Happily guiding others through city’s art world

Volunteers
By: AV Kitching Posted: 6:00 AM CDT Monday, Sep. 21, 2026

The last Saturday in September is fast approaching and Ed Benjamin, 69, is gearing up for his regular volunteer stint at Nuit Blanche.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

The last Saturday in September is fast approaching and Ed Benjamin, 69, is gearing up for his regular volunteer stint at Nuit Blanche.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

The last Saturday in September is fast approaching and Ed Benjamin, 69, is gearing up for his regular volunteer stint at Nuit Blanche.

While he hasn’t grabbed this year’s T-shirt yet — he’ll only be able to pick it up during Friday’s orientation — he’s more than prepared for his 5:30-9:30 p.m. shift on Sept. 26.

This will be Benjamin’s sixth year volunteering at the annual contemporary art festival, now in its 16^th year.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS
Edward Benjamin, a longtime volunteer for Nuit Blanche, says his goal is to maximize the experience of those who attend the annual contemporary art festival in Winnipeg. — RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS

Edward Benjamin, a longtime volunteer for Nuit Blanche, says his goal is to maximize the experience of those who attend the annual contemporary art festival in Winnipeg.

“I think it’s the best night of the year in Winnipeg, just a fantastic night. And having done it once, I just want to keep going back. It’s very intense but it’s not a significant commitment, it’s just one night, so it’s easy to commit to it,” he says.

Dressed in his official Nuit Blanche T-shirt, Benjamin not only answers questions and shows visitors how to access the event app, he also is happy to approach people and strike up conversation, asking them about their plans for the night.

Based on their answers — he gets a huge variety of responses — he’ll suggest different installations for them to see. Some visitors know exactly where they’re headed. They’ve come prepared, either with a map already downloaded or a paper map in hand, and their route plotted out — they don’t need anything from him.

“In that case I just say have a great evening. But for some it’s their first time and I tell them where else they might want to go after they’ve visited my site. We might talk about the installations in the Exchange District or The Forks, or St. Boniface,” he shares.

Volunteer opportunities

The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to wfp.to/volunteers or call 204-477-5180.

Help Bring the YMCA-YWCA Fall Festival to Life – Kids’ Entertainment Volunteers Needed! The YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg is hosting a Fall Festival on Oct. 30 at its downtown branch, and we’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help create a fun and memorable experience for children ages six to 12. They are looking for volunteers with fun talents or skills, including face painting, magic, balloon art, music, dancing, games, performances, or other children’s entertainment. If you have a fun idea or talent to share, they would love to hear from you. Apply by email: roc@ymanitoba.ca. Deadline is Oct. 15.

Leftovers Foundation is a food rescue charity with a dual mission of reducing food waste and increasing access to food for those facing barriers. Community members can participate by signing up through their website or mobile app and become a donor (grower) or volunteer to complete routes. Growers with excess produce can submit a request any time and volunteers can harvest and deliver the produce to local service agencies as well as keep a portion for themselves! Home Harvest is a meaningful way to get active and join a community mission. Sign up as a group or as an individual. Apply online: rescuefood.ca/volunteer. Deadline is Sept. 30.

Theatre Projects Manitoba is seeking passionate, self-motivated board members from diverse backgrounds, especially those with experience in finance, governance, marketing, leadership, or stakeholder engagement. Ideally, the volunteer will support TPM’s vision, advocate for theatre and the performing arts, contribute to committees, and attend shows and events. Board meetings are held every one to two months, with additional committee meetings as needed. Apply by email with a resume: board@theatreprojectsmanitoba.ca. Deadline is Oct. 1.

Bravestone Centre Special Events Committee requires community volunteers to help recommend, plan and implements activities and events with the goal of raising the profile of Manitoba’s longest operating and largest second stage facility for women and children who are transitioning from violent intimate relationships. In addition to hosting special events the committee contributes to raising funds that benefit the families of Bravestone Centre. Volunteers should be creative, organized, collaborative, and confident communicating with donors, sponsors, and the public. Experience in nonprofit events is an asset but not required. Meetings are typically held once a month on weekday evenings, with additional flexible time needed as events approach. Apply by email: arunahall@shaw.ca. Deadline is Dec. 31.

Willow Place Inc. is seeking cultural support volunteers to lead regular, informal activities such as crafts and games for women, children, and families in its violence prevention shelter. Volunteers should be friendly, patient, respectful, reliable, adaptable, and comfortable working in a trauma-informed environment. All cultures are welcome, with preference for Indigenous cultural programming and knowledge of Manitoba Indigenous languages. The opportunity is based in Winnipeg’s St. James-Assiniboia area and requires a minimum commitment of two hours per week for one year, along with required background checks. Apply online: http://wfp.to/iRA. Deadline is Oct. 15.

Boo at the Zoo is BACK! BATZ runs from Oct. 2-31 at Assiniboine Park Zoo. The event relies on volunteers to help visitors enjoy an extraordinary experience at Boo at the Zoo. Must be 18 years of age or older. Go online at http://wfp.to/iR1 for more information and application. Deadline is Oct. 18.

Are you passionate about fitness? Com-Span Inc. needs volunteers to either lead or support activities such as stretching, chair exercises, aerobics, walking, and dancing. The focus will be on adapting movements to accommodate each individual’s physical and cognitive abilities while promoting an inclusive environment. Volunteers will work with staff to tailor activities to individual needs. The hours are very flexible. Daytime availability is appreciated. Apply by email: admin@comspan.org. Deadline is Sept. 30.

Culture Days Manitoba is looking for volunteers for Nuit Blanche, working with attendees, artists and arts organizations during the evening celebration of art. One Saturday night each fall (Sat., Sept. 26) thousands of art enthusiasts, cultural animators and citizens of Winnipeg gather downtown to celebrate and explore contemporary art. You must be free on this day in the evening after 5:30 p.m. Event runs until midnight. Shifts will only be four hours. Learn more at: http://wfp.to/iRs, apply at http://wfp.to/iRK. Deadline is Sept. 20.

The Canadian Red Cross needs volunteers. The Red Cross can show you how to help when disaster strikes. Apply at wfp.to/0pE, volunteer@redcross.ca or 1-844-818-2155.

There are visitors who want to party as well as check out installations — they are pointed in the direction of livelier venues, which have bars and play music, although he does recommend places for them to stop along the way to check out the art.

He’s handing out “little titbits of information.”

“My goal is to maximize their Nuit Blanche experience,” he says.

“You get a feel for where people are at after a bit, where their interests lie,” he says, sharing how in the past he’s directed classical music lovers to a site where musicians from the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra played and showed younger visitors how to get to interactive installations, where they can make their own art.

He takes the initiative to do his own research before the event. Volunteers are not required to have information about every single installation — that would be impossible, as there are more than 100 dotted throughout the city, he points out.

“There’s just a lot of details and the volunteers can’t be on top of all of that. You need to be able to get people onto the app and to manage your particular site, taking visitors who have questions about the art over to the artist who is right there and make sure things are working for the artist,” he explains.

Benjamin’s decision to volunteer with arts and culture organizations — he also helps out with Shakespeare in the Ruins — stems from his pre-retirement career in international human rights, which involved dealing with “difficult, ugly situations.”

“You’re trying to make the world a little less ugly … but there’s another way to improve the balance and that other way of doing it is to add some beauty. I find it to be a more upbeat way of looking at the world,” he shares.

Volunteering at Nuit Blanche means Benjamin doesn’t get the opportunity to view artworks in the same way he did before he started helping out but it’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make.

“There is a trade-off and there’s two ways of looking at that. One is that I’m happy to do it. I enjoy the experience. The second part is that I can do things after my shift, just usually casually wandering around and taking in the vibe of downtown Winnipeg thrumming with people, sidewalks that are crowded and just a very engaged, very positive vibe in the air… I just love that,” he says.

If you know a special volunteer, please contact AV.Kitching@freepress.mb.ca

AV Kitching
Reporter

AV Kitching is an arts and life writer at the Free Press. She has been a journalist for more than two decades and has worked across three continents writing about people, travel, food, and fashion. Read more about AV.

Every piece of reporting AV produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

AV Kitching
Reporter