An essential workforce within the arts sector in the United Kingdom, volunteers partake in ‘any activity that involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone (individuals or groups) other than, or in addition to, close relatives.' (Voluntary Arts, 2012). However, numbers have drastically decreased over the last few years (Gov.UK, 2021), and the industry is now challenged with attracting new volunteers, providing training relevant to the role, and hopefully retaining those members for the future survival of businesses.
What motivates someone to give up their time is an essential foundation in understanding how the sector can ensure the long-term engagement of volunteers. And how volunteers react and adapt to changes brought about, for example legislation changes as seen during the recent pandemic, must also be understood to ensure appropriate management and implementation.
Using The Grand Theatre in Blackpool as a case study, this research aims to identify recommendations so that the arts sector can be continually successful and viable in the future.