Bumbershoot Workforce Development Program

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Lighting Workshop  BWFD 2023 Cohort at graduation. Photo by Robbie Trammell

Applications for the 2024 Cohort are closed. Stay tuned for 2025

Bumbershoot Arts and Music Festival, operated by non-profit Third Stone, is the Pacific Northwest’s Largest Music Festival and has partnered with The UC Theatre's Concert Career Pathways Program to offer a tuition-free workforce development program, designed to remove barriers of entry to the creative workforce. Third Stone’s mission is to help foster an inclusive, energized, and sustainable arts economy in the Pacific Northwest through festival, artistic spectacle, and community driven programming. 

Third Stone is partnering with The UC Theatre’s Concert Careers Pathway (CCP) program, in Berkeley, CA, who have placed 80% of their graduates into jobs. Like the CCP Program, Bumbershoot Workforce Development Program provides young people ages 17 to 25, opportunities to work alongside seasoned live event and concert business professionals.

Want to learn how to run your own music festival or produce your own concert? Are you between the ages of 17 to 25 living in the Seattle area and interested in concert marketing, audio engineering, lighting design, backstage hospitality, talent buying, stagehands, front-of-house operations, multimedia design, festival operations, or fundraising for non-profit organizations? 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 1, 2024

APPLICANT INTERVIEWS: Feb / March

ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATIONS by April 1st

Course Timeline:

  • Phase 1: Intro Workshops (April / May)
    • Intro Workshop Series in person at The Crocodile
      • Tue. April 30  - Participant Orientation
      • Thu. May 2 - Intro to Concert Promotion
      • Tue. May 7 - Intro to Concert & Festival Marketing
      • Thu. May 9 - Intro to Education & Community Development
      • Sat. May 11 - Intro to Production, Audio & Lights
      • Tue. May 14 - Intro to Talent Buying
      • Thu. May 16 - Intro to Front of House Operations
      • Sat. May 18 - Intro to Festival Design & Logistics
      • Tue. May 21 - Intro to Festival Programming & Talent Buying
      • Thu. May 23 - Intro to Festival Concessions
      • Fri. May 24 - Phase I Completion Celebration

  • Phase 2: Shadow Shifts (May/June)

    • 30 required hours
    • 10 elective hours
    • Paid Internship assignment by end of June

  • Phase 3: Paid Internships Begin (July - September)

    • 8-14 hours per week

  • August 31 & Sept 1 - Bumbershoot Festival (Labor Day weekend) 

  • Phase 4: Paid Internships Continue  (September - November)

    • Venue internships (post festival)

    • Job readiness workshops, resume writing, financial independence, interview skills 

    • BWFD Presents Event Challenge (November)

    • Graduation (November)

    • Job placement outreach with Professional Partner Network

    • Evaluation / Impact reporting