I first became interested in applying for an internship when I received an e-mail that was sent out to all students from the UCS Careers and Employability service. As the summer was fast approaching I thought that this would a good time to get some experience to help me decide what path I want to follow after I have completed my degree. I applied to the Town Hall Galleries, and attended an interview and was happy to be offered a place of working three days a week for them throughout the summer break.
As I am currently studying for a degree in Fine Art, in which I concentrate on my own art practice, this was a fantastic opportunity for me to see what really goes on behind the scenes of the art gallery, and discover what opportunities are out there for artists. It gave me an insight into the amount of work that goes into producing an exhibition from researching into artist’s right through to the private view. I completed a number of tasks, such as designing marketing material, writing press releases and conducting surveys. The biggest task that was given to me was researching a new exhibition entitled ‘Get With The Programme IP(switch) TV’ which took place last year to coincide with Young Peoples art week in the October half term. I really enjoyed researching various artist’s works and events that could take place within the gallery and I really cared about the project and what it was trying to achieve. I was sad to leave at the end of the summer but I have been invited back on many occasions to help out with any events that they have and I hope to always be involved with them in some form.
Completing the internship has provided me with the skills to help me in my last year of my degree and informed any decisions I make about my future career. I would strongly recommend that people consider an internship while they are still studying as it is a great addition to your CV and provides you with practical work experience that employers look for when applying for work after university.