How We Welcome

Guidelines for ACG Volunteers

Thank you for choosing to volunteer with Austin Classical Guitar! Year after year our volunteers—from our ushers to our board of directors—have told us that the reason they stay with us, and give of their time and talent from deep in their hearts, is because the people here are warm and welcoming.

Our mission at ACG is to inspire individuals in our community through experiences of deep personal significance.

We believe that fulfilling this mission begins with actively helping each and every member of our community to feel welcome, and to feel like they belong here with us.

At the outset, this means smiling and earnestly trying to help whenever we can, within the scope of our responsibilities. This means working to hear everyone’s voice and perspective in meetings and conversations. This means treating each person—staff, other volunteers, audience members, patrons, students, people of all ages, races, and gender identities—with respect, free from preconceptions and stereotypes.

Austin Classical Guitar is working to broaden the scope of what we consider our community. We are working to build a staff, Board and volunteers truly representative of our community at every level, including underrepresented groups such as BIPOC, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ communities. We are seeking out service partners in underrepresented communities locally, regionally, and nationally.

As a volunteer with Austin Classical Guitar, you are a representative of ACG, and we ask that you carefully read the intentions and expectations above to be sure they align with your values. For most volunteer situations, aligning our behavior and values comes down to two things:

  1. Treating People Equally, Fairly, and Respectfully
  2. Enlightened Communication*: Avoid Stereotypes, Labels, “Othering”

From time to time we will be offering training and request your attendance. If you have any questions, or would like additional training, don’t hesitate to ask. If you witness or experience anything concerning, please talk to the lead staff member at your event, or reach out to ACG Event Director Jen Bamberg at [email protected] or ACG Executive Director Matt Hinsley at [email protected].

*The ACG Media Ethics Policy below contains additional information about Enlightened Communication.

ACG Media Ethics Policy

At ACG our mission is to inspire individuals in the communities we serve through musical experiences of deep personal significance. We’ve seen that music can be transformative, reflective, and inclusive. We believe that music holds a powerful role in making our communities just and equitable. And we know that music can bring people together to create a better world.

In all of our media and storytelling, we hold the responsibility to share honest, inspirational, and beautiful experiences through proper permissions, respect, and empathy. As such, we abide by the following standards with all of our marketing and communication methods including, but not limited to, emails, social media, website, and blogs:

Permissions

  • We only post or share media of minors and students if parental permission media release forms have been signed and approved.
  • We will apply the most rigorous permissions process before sharing identifiable media or information about the identity of the students in our juvenile detention center programs.
  • We only post or share unpublished media and stories of artists and community members with their permission.
  • We will abide by HIPAA regulations for all individuals participating in Music and Healing programming.

Respect

  • We actively share and celebrate stories of transformation and growth, but we do not exploit the traumas, personal identity, socio-economic status, etc. of any members of our community.
  • We avoid labels and stereotyping, as well as language that may seem limiting, demeaning,
    condescending, or overly simplistic.
  • We will respect the identities of our community members, such as gender pronouns.

Honesty

  • We will do our best to accurately portray the intent of community members who share their stories with us, and always make the opportunity available to them to edit stories in which they are featured.
  • We will not sensationalize stories, and we will avoid hyperbole.

Representation

  • The stories we share will include the voice of the highlighted persons where possible.
  • We share our community members stories but we do not speak for them.
  • ACG communications will work actively to represent the diverse and expanding communities engaged through ACG Education, Music & Healing, and Art.

Volunteer & Usher Training

Top Messages

  • Customer is always right/Start any issues with “I’m so sorry. Give me a minute and we will figure this out.” or similar. SMILE. Breathe. 🙂
  • Serious issues with a patron –Get FOH/House/BO Manager => Production Director => Security officers on duty
  • Ask Expert Volunteers if they have anything they think is useful to add
  • Emphasize Kindness & Beauty as ACG goals, distribute Values: How We Welcome to all volunteers by email or in print (beginning of this document).

General Roles – key component of each

  • Usher – check tickets, lead guests to seats
    • Lead Ushers – Experienced, handle late seating, assist other ushers
    • Language to include:
      • “Hi, may I see your ticket? Let me show you to your seat”
      • “Hmm, looks like we have a seat mixup. Just a moment and I will take care of this and get you seated”
    • Possible Problems – check with House Manager/Box Office Manager
      • Check tickets for correct date and time of concert – if wrong, may/may not have space to reseat on different day
      • Old, outdated tickets (occasionally tickets are changed/reissued but guests have the old/wrong version)
      • Someone is already in a guests seat – Warmly assure guests you will take care of them first; then check both sets of tickets. If duplicate check with House Manager/Box Office Manager
  • Doors – check tickets for correct entrance/redirect to Balcony
  • Programs – hand out program to couples, unless guests ask to each have their own copy
  • 3 Types of tickets
    • Printed pdf
    • Handwritten slips
    • On Phone – email w/ pdf ticket attachment
  • Elevator access
    • N/A at Rosette

Other Lobby Roles:

  • Outdoors – Door Greeter, Parking, wayfinding, entry, current masks policy
  • Greeter
  • Box Office – Box Office Manager in Charge
    • Volunteers/Box Office
      • Ticket line control (Periodically announce to guests in line that if they already have
        tickets, they can go right into the hall with their paper or electronic ticket.)
  • Lobby – Concessions – sales, inside concessions/ticket area
  • Lobby – wayfinding – RR, hall entrances, elevator
  • Elevator – assist guests so they don’t get lost; depending on venue, can be confusing
  • Stage Hand, occasionally
  • Student Group Liaison – if we have a large opening student group, or special circumstances

ROSETTE SPECIFIC VOLUNTEER POSITIONS

  • Outside (FOH Manager is Point of Contact)
    • Parking – dropoff vs parking split
    • Sidewalk Floater (To help with building access)
    • Opt. – Handicap/Drop off in Back
  • Lobby (FOH Manager is Point of Contact)
    • Greeter – Hold/Open Front Door
    • TimeKeeper (double up with Greeter or other inside volunteer)
      (5 min pre-show Chime reminder; Bring in outdoor volunteers for show)
  • Hall (House Manager is Point of Contact) – Programs and Seating
    • Right Side Usher: ** Lead Usher
    • Left Side Usher

In reality, R and L ushers just rotate taking guests to seats

  • Balcony (FOH or House Manager is Point of Contact)
    • Usher at Door – programs & seating

Rosette: Detailed Positions – Tasks:

Parking
  • Use light up parking wand (stored in red Events: Parking Tub)
  • Stand at parking drive entrance on 40th, near ACG sandwich sign
  • Direct guests to parking lot
  • If handicap/drop off; direct to back
  • Monitor remaining parking spaces – when full, redirect guests to street parking
Sidewalk Floater
  • Use light up parking wand (stored in red Events: Parking Tub)
  • Walk back/forth on sidewalk between Rosette entrance and parking/drop off
  • Direct guests to Rosette doors
  • Warn guests of hazards, if any (cones, water on ground, etc.)
Greeter
  • Hold/Open Front Door for guests
  • Be sure doors are unlocked (or velcro strap in place)
  • Adjust “Event Here” or other signs and lanterns, as needed due to wind
  • Be sure Marquee Light is on (switch inside doors above umbrella stand)
  • Help Moniter Box Office line if long, remind guests if they have paper or electronic tickets they can go
    directly to the hall
  • TimeKeeper: 5 min before show: Remind FOH Manager to ring chime for guests to be seated
  • TimeKeeper: 5 min before show: Check with FOH Manager to bring in outside volunteers for show
Main Hall Ushers – Right & Left / Usher 1 & 2
  • Give Programs
  • Seating Guests (exc. If General Seating)
    • Alternate seating as guests arrive
    • Use small flashlight
    • Check tickets for correct date and time of concert
    • Double check seat numbers when counting (Seats not labeled yet.)
    • Politely reseat guests if in wrong seats, after confirming tickets
  • Late Seating
    • Stand/sit by exit door, to help with quiet entry when House Manager determines late seating
  • Post Concert
    • Once artist leaves stage, open door with doorstop
    • Wait for guests to depart
    • Collect any trash/recycling and place in nearby bins
    • Save any programs; return to House or FOH Manager
  • Safety Procedures
    • If the lights/power go out, use usher flashlights to help guests exit through both main house doors and back corner emergency door and out the Rosette entrance.
    • Alternate route through kitchen, turn right and exit through main Baker doors at end of hall.
    • Fire Extinguisher is on the wall to the Left of the House doors.
    • AED can be found downstairs in the main hall, back wall near fire exit.
    • First Aid Kit: Front lobby cabinets, door is labeled First Aid Kit
Balcony Usher
  • Give Programs / Also cough drops/kleenex/water available, if neeeded
  • Seating Ticketed Guests
    • Use small flashlight to help guests find way even when lights are up, if elderly
    • Check tickets for correct date and time of concert
    • Double check seat numbers when counting and direct guests to specific seat
    • Politely reseat guests if in wrong seats, after confirming tickets
  • Seating General Admission
    • Tell guests GA, sit in any available seats
    • Use flashlight to help guests find way in dim lighting, even when lights are up, if elderly
  • Show Start
    • Close door when MC finishes intro and music begins
    • Turn off balcony wall light
    • Sit in usher chair near door, in case late seating or guest needs help
    • MOD – if student group in balcony, must have adult chaperone at all times
  • Post Concert
    • Once artist leaves stage, open door with doorstop
    • Wait for guests to depart
    • Collect any trash/recycling and place in nearby bins
    • Save any programs; return to House or FOH Manager
  • Safety Procedures
    • Remind patrons to be mindful of the low front railing and to keep a close eye on children
    • If power goes out, use flashlight to help guests exit balcony, down stairs and out the Rosette entrance. Alternate route through kitchen, turn R, exit through main Baker doors at end of hall.
  • Fire Extinguisher is outside the balcony door on the wall of the loft at the top of the stairs
  • AED can be found downstairs in the main hall, back wall near fire exit.
  • First Aid Kit: Front lobby cabinets, door is labeled First Aid Kit

Updated August 2023