On 5 December, we are celebrating International Volunteer Day. We pay tribute to all the volunteers who help make AB a warm place.
Our colleague Ruth has been managing this group of around 200 volunteers since last year. We deploy our volunteers behind the bar, as hosts at events, scanning tickets and at our summer festivals. ‘The result of our new operation is a fantastic team. A team that walks through our doors with a great big smile and enthusiasm every single time. Whenever there’s a last-minute request, there’s always someone else ready within five minutes. I’m speaking for myself but also for the whole AB team when I say that we are incredibly proud.’ (Ruth)
Their boundless effort was rewarded last week with a large volunteers’ party. Three of our volunteers, Laëtitia, Marko and Thibault, would like to share their experiences with you.
Laëtitia
'Let's create some new magical moments in AB and reunite around some good music.'
Hello, I'm Laëtitia, I'm 27, I'm French, I arrived in Belgium six years ago for studying photography.
What was your motivation to become a volunteer at AB?
My motivation was to be part of music events as a passionate of music and artist. It also a way for me to learn about the functioning in a venue and see what happends behind every show. Being part of this incredible venue is a great way also to meet new people and learn from new experiences.
What do you like about being a volunteer?
I like having the opportunity of being active in a mythical venue and bring some good energies to the people passing by. And meeting new people with the diversity among the volunteers, is very enriching.
How do you combine it with your daily life?
For me I'm very flexible with my work, so it's not a problem to be present often. Every time I come at AB it's like being reuniting with a kind of family. It's always a pleasure to see the time.
Marko
'In 2020 and 2021, all of us felt how hard it was to stay at home, not being able to go out and have fun. For the artists, and cultural institutions of our city, it was much worse. There are so many ways to support the cultural scene of your city! Have a lot of fun!!!'
My name is Marko. I am Croatian citizen living and working in Belgium. My background is environmental engineering, and I work for the EU citizens as a project officer in one of the EU institutions.
What was your motivation to become a volunteer at AB?
Art, and music in particular, are quite important for the quality of (my) life in Brussels. In the last seven years, concert venues are places where I spend a lot of my free time as I am dedicated concertgoer since my teenage years. My favourite concert venue AB needed volunteers, and voilà, without too much thinking, here I am 😊
What do you like about being a volunteer?
I like the feeling of being useful. Also, here is the pleasure of working in a team of so many different individuals that I would not have an opportunity to meet in my daily life. Being a foreigner, in a foreign country, but not feeling like one, is the true beauty of Brussels. I am so happy that AB cherishes this diversity in so many ways.
How do you combine it with your daily life?
My volunteering work is just few times per month, mostly in the evenings, so I manage to easily combine it with my regular job, and family life.
Thibault
'AB is a concert venue with a unique identity and an incredibly strong programme, which is less straightforward than you might think. Cherish this and allow yourself to be tempted to a concert by an artist you don’t know. You’re guaranteed to have a great evening and gain lots of new musical inspiration!'
My name is Thibault and I moved to Brussels from Ghent two years ago. In my day-to-day life I work as a Chemistry assistant at the VUB, researching ways to make medicines healthier and ensure that they are effective for longer.
What was your motivation for becoming a volunteer at AB?
I already had experience volunteering at festivals in Ghent and I felt a strong urge to start serving drinks in Brussels too. Furthermore, it has given me the opportunity to get to know new people and discover a whole lot of new music; it’s a real win-win-win.
What do you like about being a volunteer?
The spontaneous, cheerful chats with concertgoers, every time again and regardless of the audience, always give me new energy. Not to mention the connection with the other volunteers, all of whom are people with great passion and enthusiasm who are happy to give up a little of their free time to serve beer (and wash glasses)!
How do you combine it with your daily life?
When I’m scheduled for a shift I often work later, which my boss doesn’t mind at all, of course! On those nights, I hang up my lab coat and put on my AB shirt almost immediately. I usually wake up the next morning with bleary eyes but also a feeling of satisfaction.
