Apply to Volunteer at Newfields
Interested volunteers must complete the volunteer application process. You are just three easy steps away from one of the most fun and rewarding volunteer opportunities in Indianapolis.
If you have any questions at any point in the process, please email our Volunteer Services Team at volunteer@discovernewfields.org.
- Complete the Volunteer Application.
- Once we have received and accepted your application, our Lead Volunteer Team will contact you via email to schedule a phone interview. The interview will be a discussion regarding an overview of a typical volunteer shift and some of the opportunities available. You will have the chance to ask a volunteer questions about their experience.
- Once you have completed the interview and it has been determined that the Newfields Volunteer Team is a good fit for you, Volunteer Services staff will reach out to coordinate a background screening and a virtual group orientation session with you.
Your training begins upon completion of Orientation. You will receive a welcome email with your first training assignments, access to our Newfields Volunteer Handbook, and instructions for signing up for your first shifts. During the first shifts all volunteers receive a volunteer shirt, badge, and a tour of the areas you will be working. Departmental volunteers require additional qualifications and training that will be provided as part of your journey.
Prospective volunteers must be 18 years of age.
Individual and group VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Opportunities for volunteering at Newfields are incredibly diverse, which means finding the perfect spot for your talents and interests is easy. Newfields has over 300 employees and more than 600 volunteers. Together we are revolutionizing the museum and garden experience for the 21st century and want you to be a part of it. Newfields has many different opportunities for short term, year-round, and group volunteerism. Volunteers are utilized throughout our 152-acres with tasks suiting a wide range of skills and interests. Many volunteers join us throughout the year to activate seasonal experiences such as Winterlights, Harvest, Spring Blooms, while others become regular friendly faces at Newfields.
Individual opportunities
Newfields offers year-round and seasonal volunteer opportunities in shifts that fit your schedule. With lots of different ways to help (both indoors and out) you will have the unmatched feeling that you are enriching the world around you. When you join us, you’ll have the option to begin in one of our three most impactful positions.
Information Guide
The Information Guide is a volunteer opportunity that assists our guests throughout the campus depending on the focus of the seasonal exhibition. Information Guides will interact with our guests to help ensure that they have an exceptional visit to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and The Garden at Newfields. If you enjoy helping people and working with the public, this is a perfect fit for you.
Garden Volunteer
Our Garden Volunteers are active March through October assisting our horticulture and park staff in their daily work throughout our 152-acre campus. The Garden Volunteer’s primary responsibility is to beautify and maintain the living collections through planting, pruning, weeding, and watering. We have weekday and weekend opportunities with a few more flexible activities like weekly filling of bird feeders. Surround yourself with nature as a Garden Volunteer at Newfields.
Ambassador
Ambassadors strive to provide exceptional experiences by creating a warm, positive environment for our guests. Through proactive interactions at various stations around the IMA Galleries and The Garden, Ambassadors inspire guests to explore more as they share all that Newfields has to offer. Our Ambassadors truly are an integral part of Newfields guest services experience.
Group opportunities
The best way to foster close, collaborative relationships is to participate in fun and meaningful activities together. Why not give back to the community — while enjoying a gorgeous location — during time spent at Newfields? Group volunteerism at Newfields is typically an outdoor experience with projects ranging from planting annuals to removing invasive species or helping with one of our annual events such as Harvest or Winterlights. Newfields has plenty of chances for groups to give back while promoting teamwork and celebrating a job well done.
How can my team make a difference?
Newfields is always looking for volunteers to bring our exciting programs to life for our guests. Your group could volunteer to get dirty and help plant flowers that will create vibrant, year-round color. One of our most critical projects is removing invasive plant species from the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park to restore the native landscape. This is physical work, and a vital part of the beautification and health of Newfields' ecosystem.
If you'd like to go behind the scenes of a big event, your team could help during Winterlights, when our campus is glowing with more than 1 million lights. Groups can create hand-crafted decor, stage beautiful displays, and even help guests during the evening hours. Whatever your interests, Newfields has a program for you and we can be flexible to meet your needs.
What do we have to do?
Contact our volunteer management team and tell us about your group. Volunteers should be prepared to dress for the outdoors and wear closed-toe shoes. We will provide all the tools and training and make sure your experience fits the goals of your group, whether it’s a big corporation, small organization, sports team, or even a family. If you have people who want to volunteer, we have an opening for you.