Help with Setup and Closedown

Our volunteers work before and after Showcase, helping with the Preparation and Closedown.

Find out what’s involved below.

To book your sessions, select a time when you can help and add it to your basket. Repeat this for all the sessions you would like to do. Once you have added all your sessions, move to the checkout page. Add your contact details, then click the “Place Order” button. Don’t worry, there is nothing to pay, this just allows us to capture your details. You’ll receive an email confirming what sessions you have booked.

We also need stewards during Showcase – sign up here

Thank you for your help – we couldn’t run Showcase without you.

Volunteer Shift

Choose your volunteer shifts(s)

We need plenty of help before and after Showcase, with a variety of roles available. Take a look below at what is available and sign up for as many shifts as you wish.

Showcase needs your help.

Our amazing event comes together thanks to the efforts of our brilliant volunteers who spend some time in the days before we open for visitors making sure everything is as good as it can possibly be. Find out more about how you can help on the Showcase Preparation tab.

What goes up must come down. When we close the doors at the end of Showcase, everything has to be taken down, work returned and all our equipment packed away carefully. There’s more about this on the Showcase Closedown tab.

There’s no heavy lifting involved. All the tables and staging is moved into position by the school site team before we arrive. Our equipment is delivered to the school by Mews Moves, our removals team, who move all the boxes into position and put up the display stands.

You’ll be working as part of a team; you’re never left by yourself without support.

If you have any other questions, please contact the volunteer and steward coordinator on chiefsteward@dorsetartsandcrafts.org

DACA Banner hanging outside of Showcase Entrance

Showcase Preparation

There’s a lot involved in transforming a busy school into a vibrant exhibition. If you have a few hours (or more) to spare, please do sign up to help. This is what happens each day.

Thu 23rd / Fri 24th July
These are the table covering days. Classroom tables, staging and other school furniture are covered with cloths to provide a coordinated look in each room.

Sun 26th / Mon 27th July
Work is handed in over these two days. Help is needed to take in the work and move it into the appropriate room. On Monday afternoon, the work to be judged is arranged ready for judging.

Tue 28th July
It’s judging day. Each of our judges is allocated a steward, who ensure that everything is judged and that the essential paperwork is completed accurately.
We also start displaying work in the Sales Gallery today.

Wed 29th / Thu 30th July
We’re nearly there. Over these two days we stage the displays and add the final touches so that Showcase is ready to welcome visitors.

We split the day into two sessions: Morning (9:30am – 1pm) and Afternoon (1:30pm – 4pm). If you want to help for the whole day, please select both time periods when booking your shifts.

Showcase Closedown

We always need plenty of help at the end of Showcase, to take down work, hand it back to entrants and pack everything away ready for another year.

Tue 4th Aug 4pm – 6pm
Take down work and organise it ready for collection

Wed 5th Aug 9am-10:30am, 10:30am-1pm, 1:30pm-4pm
Work is collected today. You will be part of a team responsible for ensuring that work is returned to entrants

Thu 6th Aug 9:30 – 1pm, 1:30pm – 4pm
Today we pack away all our equipment, including display props, notices, table coverings, ready for it to be returned to storage.

The shifts for Showcase Preparation start at 9:30pm and at 1:30pm. It is helpful if you can arrive at that time for the team briefings.

If you are available for a full day, please book all the shifts for that day and we will make sure you have breaks during the day.

There will be hot and cold drinks, as well as a plentiful supply of biscuits, available every day. If you are helping on judging day, lunch will be provided.

We take health and safety seriously. We provide trolleys for moving exhibits, equipment and props and we will ask you to make use of them. We recommend that you wear comfortable closed-toe shoes. If you have helped before, you will know how far it can seem from one end of the school to the other!

Volunteers are covered by DACA’s Insurance. You can read details of DACA’s insurance cover here.

If you have any questions, or need to give us more information, please contact the steward coordinator on chiefsteward@dorsetartsandcrafts.org

Selection of beautiful art for sale at Showcase 2025

Book your shifts

Consider becoming

a DACA member

Members tell us they value lots of things – the inspiration, the opportunities, the sense of community – but here are some of the highlights:

Free entry to Showcase – visit as often as you like throughout the event.
Discounted entry fees for submitting work to the Showcase competitions.
Sell your work in the Showcase Sales Gallery.
The opportunity to apply for a craft stall at Showcase
Exclusive access to the Members’ Design Challenge – an annual creative project designed to spark original thinking.

Discounts from selected local suppliers.
Free listing for your art or craft business on the DACA website.
Regular newsletters – packed with news, inspiration, and opportunities.
Have your say – full members can vote at our General Meetings.

Become a DACA Member

Help with Setup and Closedown

Choose your volunteer shifts(s)

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