Getting tickets to Harry Styles’ latest concert tour, “Together Together” was not an easy — or inexpensive — feat. Just ask any devoted fan.
But as the tour kicked off in Amsterdam earlier this month, some fans found a way into the Johan Cruijff Arena.
How’d they do it? By volunteering.
Thanks to a service called Earnt, which trialed this offer for Styles’ coveted “One Night Only” show in Manchester this past March, fans were able to put in some volunteer hours in exchange for a ticket to the singer’s show.
Here’s how it works: Earnt partners with brands, artists, hotels, and other “VIP” experiences to offer volunteer opportunities in exchange for what they call “ETYs,” or “earned thank-yous.” Then, volunteers sign up to support a cause, and if the opportunity is popular enough, they’ll be added to a lottery for the chance to participate.
If selected, volunteers simply show up, get to work, and when everything is done, they get their reward.
It was the best-case scenario for fan Fauve Walkerdamarell, who was selected to be one of 100 out of 16,000 applicants for Styles’ “One Night Only” Earnt campaign.
After a day volunteering to restore a playground and outdoor space at a local charity in Manchester, she and her friend were emailed tickets to see Harry perform.
“Everyone was very happy and excited that we were doing something great for the community and we got tickets out of it,” she told the BBC. “It was just kind of insane.”
Earnt established the program again in Amsterdam and just announced a new batch of opportunities in the United Kingdom ahead of Styles’ Wembley Stadium residency in June.
At this time, it is unclear if the volunteer opportunities will be available outside of the U.K. and Europe for Styles’ other tour stops in Brazil, Mexico, Australia, or the United States.
But for now, four volunteer dates are available in London. (Though Earnt adds in the fine print: “Harry will not be at the activities.”)
“Harry's giving his fans the chance to leave their mark on London in the best way possible, and it's now the only way to get tickets to the sold-out tour,” the sign-up page stated.
“You’re invited to join Earnt as we team up with schools and community centers across the city, showing some love and upgrading spaces used by thousands of young Londoners every day,” it added.
“By the time the lights go down, you won't just be another person in the crowd. You'll be someone who showed up for London the way London showed up for Harry. Music has always generated energy. This is what happens when that energy is given back.”
In Amsterdam, 200 fans helped serve meals with the Salvation Army, and while it’s unclear exactly what service projects will be achieved in the U.K., Earnt is confident the fans will show up to “treat people with kindness.”
“I did this in Amsterdam three weeks ago and will celebrate my Earnt ticket at tonight's show,” one fan commented on Earnt’s recent Instagram post. “I can highly recommend everyone to participate in this, we had so much fun together.”
“This is a fantastic way to harness the passion of a fandom for good,” another person chimed in.
According to Onolla Magazine, over 21,000 people have volunteered through Earnt for 60 events, delivering 6,500 hours of volunteering to causes in need of people power.
“We believe that great brands don’t just have followers; they have an army. An ‘army’ who camp outside stores to wait for a drop, who buy bots to beat the queue and who will refresh browsers thousands of times to get the product or experience they want. It’s time to convert this energy into positive action,” Earnt’s website explains.
“We match the needs of charities and causes to an army of volunteers; if they need hands, we’ll call up the masses.”
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Header photo by Anthony Pham
