About
Calling all lovers of literature to volunteer at JLF Colorado— an annual international literature festival of books, ideas, stories and camaraderie—September 22-23, 2026, at Boulder Main Library. A proud sister festival of the world-renowned Jaipur Literature Festival, JLF Colorado is produced by Teamwork Arts and has been hosted in Boulder every year since 2015. Each September, we collaborate to bring inspiring authors and thought leaders to discuss local and global issues. JLF Colorado is open to all and free to attend.
Volunteers create an environment where people can come together, consider different perspectives, and ensure equitable access to literature and art. Learn about volunteer roles at JLF Colorado below.
- Attendee Support (greeter, registration/check-in): Serve in a front facing customer service role. Invite the community to participate, greet authors, register and check-in attendees. Create a welcoming environment where ideas from different perspectives can flow freely.
- Author Support (author lounge, author liaison): Host authors in the author lounge and create a relaxing environment where they can rest and regroup. Serve as an author liaison to help authors get to venues on time for speaking engagements, pick up their books from the bookstore and set up for book signings.
- Production Support: Leading up to the festival, prepare name badges for authors and speakers, assemble gift bags, put up signs and decorations, help decorate the library and set up venues and author lounges. During the festival, work behind the scenes to transition stages, support audio visual, and help with logistics. After the last sessions, help pack up supplies, stack chairs, and return the library to its usual state.
- Social Media Support: Build visibility for the event, authors, and artists. Follow and repost JLF Colorado content leading up to the festival. Take photos and videos of the live music, sessions, and festival attendees engaged in community. Share images and video clips with brief descriptions with Teamwork Arts via WhatsApp so they can be shared during the festival.
- Venue Support (Canyon Theater &Steps): Help host sessions where discussions take place. Welcome authors, greet attendees, help people find open seats, manage entrance/exit and room capacity, facilitate use of the microphone during question and answer, guide authors to book signings, tidy and reset the room between sessions.
Sign up to volunteer by clicking on the blue 'Register' button. Search for shifts by typing in key words (attendee support, author support, venue support, production) and/or days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). If you have questions or need help signing up, please message admin through this sign-up page or call (1) 983-888-0698. *Please note, this number cannot receive text messages.
Additional avenues to learn about the festival and support:
1.Work as a team to create a welcoming environment where ideas from different perspectives can flow freely
2. Complete one volunteer training session (~1 hours) prior to the festival.
3. Must be 18 years old to volunteer in the author lounge.
Shifts (23)
| Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Production: Set up | 12:00pm (MT) | 3:00pm (MT) | Transform the library into a vibrant festival and prepare to host authors and attendees. Help prepare badges for authors with Teamwork Arts, set up venue spaces and author lounges with the production team, put up signs, decorations, and finishing touches. | 5/5 | Over |
| Monday Attendee Support: Pre-Event Registration | 2:00pm (MT) | 4:00pm (MT) | Serve in a front facing customer service role. Invite the public to attend, answer questions, and assist with online pre-registration. Volunteers need to be comfortable with basic technology and working with simple web-based forms. | 2/2 | Over |
| Monday Production: Set up | 3:00pm (MT) | 6:00pm (MT) | Transform the library into a vibrant festival and prepare to host authors and attendees. Help prepare badges for authors with Teamwork Arts, set up venue spaces and author lounges with the production team, put up signs, decorations, and finishing touches. | 2/2 | Over |
| Monday Attendee Support: Pre-event Registration | 3:45pm (MT) | 6:45pm (MT) | Serve in a front facing customer service role. Invite the public to attend, answer questions, and assist with online pre-registration. Volunteers need to be comfortable with basic technology and working with simple web-based forms. | 2/2 | Over |
| Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Attendee Support: Registration & Check-in | 12:00pm (MT) | 3:00pm (MT) | Serve in a front facing customer service role. Invite people to register and check in for the festival, be a welcoming host, and answer questions as the festival unfolds. Volunteers need to be comfortable with basic technology and working with simple web-based forms. | 2/2 | Over | |
| Tuesday Production: Music & First Sessions | 2:15pm (MT) | 5:15pm (MT) | Set the stage literally and figuratively for JLF Colorado! Help produce the iconic music stage, support soundcheck, assist artists and event producers. After music help transition the stage for the first session. | 3/3 | Over | |
| Tuesday Attendee Support: Registration & Check-in | 2:45pm (MT) | 6:45pm (MT) | Invite people to register and check in for the festival, be a welcoming host, and answer questions. Volunteers need to be comfortable with basic technology and working with simple web-based forms. | 7/8 | Over | |
| Tuesday Author Support, Author Lounge | 3:00pm (MT) | 8:00pm (MT) | Author lounges are designated areas where authors can rest in-between speaking engagements. Welcome authors, answer questions, and keep the lounge well stocked and tidy. Help close the author's lounge as the festival wraps up. | 1/1 | Over | |
| Tuesday Author Liaison Canyon | 3:15pm (MT) | 6:15pm (MT) | Make sure authors arrive at the Canyon Theater 15 minutes before the start of each session. Introduce author to venue support volunteers. Collaborate with Boulder Bookstore to set up book signing area during sessions. | 1/2 | Over | |
| Tuesday Author Support, Author Lounge | 3:30pm (MT) | 7:30pm (MT) | Author lounges are designated areas where authors can rest in-between speaking engagements. Help open the author lounge as the festival starts. Welcome authors, answer questions. and keep the lounge running smoothly. | 1/1 | Over | |
| Tuesday Venue Support Canyon | 3:30pm (MT) | 8:00pm (MT) |
| 2/4 | Over | |
| Tuesday Social Media Volunteer | 3:45pm (MT) | 7:45pm (MT) | Take photos and videos of live music, author sessions, passing periods, and attendees engaged in community. Share photos and videos with Teamwork Arts via Whatsapp so they can be shared. | 1/2 | Over | |
| Tuesday Production: Support Sessions | 5:15pm (MT) | 8:15pm (MT) | Help transition venues between sessions. Re-configure stage set up for panels, single speakers, and workshops. Help prepare venues for day 2. | 2/2 | Over |
| Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Attendee Support: Registration & Check-in | 12:00pm (MT) | 3:00pm (MT) | Invite people to register and check in for the festival, be a welcoming host, and answer questions. Volunteers need to be comfortable with basic technology and working with simple web-based forms. | 2/2 | Over |
| Wednesday Production: Sessions & Music | 2:15pm (MT) | 6:15pm (MT) | Set the stage literally and figuratively for JLF Colorado! Support soundcheck, ensure the stage is ready, prepare Canyon and Steps venues to host first sessions of the day. Adaptability, ability to lift, bend, and stand, experience with Audio/Visual helpful. | 2/3 | Over |
| Wednesday Attendee Support: Registration & Check-in | 2:45pm (MT) | 6:45pm (MT) | Invite people to register and check in for the festival, be a welcoming host, and answer questions. Volunteers need to be comfortable with basic technology and working with simple web-based forms. | 4/8 | Over |
| Wednesday Author Liaison Canyon | 3:15pm (MT) | 6:15pm (MT) | Make sure authors arrive at the Canyon Theater 15 minutes before the start of each session. Introduce author to venue support volunteers. Collaborate with Boulder Bookstore to set up book signing area during sessions. | 1/2 | Over |
| Wednesday Author Liaison Steps | 3:15pm (MT) | 5:15pm (MT) | Make sure authors arrive at Brook and Steps Venues 15 minutes before the start of each session. Introduce author to venue support volunteers. Collaborate with Boulder Bookstore to set up book signing area during sessions. | 2/2 | Over |
| Wednesday Venue Support Canyon | 3:15pm (MT) | 7:15pm (MT) | Welcome authors and attendees to the venue, identify where there are open seats, manage door and capacity limits, facilitate use of microphone during Q&A, guide author(s) to book signing after the session. | 2/2 | Over |
| Wednesday Venue Support Steps | 3:30pm (MT) | 7:15pm (MT) | Welcome authors and attendees to the venue, identify where there are open seats, manage door and capacity limits, facilitate use of microphone during Q&A, guide author(s) to book signing after the session. | 3/3 | Over |
| Wednesday Social Media Volunteer | 3:45pm (MT) | 7:45pm (MT) | Take photos and videos of live music, author sessions, passing periods, and attendees engaged in community. Share photos and videos with Teamwork Arts via Whatsapp so they can be shared. | 0/2 | Over |
| Wednesday Production: Support Sessions & Tear Down | 6:00pm (MT) | 9:00pm (MT) | Help close venues after last sessions, help clean up author's lounge, gather supplies, stack chairs, and take down festival signs and decorations. | 4/4 | Over |
| Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Production: Tear down & Close | 9:00am (MT) | 12:00pm (MT) | Help return the library back to its usual state. Help the production team pack up supplies, stack chairs, bundle equipment, and close the loop. | 2/4 | Over |
