The Internet is buzzing about Open’er, but this time not because of the fantastic artists who will perform at the turn of June and July at the Gdynia-Kosakowo airport. A well-known social activist, Jan Śpiewak, publicized one of the provisions in the regulations for participation in volunteering on Twitter. Everyone interested in free help in organizing the festival is required to pay a deposit of PLN 950, which corresponds to the value of the season ticket for all days of the event.
Under his post, we can find a lot of derisive comments that criticize such an action of Alter Altu. On the other hand, there are voices of people who believe that this is a fair game, because the organizer wants to be sure that people who have decided to work during the event will actually fulfill their duties.
Open’er Festival under fire of criticism. There is an answer from the organizer
Due to the heated discussion in the media, the official website of the Open’er Festival has been published. We can read in it that, according to the organizers, it is a good solution for all people who would like to participate in it, but for many reasons are unable to buy a ticket. “Volunteering at the festival is for Open’er primarily a socio-educational program based on the long tradition of summer music festivals. Its impact on the economic balance of the event, with very large organizational expenditures, is marginal” – we read in the statement.
The creators of the festival also say that volunteering is a unique opportunity to see “behind the scenes” how creating one of the largest music festivals in Europe looks like. In addition, they indicate that the obligation to pay a deposit by volunteers is a measure used around the world in the organization of various festivals. They explain that such a solution was introduced after some people did not fulfill their obligations, and the deposit in the amount equivalent to the price of a 4-day pass was introduced more than ten years ago.
The scale of this practice was very significant and reached about 50% of project participants, which obviously made it impossible to implement the volunteer program. Importantly, the deposit is returned immediately after the event, according to the organizers.
Alter Alt also informed that at the moment 3.5 thousand people have already applied for volunteering, and registration will end only at the end of May. This means that there are currently 20 applicants for one place. The conditions on the basis of which further selection takes place are not specified anywhere, but the organizer stipulates that he will contact the selected persons by June 12, 2023.
The argument that a volunteer has a chance to take part in the festival for free if he cannot afford to buy a ticket, but at the same time has to pay a deposit of PLN 950, is not very convincing. If someone can’t afford a pass, where should they get the money for its equivalent?
Jerzy Owsiak commented on the issue of volunteering at Open’er. “Our patent works great”
Jurek Owsiak, the creator of the legendary Pol’and’Rock Festival, decided to speak on this matter. At the beginning, he emphasized that he understood what the organizers of such large events as the Open’er Festival had to face. “I understand the creators of ticketed festivals who, looking for volunteers to handle their events, want to protect themselves from candidates who only count on a wristband or ID from the organizer, and then revel soul, there is no hell, i.e. they use the festival without any obligations” – we read in the entry.
Later, he told how the preparation of volunteering at his event looks like. Pol’and’Rock invests in its volunteers, who are called Peace Patrol. To become one of the members of this team, you need to undergo specialized training.
First of all, we invite you to the Volunteer Center in Szadów-Młyn, where for 3 days we subject our brave candidate to training, which we consider to be the best in the world in terms of festival volunteers. Our volunteers are called Peace Patrol, and the three days spent in Szadów are learning how to build a team and work in a group, in very different, often critical, situations invented by us, and – most importantly – the ability to provide specific help, i.e. a very wide range of knowledge from the scope of saving health and life – writes Jurek Owsiak.
He also pointed out that all those willing to enlist in the Peace Patrol must also pay a certain amount – it is only a donation of PLN 100 to the WOŚP Foundation. She believes that this is a guarantee for them that the candidate for volunteering will definitely come to the training and all the necessary materials will be prepared. He also repeated that he understood the tactics used by other festivals, but he did not intend to change anything about his event. “(…) Our patent works great, it does not raise controversy, on the contrary – it educates, educates and really helps” – we read.
Owsiak: Open’er – you call it to the board yourself
Jurek Owsiak felt called to the board by numerous publications about his opinion and on May 11 he posted a second post in which he criticized the above-mentioned statement issued by the organizers of Open’er. The journalist and charity activist scores each fragment of the message. This is what he writes in the introduction of his long message:
In your statement, you write »Volunteering at the festival is for Open’er primarily a program of a social and educational nature […]. Its impact on the economic balance of the event, with very high organizational costs, is marginal«. It’s quite the opposite with us. 800 people [sic!] z Peace Patrol has a colossal, huge impact on the course of our Festival. It is on their shoulders that the »state of fun« rests, how the participants of the Festival feel, how quickly one can react to all kinds of threats and how all of us, the organizers, artists, audience and musicians, feel safe. Without their knowledge, commitment and great self-discipline, we would not have organized our Festival in such an open and free formula. There is nothing to discuss about the social and educational role when you make us pay such a huge deposit to “work” for you.
He also criticizes the premise that Open’er will manage without volunteers and creates such a possibility out of good will, pointing out that the Peace Patrol is the basis for the functioning of the Pol’and’Rock Festival. It also shows how important it is to train volunteers who later accompany thousands of participants in the event. At the very end, he also added that he was ready to talk to the organizers of Open’er – which he personally values very much – to help them find a golden mean in the matter of volunteering.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
