Volunteer uploads — getting started

Welcome, and thank you for helping keep the Cape Ann Symphony's website fresh. This guide walks you through uploading content using your member account.

Getting set up

The office grants upload access by attaching a tag to your member record. You don't need a separate "admin" account — it's the same email and password you use to manage your subscription and tickets.

Once the office has set you up, you'll see a new Volunteer tab in your profile the next time you sign in.

If you don't see the Volunteer tab, email tickets@capeannsymphony.org and we'll make sure your account is set up correctly.

What you can upload

Depending on which categories the office has enabled for you, you might be able to submit:

• Photos — concert shots, rehearsal candids, event photography
• Press clippings — reviews, features, or mentions in newspapers, magazines, and blogs
• Meeting minutes — finalized board or committee minutes (PDF)
• Concert notes — programme notes, soloist bios, or composer background pieces tied to a specific concert
• Orchestra — bios, stories, quotes, or photos about individual orchestra members

You'll only see cards for the categories you have permission to submit. The office can add or remove categories at any time.

How to upload something

1. Sign in at capeannsymphony.org/signin (the same login you use for tickets)
2. Click My account → Volunteer tab
3. Click the card for the type of content you want to submit
4. Fill out the form
5. Hit Upload (or Submit) at the bottom

That's it. You'll be brought back to the Volunteer page with a confirmation message at the top.

What happens after you submit

One of two things, depending on your account:

If your account is marked as "trusted": your submission appears on the site immediately. The office can still edit or remove it later, but you don't have to wait.

If your account is not marked as "trusted": your submission lands in the office's review queue. An admin looks it over and approves it. Most submissions are approved within 48 hours during the season. Once approved, your submission appears on the site automatically.

You can re-submit something corrected or improved any time — just go back through the form. The office can either approve the new version or roll back to the old one if needed.

Tips by content type

📷 Photos

• Resolution: 2000 pixels or more on the long edge gives the best results in the gallery
• Orientation: landscape works best for the website's layout
• Permissions: only submit photos you took yourself, or have explicit permission to share
• People: avoid identifiable minors unless their parents have signed a photo release
• Captions: if a person is the focus of the photo, name them in the caption when possible

📰 Press clippings

• Online articles: just the headline, publication name, and the URL — that's enough
• Print only: snap a clear photo of the clipping (or scan it as a PDF) and attach it to the form
• Excerpts: include only 1–3 sentences — the most quotable or relevant bit. Don't paste the whole article (copyright)
• Date: if you don't know the exact publication date, leave the field blank

📄 Meeting minutes

• Format: finalized, signed PDF is preferred. Draft Word documents are accepted but should be converted to PDF after approval
• Filename: use YYYY-MM-DD-board-minutes.pdf so files sort chronologically in the archive
• Confidential items: redact anything that shouldn't appear in the board archive before uploading. The system has no public/private toggle below the file level
• Privacy: minutes are typically visible only to authorized members, not the general public

🎵 Concert notes

• Length: 200–600 words sits well on the concert page
• Voice: conversational, not academic — these are read by patrons in the lobby five minutes before downbeat
• Composer context: a sentence or two on when and where the piece was written, what the composer was up against, why it sounds the way it does
• What to listen for: 2–3 specific moments (the horn entrance at bar 47, the cello passage near the end) that reward attention
• Sources: if you're paraphrasing from a book or programme elsewhere, mention it — we'll credit appropriately
• Choosing the concert: the dropdown lists every concert in the system, grouped by season. Newest at the top.

🎻 Orchestra

• Choosing the musician: the dropdown lists every musician in the orchestra roster, alphabetical by last name.
• Voice: first-person stories ("when I first played…") or warm third-person bios. Avoid stiff resume language.
• Length: 100–400 words is the sweet spot.
• Specificity: a single memory or detail beats a generic summary — concert names, repertoire, conductors, years.
• Photos: rehearsal candids, action shots, or relaxed portraits all work. This is supplemental to the musician's existing headshot.
• Permission: if the content mentions someone else personally, get their OK first.

Common questions

"I uploaded something and it's not showing up."
If your account isn't marked as trusted, your submission is waiting for office review. Allow 48 hours during the season, a bit longer in summer.

"I made a typo / want to fix something."
Email tickets@capeannsymphony.org with what you submitted and what should change. We can edit or remove submissions on your behalf.

"My file is too big to upload."
Photos are capped at 10 MB. PDFs at 10 MB for press clippings, 15 MB for minutes. If your file is bigger, try exporting at a lower quality or splitting a long PDF into parts.

"I forgot my password."
Use Forgot password? on the sign-in page. The reset email will arrive within a minute or two.

"I want to upload a type that's not on my Volunteer page."
Email the office and ask — we can add categories to your account.

Need help?

Email: tickets@capeannsymphony.org
Phone: (978) 281-0543, Tuesday–Friday 10am–3pm

Thank you for the time and care you're putting into this. Every photo, clipping, note, and minute helps keep the Symphony's story alive online.

Go to your Volunteer page →