Year-Round Employment
Audience Services & Merchandise Manager
Position Title: Audience Services & Merchandise Manager
Reports to: Executive Director
Supervises: Volunteers, Summer Interns, and Summer Work Study Students
Salary and Benefits: Hiring range is $40,000-$45,000 depending on experience and qualifications. This is a full-time, non-exempt, in-person position. ADF offers an excellent benefits package that includes holidays and Paid Time Off (PTO) days (vacation, sick time, and personal time), plus health, long and short-term disability, dental, and life insurance and a 401K with a 4% match. Off-season, this position works Monday-Friday which includes the option to work from home on either Tuesdays or Thursdays. Additional hours, both off and especially on season, may be necessary based on workload.
Job Summary: Serve as the primary manager of all audience-related services including overseeing all ticketing matters. Responsible for securing group ticket sales, distribution of marketing materials, setting up marketing events including children’s matinee parties. Secure annual ADF merchandise purchase and oversee sales at office and theaters. Work with Marketing and Social Media Manager and Graphic Designer on marketing efforts for ADF.
Qualifications: A successful candidate will have excellent communication and customer service skills, be highly organized and detail oriented, have the ability to prioritize, be able to work independently and as part of a team, work well in a fast-paced environment, and be proficient with Microsoft Word and Excel. Bachelor’s degree and knowledge of dance highly desired. Knowledge of the NC Triangle community helpful.
To Apply: Please email a cover letter, résumé, and three references to adf@americandancefestival.org with Audience Services and Merchandise Manager in the subject line by December 16. No phone calls, please. Anticipated start date: February 3, 2025.
Summer Internships
Each summer, ADF offers internships in all areas of arts administration and production. Administrative internships provide hands-on experience for those interested in arts management. Production interns work on the crew for the summer performances.
All interns work in an invigorating arts environment, as an integral part of the ADF staff. Each intern plays an important role in carrying out ADF’s mission to serve dance, dancers, choreographers, and artists in related fields.
Teaching Opportunities
ADF School Intensives
As a general rule, the ADF School does not accept unsolicited teaching inquiries. We take the selection of faculty seriously and are constantly examining the dance landscape for exemplary educators.
ADF Samuel H. Scripps Studios
If you are interested in teaching a weekly class or a special workshop at ADF’s Studios, please send your performance/teaching resume and proposed class description to studios@americandancefestival.org. We offer a variety of classes for all ages and levels. Typically, the weekly class schedule is set several months in advance, and special workshops are scheduled on an ongoing basis.
ADF prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Volunteer at ADF
Over the years, ADF Volunteers have proven to be an invaluable part of our community. From distributing marketing materials to hosting faculty members, your help is immeasurable. We invite you to join us and support one of North Carolina’s cultural gems.
Benefits of being an ADF Volunteer:
- Experience ADF as an insider and discover the behind-the-scenes.
- Meet fellow dance artists and enthusiasts from around the world.
- Share your passion for modern dance by utilizing your skills.
- Enjoy complimentary perks as a token of our thanks!
Volunteer Opportunities
Office/Events Volunteers
Year-round opportunities. Different opportunities will require different amounts of time and hours, possibly including short training sessions.
Ideal volunteers will be personable, dependable, detail-oriented, and modern dance enthusiasts.
Responsibilities may include:
- Administration
Answering and transferring incoming phone calls, sorting and distributing incoming mail, filing documents, preparing large mailings, and assisting specific departments as needed. Operating office machines such as computers, printers, and scanners may be needed. - Special Events
Assisting ADF staff with special dinners, events, and parties. Volunteers may help with decorations, set-up and break down, sending invitations, food service, and more. - Language Translation
Translating written materials as well as interpreting at tech rehearsals, in press interviews, for the school office, and more. Various languages may be needed. - Promotion
Distributing promotional materials (season brochures, posters, postcards, etc.) to local merchants, libraries, bars, restaurants, public bulletin boards, and more. - Ushering
Handing out programs, showing patrons to seats, and assisting with front-of-house activities before and after performances at various venues. - Store
Sellinh ADF merchandise at theaters before performances and during intermission. All proceeds support ADF tuition scholarships. - Driving
Picking up and dropping off faculty, choreographers, performers, and VIPS at the airport and transporting them to Duke’s East Campus.
To become an Office/Events Volunteer, please complete this form.
Please contact Becca Gargiulo at becca@americandancefestival.org with any questions.
4 hours = 1 complimentary ticket
ADF's Scripps Studios Work/Study
Ideal volunteers will be personable, dependable, and modern dance enthusiasts.
Responsibilities may include:
- Helping set up and break down for informal showings
- Running check-in for adult and youth classes
- Performing simple office tasks
- Cleaning lights
- Watering plants
- Assisting Studio Manager as needed
To become an ADF Studios Work/Study, please complete this form.
Please contact Annabel Lopez at annabel@americandancefestival.org with any questions.
ADF Studios Work/Study receive free studio drop-in classes and studio space in exchange for their work.
ADF's Scripps Studios Camp Volunteers
ADF’s Samuel H. Scripps Studios is introducing a teen volunteer program for our summer Youth Dance Camps beginning this summer!
- 16 years old by June 1, 2024
- Available for one 40-hour week in June or July
- Parent/guardian confirmation
- 1 letter of recommendation
Ideal volunteers will also be personable, dependable, and modern dance enthusiasts.
Responsibilities may include:
- Setting up activities and classroom materials
- Signing students into class
- Supervising campers
- Assisting teachers
- Tidying up the space
To become an ADF’s Studios Camp Volunteer, please complete this form.
Please contact Annabel Lopez at annabel@americandancefestival.org with any questions.
ADF Studios Camp Volunteers will receive free studio drop-in classes in exchange for their work.
Community Hosts
Summer: 1-7 weeks in June and/or July
Consider opening your home to the extraordinary faculty, musicians, and artists who travel to Durham each summer to be part of ADF!
To become an Community Host, please complete this Community Housing form.
Please contact school@americandancefestival.org with any questions.
Hosts receive 4 complimentary festival tickets of your choosing to ADF’s performances in Page Auditorium or Reynolds Industries Theater for summer 2024.
Alternatively, ADF also welcomes subletting opportunities. If you have a space you are interested in subletting, please complete the same form above.
Production Volunteers
ADF is in need of help laying marley and screwing in two of our dance floors for the summer dance festival!
June 11, 1:00–6:00 pm
(more potential dates may be available if you are interested; info to come after this date)
*This job involves medium physical workload. You must be able to lift 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently.
** No previous experience necessary; production experience helpful.
To assist with the opportunity, please contact Lexi Ovenden at lexi@americandancefestival.org.
Volunteers receive 4 complimentary tickets to any of our season shows this summer (shows in von der Heyden Studio Theater subject to availability), a complimentary season T-shirt, and limited food/drink.