shifts.
Can I come to part of an orientation?
No. You will have to be there for the entirety of the orientation to be eligible for the program. The reason for the long orientation is that we are preparing you for so many volunteering opportunities in our Cultural District.
Is transportation provided?
No. The student is responsible for getting to and from the theater for any training and shifts they participate in.
What about parking?
We provide parking validation in the Theater Square Parking garage for any volunteering shift or training that you participate in.
Are there short-term volunteering commitments available?
Currently, we do not have any short-term or “day of service” volunteering opportunities available. Please contact the Volunteer Services and Front of House Guest Experience department for more information at rieser@trustarts.org.
What kind of environment is this volunteer experience?
It is a fun, fast-paced, team-driven environment where you interact with guests and make sure they are having magical experiences!
How will you track my participation?
Our system allows us to track your volunteer hours. We are also able to provide reports on your volunteering time as needed for any organizations.
I know some people who want to join, what should they do?
If they are interested in the Beyond the Stage student volunteer program, have them apply by clicking the button above.
If they are not a high school student and interested in volunteering, have them apply here. Everyone must individually do an application, FAQ quiz, phone call, and attend an orientation to be eligible to volunteer.
They can email vthomas@trustarts.org if they have any questions!
Will I get to watch the show?
Volunteers are responsible for creating magical guest experiences for our patrons. The main function of the volunteer program is to share a love of the arts with our guests and create an environment where they want to return time and again. With this focus in mind, volunteers do not get to see the entirety of a performance. An opportunity to watch portions of the events must be balanced with the primary responsibility of ensuring that guests' needs are met and given priority.
Additional Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact Vinay Thomas, Manager of Volunteer Services, at 412-456-1428 or vthomas@trustarts.org
