Volunteer
The Art of Retreat relies on us coming together as a community to support something for which we care deeply. Volunteering is central to our ethos of effort-sharing. Sign up for a shift or two and help us make the magic happen.
**Volunteer Team Leads join our leadership team and are guaranteed access to a ticket. You’ll also be invited to join us on site early and will get first pick of cabin beds.
Our Volunteer Teams
Wolf Pack (Setup & Breakdown)
Are you a fan of picking heavy things up and putting them down? We need loads of hands to help us setting up and breakdown our great lodge between meals and talks. This means moving tables and benches quickly out of the way and giving things a good sweep.
LEAD: Open
Commitment: 2 hours advance planning, 2 hours spread across entire eventTEAM SPOTS: Open, Up to 15 people, 15 minutes
Commitment: Up to four 15 minute shifts over the weekend
Night Owls (Lounge)
Do you love creating cozy spaces—or curling up in them? The Night Owl team helps with setting up & breaking down the late night lounge: rolling out carpets, tossing around pillows, building up the fireplace fire and stocking it with fresh wood, setting up colored lighting, and so forth.
LEAD: Open
Commitment: 2 hours advance planning, 2 hours spread across entire eventTEAM SPOTS: 5-8 people
Commitment: Up to three 15-30 minute shifts over the weekend
Early Birds (Lounge)
Calling all early risers! We need your hands when it comes to helping with rolling up rugs, stacking pillows, and doing a soft-reset of our great lodge before breakfast comes out.
LEAD: Open
Commitment: 2 hour advance planning, 2 hours spread across entire eventTEAM SPOTS: 5-8 people
Commitment: Up to three 15-30 minute shifts over the weekend
Fluffers and Designers
Make this space beautiful. Our designers oversee the overall event aesthetic in partnership with the organizing team, including welcome table displays, welcome bag elements, speaker setups, cabin kits. Coordinate with Speaker Lead to ensure tech matches displays. Coordinate and support Lounge Lead to ensure aesthetic is continuous.
LEAD: Caitlin Pontrella (2023)
TEAM SPOTS: 2
Commitment: Optional 2-4 hours advance planning, needed 4-5 hours across Tuesday/Wednesday before event. Must be able to arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday on site.
Time Keepers
If you love giving orders this is a job for you. Since our sessions are spread out over the entire site, timekeepers help ensure our sessions stay on time and synced up with the main schedule.
LEAD: Open
Commitment: 2-3 hours advance planning, 1-2 hours spread across entire eventTEAM SPOTS: 8 spots
Commitment: You get first pick of the sessions, in coordination with the team, and then have to watch the time for the duration of the session.
Leave No Trace(urs) (Environment)
Can you help us stay accountable to our LNT ethos? At the end of the event, help lead the effort to ensure that no one ever would know that we were here!
LEAD: Open
Commitment: 2-3 hours advance planning, 1-2 hours on Sunday, post event. Must be able to stay until 2pm on site, if needed. Opportunity to arrive early.TEAM SPOTS: 2
Commitment: 1-2 hours on Sunday, post event. Must be able to stay until 2pm on site, if needed. Opportunity to arrive early.
Navigators (Transportation)
Get people to where they need to go. Work with our organizing team to line up rideshares and connect people to our volunteer driver team.
LEAD: Angel Griffin (2023)
TEAM SPOTS: 1-2
Commitment: 4-6 hours advance planning. Opportunity to arrive early. 2-3 hours on day of arrival.
Icebreakers
Connect people through movement, play, and games throughout the day. Design activities that help foster connection, reflection, and laughter.
LEAD: Open
Commitment: 4-6 hours advance planning. Opportunity to arrive early. Daily commitment 2 to 3 games (5-10 min ea)TEAM SPOTS: 1-2
Commitment: 4-6 hours advance planning. Opportunity to arrive early. Daily commitment 2 to 3 games (2-10 min ea)