June 2, 2025 | By AATA Conference Arts Chair Alicia Seymour, MA, ATR, NCC
Attending this conference is more than just about the learning opportunities, although there are more than 190 sessions to choose from included in your registration. What always makes this conference so special are the people: We come together as a community, connect with others from around the globe—and inspire one another!
At the heart of the conference is the Open Art Studio. It’s literally where people come to process what they’re learning, make new friends, or just create! It’s a special place—and as the Conference Arts Chair, I want to make sure that it’s both welcoming and well-stocked. And that’s why I’m asking for the help of AATA’s student members.
We are looking for energetic individuals who are attending the conference and willing to donate time to set-up, break-down, or help manage the Open Art Studio. During your volunteer time, some of the responsibilities may be the following:
- Creating a welcoming environment in the Open Art Studio
- Assessing the condition of the studio
- Straightening up and cleaning up (Clean brushes, replace water buckets if necessary, etc.)
- Arranging supplies in a neat and orderly manner
- Checking and replenishing supplies from storage under the tables
- Assisting any conference attendees while in the studio
Additional Volunteer Opportunities
If you aren’t able to make one of the volunteer opportunities work for your schedule, or if you’re interested in a different volunteer experience, we have added additional volunteer opportunities for AATA2025!
Join us at the Registration Desk
This volunteer opportunity is perfect for students with busy schedules who prefer early morning commitments, allowing them to get all the networking benefits of volunteering and still have the rest of the day free! The registration area is the first stop for every conference attendee and plays a key role in setting a welcoming tone for the event. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
Greeting attendees and creating a warm, welcoming environment
Handing out badges and bags
Keeping attendee bags and other materials organized
Helping maintain an orderly and professional registration area
Help Us Keep Our Workshop Rooms Clean
This volunteer opportunity is especially well-suited for more introverted students or those looking for a lower-pressure way to get involved with a smaller time commitment per shift. Students will work independently in one or more of our workshop rooms to:
Assess the condition of the workshop rooms
Straighten up and clean up (clean brushes, replace water buckets if necessary, etc.)
Arrange supplies in a neat and orderly manner
Check and replenish supplies
Sign up in 4 Easy Steps!
Signing up is easy! Simply select the time slots you’te interested in when registering for conference, or if you’re already registered, follow the steps below.
First, log in to your MyAATA profile. Once inside, click on the “Purchases” tab. Within the tab, click on the blue “View” button for your AATA2025 conference registration.
Within your AATA2025 purchase, click the blue “View” button, then click the blue “Add Session” button.
Use the search bar to type the keyword “volunteer”, then click the green “Search for Sessions” button. Scroll to view available sessions and click the green “Select” button to add the volunteer slot to your cart. Once selected, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the green “Next” button.
On the checkout page, click the green “Submit” button.
If you have questions about volunteering at the Open Art Studio, please contact the AATA national team at conference@arttherapy.org.