PEN American Center

PEN American Center is currently seeking volunteers for the 2012 World Voices Festival of International Literature, which will be held Monday, April 30 to Sunday, May 6.

This eighth annual celebration of the power of the written word will challenge audiences to engage with literature in creative and unexpected ways. In addition to panels, lectures, readings, and one-on-one conversations with such literary luminaries as Martin Amis, Jennifer Egan, Aleksandar Hemon, Herta Müller, Luc Sante, Marjane Satrapi, and Ludmila Ulitskaya, among others, the Festival will feature unique collaborations with organizations like the Kronos Quartet, the Elevator Repair Service, and Processional Arts Workshop.

Audiences will hear writings from members of the Domestic Workers' Trade Union, receive texts distributed on the High Line by literary puppets, meet a 94-year-old-French anarchist and hear his thoughts on the Occupy movement, learn about the legacy of the Black Panthers, consider photography as language in the work of Diane Arbus, participate in an experimental John Cage-soundscape, hear A Clockwork Orange...as opera, think about how do you-really-translate f**k?, plus many other innovative and thought-provoking events that show how transformative words on a page can be. (See the complete schedule here.)

Join the more than 100 passionate readers and writers who help make the Festival possible. If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, please write to the PEN Festival Volunteer Coordinator, Jasmine Davey at jasmine@pen.org for more details.

Volunteering at the Festival is a chance to meet and work with like-minded people, learn how world-class public programs are put together, and show your support for PEN's mission and demonstrate that freedom of expression is the foundation for engaged citizens of the world-and the essence of brave and great art.

Deadline for responses: April 20, 2012