Volunteer Collective at the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival

Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival
VO103274

Are you passionate about mental health and the arts? Do you want to gain new skills, meet creative people, and help shape one of Scotland’s most inspiring festivals?

The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is looking for ten people to join our new volunteer collective — a year-round volunteer group that will help us tell powerful stories, support events, and explore mental health through creative content.

What You’ll Do

Produce regular content for our website (articles, interviews, photography, illustrations, etc.), exploring events and issues in mental health and the arts

Collaborate on a group project during the festival, like a zine, podcast, or digital publication

Get involved with programming and event production for selected events

Support the team by helping out and being a friendly face at events during the festival

Take part in training days, with workshops covering subjects like journalism, mental health awareness and creative planning

Who Can Apply
This opportunity is open to anyone based anywhere in Scotland, aged over 18. We’re especially keen to hear from people based within easy travel distance of Glasgow to support in-person meetups.
You don’t need to have any specific experience — we’re looking for people from diverse backgrounds with creative ideas, a passion for storytelling, and an interest in mental health and the arts.

Typical qualities and backgrounds SMHAF wishes to see:
-Lived experience and storytelling: People with personal or community mental health experiences are encouraged, especially those from refugee backgrounds
-Creative skills: People skilled in arts, heritage work, writing, oral history, curation, facilitation, workshop design, etc.
-Commitment: Availability for year-round involvement (meetings, planning, projects) and during the core festival period in October.
-Team orientation: Ability to collaborate across diverse communities, alongside artists, organizers, and other volunteers.

Commitment
This will be an ongoing volunteer opportunity for the next three years, but we are looking for an initial commitment of six months, until December 2025. You should intend to be based in Scotland throughout this time.

Volunteers will be expected to:
-Attend a volunteer induction, either in-person or remotely, on Friday, 18 July 2025
-Attend a minimum of two in-person training days per year, as well as regular online meetups
-Contribute to at least one article or piece of content published on our website each year
-Provide support at a minimum of three events during the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, which this year runs from 20 October to 9 November 2025

How to Apply: Click the ‘Apply’ button below (available once logged in and registered). After you apply, the coordinator will contact you by email or phone. If you don’t hear back within 5 working days, double-check your junk/spam folder, or contact the organisation directly. If you need extra support, you can also reach out to Volunteer Glasgow at info@volunteerglasgow.org.

Experience required

You don’t need to have any specific experience — we’re looking for people from diverse backgrounds with creative ideas, a passion for storytelling, and an interest in mental health and the arts.

Travel details

This is mostly a volunteering from home opportunity. Our offices are based on the 2nd Floor of Moncrieff House, 69 West Nile Street, Glasgow, G1 2QB.

While SMHAF operates across multiple sites, the main hub for festival activity in Glasgow is:
Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA); Located at 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD
We also collaborate with various cinemas, galleries, and community venues across the city. As a collective volunteer, you may be based at the CCA or helping out at satellite venues, depending on specific events and projects

Travel expenses

We reimburse travel and subsistence costs, meaning your transport expenses to and from volunteering are paid back
Additionally, lunch and refreshments are provided during training days and events, and volunteers receive free tickets to festival events

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