Bloomberg Arts Internship Spotlight: Lena

This interview was conducted and photographed by fellow Bloomberg Arts Intern Zahraa W. for the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

What motivated you to apply for the Bloomberg Arts Internship?

I wanted something creative to do over the summer, I get pretty stressed out during the year so having an outlet for creative expression was important to me. It was exciting to have the opportunity to meet new people, as I’m kind of in a “bubble” at school through the IB program and it’s nice to socialize. 

Which arts & culture organization are you paired with?

I’m working at FringeArts this summer, and they’re the producers of FringeFest which is a lot of performance based work. Getting an inside look at what it takes to host these performances has been useful and will benefit me in the future, it’s very interesting overall.

Describe a typical day at your worksite and your main tasks.

I’ve been working on a variety of tasks from day to day; however, one main task I’ve had was to make a sensory guide for the upcoming FringeFest which would be available to attendees that are neurodivergent or have accessibility issues. It explains everything that will happen as soon as they enter the FringeFest, as well as emulate what the experience will feel like so that they’re more prepared when they enter the theater. I took examples from previous FringeFest guides as well as researching what other guides look like to create a new, accessible guide.

Share a memorable experience from the internship.

I loved the cultural immersion experience at the Fabric Workshop and Museum. I thought it was very cool, I loved the fact that we were able to screen print on tote bags to take home with us. I also really liked the interactive exhibit [Group Hug by Risa Puno] . It was unlike anything I’ve seen before. We had a choice to go down two paths: to be cared for or to care for someone else. If you cared for someone else, you had to hit buttons to “meet their needs” and if you’re meeting their needs then the person that was being cared for would be able to sit in this comfy, leafy, green chair. It taught me a lot about balance, you didn’t want to solely be the one caring for someone else and you didn’t want someone to solely care about you. Overall, it was a very cool way to express philosophy and art.

Do you see yourself benefitting from BAI on a more personal and personal level as well?

Professionally, it’s giving me work experience as this is my first job. Having the opportunity to have a scheduled 9-5 job, commuting, having a boss among other things is going to lay the groundwork for my future career. Personally, the social aspect has been nice and it’s nice to do things that are a bit more creative. Our developments are helpful because I can learn about colleges and how to tackle the CommonApp essay, so I’m leaving more prepared for the important things. 

How do you plan to remain involved in the arts and culture sector after your experience with BAI?

I’ll definitely be checking out more theatrical and artistic performances in general, also visiting more museums in Philadelphia. Anything to continue keeping the creative side of me alive. 

What advice would you give to a future BAI applicant?

I would personally suggest that if you’re interested in seeing the “behind the scenes” of various arts and culture organizations, then this internship would be right for you. Many people work in doing research, administrative tasks, and social media marketing. If you’re interested in doing any of those things, combined with art, then BAI would be a really great place for you.