Program Overview:

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts invites you to be part of something truly special this summer! Summer for the City is our annual festival that transforms our campus into a vibrant gathering space filled with music, dance, art, and cultural celebration. We are currently looking for 35 volunteers to play a vital role in ensuring that all guests feel welcomed, valued, and inspired throughout the season.

Why Volunteer?

Summer for the City is built around the idea of community, bringing people together through shared experiences. As a volunteer, you’ll be an essential part of that mission, helping create an inclusive and inviting atmospheres for all who visit. Whether you’re passionate about the arts, looking to engage with your community, or eager to develop new skills, this is an incredible opportunity to contribute to one of New York City's most dynamic cultural events.

What You’ll Do:

• Volunteers serve as the first point of contact for our guests, helping to create the warm and welcoming environment that Lincoln Center is known for. Responsibilities include:
  • Greet guests in a warm and friendly manner at a variety of indoor and outdoor Summer for the City events.
  • Provide a welcoming, reliable, and informed presence about Lincoln Center programming.
  • Assist with general line wayfinding and information, including providing information on campus accessibility initiatives.
  • Share information on Lincoln Center facilities and events across campus.
  • Communicate with Guest Experience, Programming, Security, Campus Relations, and Event Services staff.

What You’ll Gain:

• First-hand experience in event operations and guest engagement
• Networking opportunities with fellow volunteers and Lincoln Center staff
• A behind-the-scenes look at one of New York City's most exciting summer events

 You'll be a fit if you bring:

• Fun, friendly, outgoing, and enthusiastic to connect and share information with our guests and excellent interpersonal and communication skills 
• Open to supporting any performance, indoors or outdoors (the show goes on rain or shine—expect some very warm shifts outdoors!) 
• Skilled in teamwork and collaborating with many different groups of people while always putting our guests first 
• Multilingual a plus for communicating with our guests 
• Enthusiasm for the arts, Lincoln Center’s programming, and cultural organizations throughout New York City and beyond 
• Comfortability with technology included but not limited to email communication and using an online scheduling platform 

Volunteer Orientation and Training:

Before you start, we will have you attend the following (mandatory*) training sessions: 

Volunteer Shift Requirements:  

Volunteers will be provided with a tentative calendar of events for the entire summer at the time of the interview 

Scheduling 

• Volunteers will be asked to sign up for the events they wish to volunteer for every other week for the next two weeks via an online platform 
• Shifts are first come, first serve, with a two shift a week maximum at the start of each cycle (volunteers often are welcome to pick up additional shifts in a week as space allows) 

Shift Details 

• Most shifts are 4-5 hours long, beginning an hour or an hour and a half before event start time and ending just after most guests have exited at the end of the performance space 
  • You’ll often be able to watch the performances while still being available to answer guests' questions! 
  • There is no guarantee volunteers will be assigned the requested shifts; however, adjustments may be made to accommodate the wishes of the volunteers where possible and/or the program. 
  • Shifts mainly take place outdoors, so please consider the ever-changing New York City summer weather! 

Attendance Requirement 

• To create a consistent guest experience, volunteers will be required to pick up at least 4 shifts in June, 6 shifts in July and 2 shifts in August 

How to Apply:

Please complete this application through the apply button at the top of this page. Guest Experience will be reviewing applications and resumes to bring a group of prospective volunteers in for in-person interviews. If you were a Lincoln Center Volunteer prior to 2025, please note this in your application. We look forward to seeing many familiar faces and meeting new prospective volunteers!

For more information, please email our Guest Experience team at volunteer@lincolncenter.org.

What is Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts? 

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. (LCPA) is a cultural and civic cornerstone of New York City. We believe the arts play an important role in our lives: they nourish our hearts and minds, teach us valuable lessons and critical skills, and help us create community.

We are:  

1. The manager of the 16-acre Lincoln Center campus

-We are one of eleven amazing resident arts organizations

2. A leading Arts Presenter.   

-We curate numerous programs and performances, showcasing music, dance, and more

3. An Education Hub.   

-We have reached 20 million students, educators, principals, and community members   

Who are our people?  

LCPA is a team of dreamers, collaborators, and entrepreneurs who use unique platforms in the heart of New York City and beyond to advocate for the transformative impact of artistic experiences.

Lincoln Center People imagine and create in concert with this mission by founding President John D. Rockefeller III - "The arts are not for the privileged few, but for the many. Their place is not on the periphery of daily life, but at its center."   

We welcome applicants from all sectors who agilely solve problems, show up as they are, and can't stop innovating.

What’s the news? 

Recent and Upcoming Programming

• Sensory-Friendly 'Big Umbrella Festival' Returns To Lincoln Center
• Tony Winner Shaina Taub to Perform at Lincoln Center in American Songbook
• De La Soul playing "choose-what-you-pay" show at Lincoln Center
• Lincoln Center to Present Groundbreaking Acts at globalFEST 2025

Campus Happenings

• Lincoln Center Taps Education Leader as Next President
• Clint Ramos Named as Lincoln Center’s Artist-in-Residence
• The ‘Converse Conductor’ Fighting Elitism in Classical Music
• For Lincoln Center’s West Side, A New Story

Legacies of San Juan Hill

• Before Lincoln Center, San Juan Hill Was a Vibrant Black Community
• Lincoln Center Launches San Juan Hill Project Digital Hub To Remember the Lost Urban Neighborhood
• Lincoln Center lanza plataforma para rescatar la cultura de un barrio negro
• ‘San Juan Hill: Manhattan’s Lost Neighborhood’ Premiering at Lincoln Center

Who is our President and CEO?  

Dr. Mariko Silver

Join us! 

It is the policy of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc., to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, marital or civil partnership/union status, familial or caregiver status, alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, military or veteran status, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, unemployment status, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. LCPA is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values equal opportunity, respect and integrity, customer focus, and innovation.

If you require reasonable accommodation in locating open positions, completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to Abigail Worsnip at (212) 875–5324.