Work Trade Application

Applications must be submitted by February 22nd.

Please read all the information and fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

You will be notified of acceptance or not within 2 weeks following your application. We may request a video chat first to meet =)

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Thank you for your interest in being on the work trade team at Von Hand Festival 2026. We will offer 10 positions this year with a combination of returning folks and new folks.

This year in addition to Raleigh & Oliver we have 3 staff who will be your main point people throughout the week: Lena Bentele, Katharina Held, & Simon Ruhland. Together we will all pick the team.

WORKTRADE POSITIONS & EXCHANGE

Worktrade is a meaningful part of how Von Hand comes together each year. In exchange for your time, care, and flexibility, we offer a supported way to attend the festival while being part of the team that helps it run.

This year we have two types of worktrade positions.

🌿 FULL-TIME WORKTRADE

Best for folks who can arrive early and/or stay late

We ask for:

  • Arriving 2-3 days before the festival for setup and/or staying 2-3 days after for breakdown

  • 2–3 hours of work per day during the festival

  • Flexibility — some days may be lighter, others may need a bit more help

  • A 35€ deposit. This deposit helps cover a portion of food expenses for work traders as well as administrative time for the small but mighty Von Hand staff. (only if you are accepted! - this is not an applicant fee!)

Priority is given to applicants who can stay for the full extended window (Friday morning–Monday evening), as this helps create a cohesive and steady team through setup, festival days, and breakdown. Friday July 31st & Monday August 10th are when we setup and break down the Marquee and we need 8-10 people onsite for this.

In exchange, we offer:

  • Festival ticket

  • Food for the full festival week plus all meals during setup & breakdown days

  • Reserved spaces to 2 days of workshops

    • You’ll share your top workshop wishes in advance

    • We do our best to match preferences, but schedules depend on overall staffing needs

    • You are still responsible for any material fees in the workshop. This is paid directly to the Instructor.

    • Workshops with free spaces can also be booked onsite during the festival for free

    • You are welcome to book additional workshops at participant rates if there’s something you especially want to attend

🌿 PART-TIME WORKTRADE

Best for folks who can attend during the festival itself

We ask for:

  • Arriving the morning the festival begins (or the evening before) to help with final setup

  • Staying through the final day of the festival (or the following morning) to help with initial breakdown

  • 2–3 hours of work per day during the festival

  • Flexibility as needs shift throughout the week

  • A 35€ deposit. This deposit helps cover a portion of food expenses for work traders as well as administrative time for the small but mighty Von Hand staff. (only if you are accepted! - this is not an applicant fee!)

In exchange, we offer:

  • Festival ticket

  • Food

  • Workshops with free spaces may be booked onsite during the festival

  • Otherwise workshops are your responsibility to book in advance at participant rates.

🛠 WHAT WORKTRADE TASKS MIGHT LOOK LIKE DURING THE WEEK

Worktrade roles vary and often rotate. Tasks include:

  • Registration table

  • Cleaning and maintaining toilets

  • Coffee & tea station

  • Supporting instructors with setup and transitions

  • Daily tidying of common spaces

  • Helping manage the shop, library, or tool storage

  • Offering general information and support to participants

  • Assisting with announcements, games, songs, raffles, and other community moments

We don’t track hours minute-by-minute. Our goal is balance — contributing meaningfully while still having time to enjoy the festival.

⏰ ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE

Organizers begin setup Wednesday July 29th before the festival and finish cleanup Tuesday August11th a few days after.

  • Full-time worktraders are asked to arrive early and/or stay late within this window

  • Part-time worktraders attend only during the main festival dates

Please tell us as clearly as you can:

  • The earliest you can arrive

  • The latest you can stay

Priority is given to applicants who can stay for the full extended window. This helps us build a team that covers all phases of the festival.

🎟 TICKET HOLD FOR APPLICANTS

If it looks like the festival may sell out while worktrade selections are still being finalized, we will temporarily hold tickets for applicants. We don’t anticipate this being necessary, but we want you to know you won’t lose your chance to attend while waiting to hear from us.

If you have any questions please feel free to email us: info@vonhandfestival.com