My first venture into this new world of arts and culture was not so much of a toe dipping exercise; rather it was a giant bellyflop into the unknown. Some friends of mine have become involved in the planning of an international choral festival in Dublin. It was over a gin and tonic that I remembered that I liked choirs. In fact I liked them so much that I sang in them from the age of 8-18. I sang in mass, in school concerts, at fundraisers and funerals but had almost completely forgotten about this much-loved part of my life. In my new proactive state I signed up to help them organise the festival and I am now the volunteer online community coordinator and helping out with volunteer coordination.
But what is this festival of which I speak? It is called Various Voices and it is being held in Dublin in 2014. 
It is a choral festival and LGBT choirs from all over the globe will be performing. It is being held from June 13th to 16th in DCU, which is being transformed for the event. The programme is packed with performances, workshops, events and even a céilí! I am really excited to be involved with the planning of the event and, as it is National Volunteer Week, it may be something that you would consider doing! If you would like to get involved, like me, you can sign up here or if you have something specific in mind you can take a look at available roles here.
So far this has been a great opportunity to get more involved in the arts in Dublin and to get to see the background planning that is required for these events. As for how it develops, keep an eye on the website and maybe I will see you there in 2014 or as a volunteer beforehand!
