The Sundance Institute is holding a series of Zoom information sessions in August and September ahead of the application opening for the 2027 festival, the first to be held in Colorado.
Volunteer applications for the 2027 Sundance Film Festival open Monday, Aug. 31, the Sundance Institute has announced. The festival runs Jan. 21-31, 2027, in Boulder — its first edition in Colorado after four decades in Park City, Utah.
Ahead of the application opening, the institute is hosting a series of optional information sessions over Zoom covering the basics of the festival, the volunteer program and how to get involved. Each session covers the same material, so attendees need only pick one. Remaining dates are Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 1 to 2 p.m. MT; Thursday, Aug. 13, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. MT; and Wednesdays, Sept. 2, Sept. 9 and Sept. 16, each from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. MT. RSVPs are handled through a form linked on the institute’s volunteer page, and Zoom links are sent the Monday before each session.
Those who want to be notified when the application goes live can fill out an interest form on the same page.
Volunteer types and commitment levels
The institute offers two volunteer types — assigned schedules and sign-up schedules — with four commitment levels between them.
On the assigned side, Full Festival volunteers can expect nine to 11 or more shifts and should plan for availability from Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027, through Monday, Feb. 1, 2027. Half Festival volunteers typically work six to eight consecutive daily shifts, most often over the first week, though the time frame may be split across the run. Both receive predetermined schedules based on venue and department needs, distributed between mid-December and early January.
On the sign-up side, volunteers review the posted schedule for their assigned team and select shifts that fit their availability, with sign-up days taking place in December. Sign Up volunteers must complete four shifts or 24 hours of service, whichever comes first. Student volunteers, who may be asked to verify active enrollment, commit to three shifts or 18 hours. Both can pick up additional shifts to earn further benefits.
A full rundown of departments, roles and areas where volunteers are placed is available in the institute’s 2027 Festival Volunteer Catalog, linked from the volunteer page. Applicants are asked to note their preferences on the application.
Benefits
Volunteer benefits include free screening tickets earned through the volunteer and staff line or the public waitlist, with amounts varying by commitment level; access to volunteer-only screenings and the annual Volunteer Appreciation Party; Grub Stub meal vouchers redeemable at participating restaurants citywide, also scaled to commitment level; and an official festival gear pack distributed at check-in, historically including a volunteer jacket.
Deadlines and placement
There is no fixed application deadline, though the institute says applications typically close in December depending on volume and placement progress. Several interim deadlines apply: Sept. 18, 2026, for anyone seeking a management or leadership role; Oct. 2, 2026, for returning volunteers seeking priority for a previously held position; and Dec. 13, 2026, after which canceling a confirmed placement may affect future standing.
Placement begins in September and October, with final decisions made by the beginning of January at the latest. Applicants who are not selected can expect email updates starting in December. Confirmed volunteers complete onboarding paperwork and role-specific training, some of it online, in the weeks before the festival.
Lodging
Volunteers traveling in are expected to arrange lodging before the festival, and those who have already secured it at the time of applying are prioritized for placement. The institute maintains a lodging search site for volunteers and attendees. Festival-provided lodging is available to a limited number of volunteers, generally those in Full Festival or specialized Half Festival roles with assigned schedules. Sign Up volunteers are not eligible, and neither are volunteers who live locally — a category the institute defines as including Boulder, Denver and surrounding Colorado communities.
Labs volunteering
Separately, the institute recruits volunteer crew for its Directors Lab, which is held at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park and requires volunteers to live on site for roughly three weeks in June. Those applications are closed for this year; the institute says it typically opens the process in the spring, after festival season concludes.
Questions about either program can be directed to volunteers@sundance.org or the Volunteer Resources team at 435-776-7870, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT.