Opportunities From: United Way of Central Iowa

The award winning Des Moines Arts Festival is a free, three day arts and culture celebration in Western Gateway Park in Downtown Des Moines. Our volunteers and their commitment to our community are the reason we enjoy the success we do! Interested in volunteering at the 2026 Festival? Use the link below to register. ​​ If your team is looking for a group project, please connect with Stacey, Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@desmoinesartsfestival.org.

To learn more, visit our website and submit an inquiry form: https://www.desmoinesartsfestival.org/emt

Our EMT is currently made up of 70 volunteers who work closely with Festival staff leading up to the Festival and then manages specific areas on-site including load in, load out, general volunteers, troubleshooting, etc. Essentially, the EMT is the eyes and ears of the Festival ensuring everything runs smoothly and our guests and participants are having their best experience. Volunteer areas of focus include:

Artist Relations
Food Vendor Relations
Interrobang Film Festival
Tech/POS Support
Merchandise Sales
On-Site Office Management
Festival Production
DMAF Programs
Sponsor Relations
Stage Management 
Sustainability
VIP Club
Volunteer Relations

High School Students - if you're looking for silver cord hours, we recommend signing up for General Volunteer shifts! Shifts will be live April 7, 2026.