Volunteer Spotlight: Holmer and the Poster Gallery

Holmer started volunteering with Ottawa Bluesfest in 2013 as a way to check off a long-time bucket list item of volunteering at Bluesfest. As a retired executive for the federal government, he wanted to do something different. He loves music and sports, so volunteering at Bluesfest was an opportunity to do something related to music.

Holmer first volunteered with the Backstage team, and stayed with them for 1 year. After Bluesfest 2013, he approached festival staff and asked if there was anything he could do for them during the winter. They let him know that there were 8 boxes of commemorative posters sitting in the basement of the office that needed to be inventoried. Holmer and fellow volunteer Lori were eventually behind the complete inventory of every poster that had ever been signed at Ottawa Bluesfest. After they had finished, they were asked if they would be co-leaders of the new Poster Gallery Area. The idea was exciting, as Holmer loves music and is a bit of a collector himself, but the main reason he jumped all over the Poster Gallery opportunity was because the money was going to go to Blues in the Schools. Poster Gallery started off with raising $7500 from posters alone at their first festival. They have since expanded to include Best Seats in the House and are now making $30,000 to $35,000 a festival, with all of the money going to Blues in the Schools.

Holmer’s work as Poster Gallery Area Leader extends far beyond the festival for Holmer. During the festival, posters are needed on-site, but it is not possible to bring the complete inventory. Holmer instituted a service where patrons can request a poster that they want to see and every day Holmer will go to storage and get the poster and have it on site for the patron the next day. He also has a list on-site that patrons can use to write down requests for posters that they would really like the opportunity to purchase. He will then connect with the Artist Memorabilia team to try and have certain things signed. Even after the festival has ended, Holmer works to get patrons their posters all year round. In the off season, he will go to storage to pick up posters and arrange to have people look at the ones they are interested in. He will deliver them to the Ottawa Bluesfest office, either arranging to be there and show them to patrons himself, or by coordinating with Bluesfest staff. 

Since 2013 Holmer has been trying to help the Bluesfest organization in a volunteer capacity. Every year he keeps putting his hand up for opportunities. In 2023, Volunteer Services Manager, Keanna Louis-Charles came up with the idea of a Volunteer Advisory Team to use the experience and knowledge of long-standing or former Area Leaders to support and advise the Volunteer Services Team throughout the year. Holmer put his hand up for this as well, seeing it as a way to contribute more to the festival. The Volunteer Advisory Team offers a different perspective to the Volunteer Services Team, that could only come from an Area Leader.

When asked about his favourite memories from previous festivals, Holmer says that no particular moment stands out, but the big highlight for him every year is the enthusiasm of Poster Gallery team members who are just as committed as he is to raising funds for Blues in the Schools. Holmer says that the one event he is fortunate enough to be in attendance for each year is the dinner with the Blues in the Schools musicians. He really looks forward to meeting the musicians who work in the schools, and hearing their stories and the interactions that they have with the kids. “It is a fantastic program and the musicians really give it their all”, says Holmer. It is rewarding to have these conversations with them because they are just as committed to the program as his team, but on the other end.