July 3, 2014

Moisture Festival Seeking Development Intern

Intern with the Moisture Festival, Seattle’s Comedy/Varietè Extravaganza

The Moisture Festival is a 501(c)(3) performing arts nonprofit with offices in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood.  For the last 11 years we’ve raised money and forged partnerships to put on a four-week festival in the spring, presenting comedy/varietè and burlesque performances, including benefits for charity, in numerous venues around Seattle.  In the spring of 2014, approximately 13,000 patrons delighted at all the weird, wonderful and sublime talents of the Moisture Festival’s aerialists, acrobats, clowns, comedians, puppeteers, jugglers, dancers, musicians and more.  We are currently the longest and largest festival of this kind in the world, presenting over 250 performers in more than 50 shows.

We are offering the right candidate the chance to learn what goes on behind the scenes of a performing arts nonprofit.  As a Moisture Festival Development intern, you’ll assist in the implementation of marketing and fundraising strategies, including work with social media, assist with contact database management and help prepare for our fall fundraising show and auction (October 24, 2014). All in all, you’ll acquire nonprofit management skills and gain insight into the operations of a mid-sized arts nonprofit.

The ideal candidate will be personable, have excellent written and verbal communication skills, have a strong working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite (esp. Word and Excel) and be able to commit to at least 8 hours per week in our Fremont office through the end of the 2015 festival (April 12, 2015).  This internship is unpaid in dollars, but you’ll be rewarded with fun, laughter, knowledge and getting to hang out with some very fun folks, especially during festival time.

Here are some examples of things that you might be asked to do:

  • Make calls to potential cash donors, sponsors and auction item donors.
  • Assist with mailings.
  • Data entry into Excel spreadsheets and our File Maker Pro Database.
  • Update Web content using Adobe Contribute and our proprietary admin tools.
  • Distribute marketing collateral to local businesses.
  • Assist the Director of Development with grant writing. 

These are the basic qualifications you should have.
  • A working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word and Excel).
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills—face to face, email and on the phone.
  • Filemaker Pro database experience a plus.
  • Adobe Design and Web Suite experience a plus.
  • Experience in the nonprofit arts sector a plus; desire to learn a must.
  • Sense of humor a must.


If you think you’re a good fit, please send your resume and brief cover letter telling us what you want to get out of this internship to jeremy@moisturefestival.org by 5 p.m. on July 15, 2014.