Capricon is a 100% volunteer run convention, and we want you to help us make it happen! We have lots of opportunities for people to volunteer to help make Capricon a success.
Convention Roles
Every year we need volunteers to help plan the convention. These volunteers arrange for all the things you see happen at the convention, plus all the things most attendees don’t see! Creating the program, organizing the Art Show and Dealers Room, coordinating at-con volunteers, running registration, facilitating move-in and move-out…there are jobs that take place before, during, and after the convention. There are big jobs and small jobs.
If you are interested in seeing how it all comes together, we encourage you to volunteer with us! We will work with you to find a role that fits your interests, availability, and skill set. To get started, fill out our volunteer interest form and we’ll get back to you. If you’d like to see the kinds of positions that are available, check out our role descriptions on this page. You can also reach out to us at volunteers@capricon.org.
All volunteers get the following:
- a cool volunteer ribbon
- 1 raffle ticket per hour worked to enter into a drawing for donated prizes
- volunteer dinner on Saturday night
- our eternal gratitude
What about free memberships?
Capricon is still struggling to rebuild financially, so we cannot yet promise comped or reimbursed memberships. However, we recognize that some people would really like to attend and are happy to volunteer, but cannot afford to pay for a membership. Therefore, volunteers who pre-commit to working at least 16 hours (setup/teardown counts for double) can request a comped membership with no questions asked.
Staff Roles
Access
Door Dragon (At-Con)
Monitor third floor entryway and make sure all people entering have a badge. Training provided. (Thursday to Sunday during open hours, 2-hour shifts preferred)
Art Show
Move In Team (At-Con)
Tasks include checking in artists, hanging mail-in art, and otherwise unpacking and setting up Art Show items. This work may involve lifting and stretching. Training provided. (Thursday afternoon and/or Friday morning for 1-4 hours (times TBD) depending on availability.)
Art Show General Team (At-Con)
Assist congoers as they bid on gallery art, purchase Print Shop art, vote on awards, and answer general questions. Training provided. (Friday (TBD) and/or Saturday (10am-5pm) while the Art Show is open, preferably in two hour blocks.)
Art Pickup Person (At-Con)
Help buyers purchase and pick up their winning bids or make Print Shop purchases. Training provided. (Sunday 1-4 hours between 10am and 2pm.)
Move Out Team (At-Con)
Assist with checking out artists picking up unsold work, repacking unsold mail-in art, and packing up Art Show items. This work may involve lifting and stretching. Training provided. (Sunday 1-4 hours depending on availability.)
Cashier (At-Con)
Meet and greet all customers in a warm and friendly manner. Collect cash, credit, and debit payments from art show through the merchandise payment system. Follow cash handling procedures such as counting money at the start and stop of shift. Training provided.
Community Building
Community Building Member (Pre- & At-Con Options)
Have an idea to help build the Capricon Community? We’d love to hear it here. We need help at con and outside of con with fun activities that engage our members such as the “find someone who” bingo game, a newcomer newsletter (handy dandy guide), ASK ME buttons, a community building training video, the con tour and orientation, the party crawl, and several programming sessions designed for our target audiences. Also meal match up and “Join me/us” signs on tables, newcomer packets (including the guide, bingo card, and first timer ribbon) at registration, a workshop teaching about Discord, a map on the wall where people could place pins indicating where they are from, a puzzle or similar game.
Dealers
Dealer’s Department Second (Pre- & At-Con)
Register vendors and locate vendors, verify documents for insurance and tax id, and email. Load-in and load out by accompanying vendors to and from the loading dock to the Dealers Room and provide instructions. Must be comfortable walking, but you will not be asked to lift or carry. Training provided. (Thursday morning and/or Sunday afternoon, 1-4 hours depending on availability)
Door Dragon (At-Con)
Sit at the entrance to the Dealers Room and make sure all people entering have a badge. Training provided. (Thursday to Sunday during open hours, 2-hour shifts preferred)
Equipment
A/V Assistant (At-Con)
Help with basic A/V set-up: displays, projectors, cameras, microphones, and other audio and video equipment. Help troubleshoot during presentation and monitoring equipment for events. Help locate cables and equipment. Willing to train.
Guest Liaison
Second (Pre- & At-Con)
Conduct oneself in a professional manner and assist guests of honor by picking them up at the airport, helping them get checked in, and making sure they get to their panels. Be aware of any schedule changes, errands that need run, help manage autograph lines if needed. Be flexible and available if a guest needs something during the weekend. Having a car is helpful, but not required. Training provided.
Hotel Liaison
Pre-Convention Staff (Pre-Con)
Work with the Hotel Lead and department heads to coordinate and organize all logistical, technical, and accommodation details needed for the convention.
At-Convention Staff (At-Con)
Support the Hotel Lead during the event by coordinating with hotel staff, verifying room setups, resolving on-site facility or A/V issues, and ensuring that function spaces meet the needs of each department.
IT
IT Specialist (At-Con)
Basic IT tasks such as troubleshooting printers and supporting desktop computers such as getting connected to wired and wireless networks, adjusting screen resolution, hooking up and tearing down equipment. Willing to teach and train, willing to train beyond basic IT if interested.
Kids’ Programming
Performers and Workshop Facilitators for Children (At-Con)
Do you like working with children? Do you have a show? We’re looking for puppeteers, ventriloquists, magicians, jugglers, and more. Our theme this year is No Strings Attached – Puppets, Muppets, and the Stories We Tell. Getting back to our Whimsey & Joy. We are looking for event hosts and performances for children aged five through twelve for crafting, games, storytimes, music, and more. We appreciate hour time slots.
Logistics
Move-In/Move-Out Team (At-Con)
Before the convention, help unload the POD and van and move items to their designated places within the convention space. On Sunday, collect up those things and return them to where they go. This work requires significant physical movement, including lifting and carrying up to 50lbs. (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, you do not have to be available all days)
Merchandise
Merchandising (Pre- & At-Con)
Volunteers working the Merchandising position primarily create print-on-demand sale items for con members to purchase through Printful.com. We’re looking for people who enjoy the challenge of exercising creativity within an existing framework, who thrive on organizing things, and who mainly like to work behind the scenes. Merchandising also wants to have more of a visible presence at the convention in the future, advertising the availability of merchandise & facilitating sales. So we especially welcome anyone who has ideas about making that dream a reality.
Operations
Operations Desk Assistant (At-Con)
Be caring, attentive, and assist everyone who needs help by providing requested information. Maintain office to ensure organization, efficiency, and cleanliness. Maintain proper controls with outgoing and incoming keys, loaned equipment, lost and not found items. Record all reported incidents in logbook. Escalate any code of conduct violation directly to Operations Lead or Second if unavailable. Training Provided.
Overnight Desk Assistant (At-Con)
Do you like watching movies, reading, video games? Hours 11pm to 7am. Want to enjoy the entire con at your own pace? See the con and the best panels how you want to? You can spend the day at the con, sleep when you want before your shift. Operations Desk Assistant described above.
Programming
Program Architects (Pre-Con)
Write exciting descriptions for our program items, and help create new panel ideas. Strong writing ability required, training provided.
Registration
Registration Desk Assistant (At-Con)
Assist as needed with various tasks at the registration desk such as handing out badges and managing lines. Training provided, both seated and active roles are available. (Thursday to Sunday during open hours, 2-hour shifts preferred)
Special Events
Special Events Team (Pre- & At-Con)
Would you like to make a splash by hosting a hotel pool party or organizing a cosplay contest? Join the Special Events team to help dream up, organize, and run some of Capricon’s most exciting marquee events! You’ll assist with planning, setup, and on-site coordination to make sure every special event goes off without a hitch.
Volunteer Coordination
Volunteer Desk Assistant (At-Con)
Greet volunteers at the volunteer desk, explain the volunteering system to them, and help them sign up for open shifts. Track volunteer hours and rewards. Training provided. (Thursday to Sunday during open hours, 2-hour shifts preferred)
Website
WordPress Web Site Designer (Pre-Con)
Would you like to help shape Capricon’s online presence? Join the Website Design Team to help redesign and refresh the convention website by improving its visual aesthetic, layout, graphics, and user experience to create a more engaging and welcoming experience for attendees.
WordPress Content Moderator (Pre-Con)
Update WordPress website as needed with any content changes that become available.
Board of Directors Roles
In addition to the convention planning, the Board of Directors also has ongoing staff positions, and also opportunities for some ad hoc deliverables. All roles are strictly volunteer, with Board meetings occurring monthly and work done in between the meetings.
Here’s what we currently have available:
Coordinator for Community Outreach / Second
This is a non-voting Staff position focused on leading Phandemonium’s efforts to promote an environment that is welcoming and inclusive for all participants and members both in and outside of the convention proper. We will also be looking for someone to be the Second for the Coordinator.
Accessibility Coordinator / Second
This is a non-voting Staff position focused on leading Phandemonium’s efforts to promote an environment that is accessible to all our members regardless of ability. We will also be looking for someone to be the Second for the Coordinator.
Development Coordinator
This is a non-voting Staff position focused on finding opportunities to partner with local businesses and organizations, pursue sponsorships and grants, and coordinate fundraising for the corporation.
Facilities Coordinator Second
This is a non-voting Staff position for someone to work with our Facilities Coordinator on hotel contracts, such as working with the hotel on any contract issues, addendums, and extensions. Training will be provided.
Social Media Coordinator Second
This is a non-voting Staff position focused on planning, implementing, and monitoring Phandemonium’s Social Media strategy in order to increase awareness, improve marketing efforts, and increase membership.
If you are interested in any of these roles, please contact us at boardpresident@phandemonium.org for more information.