If you’ve given up the idea of being able to afford a trip to opera or symphony performances because of the high price of tickets, you might be happy to know you can still attend such events without having to pay the cost of a ticket. All that’s required is the contribution of a few hours of your time.

Volunteers are considered integral members of any arts organization. Without dedicated volunteers, arts organizations would be hard pressed to offer the rich array of arts opportunities in the community that they do. By donating your time, you play a vital part in helping to sustain the traditions of creativity and education in your area.

Opera: Traditionally considered “high-brow,” operas actually range from tragic to romantic to fantastic to comedicoperas. Probably the most famous comedic operas are those of Gilbert and Sullivan who collaborated on fourteen comic operas, of which H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado are among the best known.

Forty-nine states in the U.S. have at least one opera company, and many of them have more than one. If you live in South Dakota, West Virginia, or Wyoming, we’re afraid you’re out of luck. But the rest of the states are in tune. Most, if not all, of these opera companies are in need of volunteers. Volunteer duties range from helping ticket holders find their seats on performance night to helping with costume sewing to taking the part of an “extra” on stage. To show their appreciation to their volunteers, many opera companies offer performance tickets in exchange for hours spent volunteering. So for a few hours of time spent as a volunteer, you not only have an opportunity to see what it takes to put together an opera performance, but also an opportunity to enjoy what others spend a considerable amount to see.

Symphony: A typical symphony orchestra consists of four proportionate groups of similar musical instruments called the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings. An orchestra, depending on the size, contains almost all of the standard instruments in each group. A symphony orchestra will usually have over eighty musicians on its roster, in some cases over a hundred, but the actual number of musicians employed in a particular performance may vary according to the work being played and the size of the venue. A smaller-sized orchestra is called a chamber orchestra. A chamber orchestra might employ as many as fifty musicians.

The good news is every state in the U.S. has at least one symphony or chamber orchestra, and like other arts organizations, these orchestras welcome those willing to volunteer their time. Symphonies offer many ways to volunteer: Fundraising, special events, audience development and community outreach, concert services, educational outreach, and office support. To encourage community members to attend performances, symphonies now often include an evening devoted to popular Broadway music or music from well-known movies. Volunteering for a symphony orchestra organization will give you the opportunity to attend performances in which some of the most well-known conductors and musicians in the world participate. Ticket buyers often pay $60 or $70 to attend these same performances.

Movies: The first film festival was held in Venice, Italy, in 1938. Since then, literally thousands of film festivals have sprung up around the world. A film festival is an organized presentation of films in one or more movie theaters, usually in a single town or city. The films may be newly completed and, depending upon the focus of the individual festival, can include international films as well as films produced by filmmakers from the community where the festival is held. Sometimes there is a focus on a specific kind of film, e.g., science fiction, horror, documentary, comedy, etc. Some film festivals specialize in short films. Film festivals are typically annual events. The first North American film festival was the Columbus International Film and Video Festival in Ohio. The Telluride Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Austin’s South by Southwest, and New York City’s Tribeca Film Festival, are all considered significant US festivals for independent films, meaning films not paid for by major studios.

There may be a film festival that is held not too far from you, and if you enjoy watching new films or films from other countries, a film festival is a perfect place for you. Film festivals are always looking for volunteers, as it requires a lot of work and coordination to make everything go off smoothly. Large festivals like Sundance and Tribeca often pay a small stipend to volunteers as well as giving them passes to attend the festival films when they are off duty. A stipend is a sum of money paid to help cover expenses like food and gas while you are volunteering at the festival. But if you’re careful, the stipend can be more than you spend, giving you a little profit. Other arts organizations like ballet companies, art museums, and historic sites also welcome volunteers and offer you the opportunity to enjoy many activities in your community without paying the cost of admission. Most of these organizations have websites where you can find information about applying to be a volunteer. Or you can call the organization on the telephone and they will be happy to give you the information. So take advantage of these opportunities to get out of the house, meet new people, and enjoy some of the great things your community has to offer.