The volunteer programme of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 continues to grow - and has now reached a milestone: 1000 people are already volunteering for the Capital of Culture year. As ambassadors of Chemnitz 2025, they welcome guests, help at events and provide support behind the scenes.
Since the start of the 2023 programme, the volunteers have already completed over 13,000 hours of work in over 3,000 assignments - from set-up work to information stands and admission services. The average age of volunteers is 43, four years below the average age of the Chemnitz city population. 66% of volunteers are women, 31% are men and 3% are of other genders. The majority of volunteers come from Chemnitz itself (approx. 80%), with a further 9% coming from the Capital of Culture region. Around 3% of volunteers travel from Leipzig and Dresden, while the remaining 8% come from other parts of Germany - such as Berlin, Cologne, Bonn and Munich - and even from European cities such as Vienna, Zurich and Timișoara.
Dirk Zinner, head of the volunteer programme, is delighted: "The commitment of the volunteers is truly incredible. We are very grateful for that. Everyone pulls together and has fun. In terms of age, profession, education, background and interests, our volunteers are as diverse as Chemnitz's urban society. And that means they are prepared for almost any situation. The summer of events can come."
Some volunteers report on their assignments and experiences in the volunteer editorial team. In their articles, they provide a glimpse behind the scenes: they talk about encounters during their assignment at the Chemnitz Christmas Market, how they learn English in language tandems for Chemnitz 2025 or about their experiences in the first few days after the opening. The contributions are published on chemnitz2025.de.
From April, a group of Chemnitz 2025 volunteers will be offering free walking tours to provide guests with very personal and individual insights into their Capital of Culture.
Anyone who would like to get involved in the volunteer programme can still take part. We are particularly looking for people from the Capital of Culture region who would like to help shape Chemnitz 2025 and provide guests with advice and support: all information on registration and the various volunteering opportunities.
