As the COVID-19 pandemic hit and internship postings started to dwindle, I took matters into my own hands and reached out to several institutions related to my area of study in my home city. I created my own internship with Contemporary Calgary. I spoke with several people at the gallery and decided what route road would be the most mutually beneficial for this summer internship. I pride myself on my ability to make quick assessments and work well under pressure. As a retired Alpine Ski Racer, I have learned to adapt as challenges present themselves. I have discovered excellent time management skills between working relentlessly to ensure I succeeded in both school and sport; throughout high school I have found excellent time management skills. I was motivated to attend Ï㽶ÊÓƵ and knew how competitive it was to be admitted. I believe my competitive nature has motivated me to use my time efficiently to be a high achiever in all aspects of my life. I have excelled at balancing the rigor of attending a competitive university and participating in numerous co-curricular activities. I am confident that these skills carried me to excel in my internship this summer.
The internship position was to be Communications and Public Programs Assistant for the leading contemporary art gallery in my city. Growing up in Calgary, my options for museums were limited to exclusively historical institutions. As an aspiring art historian, it was exciting to be a part of the start of Calgary's art initiative. As an intern at Contemporary Calgary, I helped instruct people of all ages about Calgary’s art scene— bringing together the community through a shared appreciation for art. A measurable goal that Contemporary Calgary has given me is to increase outreach and provide an inclusive space that feels welcoming to all visitors. They instilled faith in me to help broaden the scope of art education within communities. I had the opportunity of educating visitors about art in an accessible fashion that works beyond the scope of didactic art history.
Further, the internship will launch me into my aspiring career as a curator for a gallery of museums. The Chief Curator was my supervisor over the summer, and with his guidance, I assisted in maintaining and installing exhibitions, albeit virtually. My supervisor guided me on how the curatorial process works and how the behind-the-scenes works. The classes I have found the most interesting in my studies relate to contemporary art; I enjoy researching artists and art movements that do not have much published about them. I spent many hours this summer completing background research on upcoming exhibitions for the fall and winter. I had the opportunity to interview several artists and work with them closely on presenting their didactics for their shows. I was required to reach out to several artists and discuss their art, gaining first-hand arts administrative skills. This internship will increase my employability and put me a step ahead of my graduate studies.
I found the virtual component of the internship challenging at times. Due to the nature of my work, I had to be flexible with my hours to ensure I could attend zoom meetings. The shift from online learning to online work was more grueling than anticipated, but I adapted, nonetheless. I voiced my concerns to my colleagues, and we drafted weekly schedules to make sure I would not miss anything. There was a new hire who began their career in Contemporary Calgary around the same time I did. My colleague came from a fine art background and is currently doing their master’s in fine art with a focus on installations. It was an incredible experience to work alongside an artist passionate about enriching art education in Alberta but from a vastly different academic background.
Although I am not receiving academic credit for this internship, the overall impact that the internship had on my university experience was irreplaceable. I feel much more confident moving forward within my studies and anticipated career path. The generous funding allowed me to work hard this summer at Contemporary Calgary without worrying about how I would pay for my everyday expenses.
Thank you for the opportunity; I had a broad experience and gained invaluable knowledge from Contemporary Calgary.
