SideBurn is a regional Burning Man event held each May long weekend in Stone Mills, Ontario, on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Mississaugas, and Huron-Wendat peoples. Rooted in radical inclusion, communal effort, and “leave no trace,” it brings together over 1,000 people to celebrate creativity, collaboration, and community.
Run entirely by volunteers, SideBurn thrives on the DIY spirit and communal effort. From theme camps and interactive art to skill-sharing and collective care, everyone is invited to show up, contribute, and be part of something larger than themselves.
Details
We are looking for a creative and organized volunteer Content Writer to join our communications team. In this role, you will help craft our monthly newsletter, support website copy, and work closely with our translation team to ensure content reaches all of our audiences on time. Your words will be at the heart of how we connect with SideBurn’s participants.
Key Responsibilities
- Write and edit the monthly newsletter, ensuring content is engaging, on-brand, and delivered on time.
- Supporting the event’s overall voice and tone so communications feel warm, inclusive, and Burner-adjacent.
- Gather updates, stories, and information from across the organization to include in each newsletter edition.
- Helping tell the community’s stories by highlighting camps, art, volunteers, and participants’ experiences.
- Build and send the newsletter using Mailchimp, including formatting, layout, and scheduling.
- Collaborate with the Web Manager to review and refresh website copy, ensuring it is clear, accessible, and up to date.
- Suggest and implement wording improvements across web pages to enhance the user experience.
- Proofread new and existing web content before it goes live.
- Work closely with the translation team to ensure all content requiring translation is submitted with sufficient notice ahead of publication.
- Maintain a clear content calendar to help the translation team plan their workload effectively.
- Communicate upcoming deadlines and any content changes clearly and in good time.
- Support the wider Communications Team with writing and editing tasks as needed.
Skills & Experience Required
- Strong written English with the ability to adapt tone and style for different audiences and formats.
- Experience building, formatting, and sending email campaigns using Mailchimp.
- Comfortable writing clear, concise web copy with an understanding of plain language principles.
- Able to manage a content calendar, meet deadlines, and keep the translation team well-informed ahead of publication.
- A team player who communicates clearly and works well with the Web Manager, translation team, and wider comms team.
- Confident, clear communicator — comfortable keeping the Comms Team updated on progress and flagging any issues early.
- Reliable, self-motivated, and able to manage your own time and tasks.
- Attention to detail and pride in producing polished, well-proofread content.
- A positive attitude and willingness to collaborate with a small, friendly team.
Deadline to apply
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Time Commitment
Flexible, approx. 3–5 hours per week. The tech team meets weekly from September through December, but ongoing maintenance requires significantly less time during the production season (January–May). Eligible for a directed ticket.
How to Apply
To apply for this role, fill out the application form below. Questions? Contact us.
