The Right (or Possibly Left) Foot

Hello, all!

This is Alli, posting somewhat belatedly from the Greater Denton Arts Council! I've already completed my first couple of weeks there, but they were doozies, so it was difficult to find an opportunity to post. I'm here now, though, and so excited to be reading through everyone's posts so far! I'll start off with a little background about me and then dive right into my first post.

I am almost finished with my MA from UNT in Art Ed/Art Museum Education Certificate. Assuming all goes to plan, I should be graduating in August! I have a B.F.A. in Studio Art with emphasis in Painting from Texas State University, where I also took a significant amount of coursework in Art Ed. I come from a long line of teachers, counselors, and do-gooders in general, and have always assumed that I would go into the field of teaching in some form or fashion. I plan to work in museum and other non-profit spaces, mostly because I am attracted to more informal environments and the ability to experiment with different types of programming and education that can be worked out in the museum space with more relative ease than the public school system. In the past semester, I have also had the opportunity to take on some freelance work in museum evaluation and research, which has been eye-opening and an excellent opportunity to practice being a reflexive educator and keen observer/analyst of museum structures and programming.

While I love working with and teaching people of all ages, I'm sure it will surprise very few of you to hear that my preferred group to work with is young learners, otherwise known by me as "littles." Infants, preschoolers, and elementary-aged children are my favorite populations to work with. For the past few years, I have worked as a nanny with a wonderful family in Dallas and have based many of my studies at UNT on my experiences working with those youngsters. I recently left that job so that I could pursue more consistent museum field work (and my internship!), but am currently suffering major Lego withdrawals.

Now, on to my internship! I spent the Spring semester as an Exhibitions and Education Intern with the Greater Denton Arts Council, and have been hired on to continue as a Super Intern (hopefully with a cape included) during the summer. I was brought on in January by the GDAC's new Executive Director, Tracy Bays-Boothe. We co-taught a Game Design camp at Oil and Cotton last summer and knew each other from that wonderful experience. I was (and still am) thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her and her staff more.

The main focus of this internship will be in helping to craft and carry out internal and external market research analysis to help get a better understanding of the GDAC's engagement with their audiences, member and nonmember. I will be conducting various surveys and focus groups with members and nonmembers and by the end of August I hope to at least have laid a firm foundation for future research by the organization.

I will also be creating and facilitating the Visual Arts component of the GDAC's annual Summer Arts Camp for the end of July! I am thrilled to be given the opportunity and responsibility to handle this project. Summer Arts Camp will have three simultaneous camps running, including my Visual Arts camp, a Dance camp, and a Guitar camp. We have decided to theme the whole thing like a scout camp, and I will be our "Arts Scouts" troop leader. We will make our own badges, work with creating sets for our dancers and musicians to perform in, and practice good citizenship concepts. I am nervous but incredibly excited! Be on the lookout for little artsy scouts when you're in Denton!

While working on research and Summer Arts Camp, I will also be expected to step in to help out in any emergent tasks. For example, this past week my job was to help the Programs and Exhibitions Manager install their current show, which opened Friday. From painting podiums to using museum wax to stabilize wobbly sculptures, my duties were to help in any way I could. I had a blast!

I get the sense that, no matter what the "job description" states when you apply for internships, our main job description is to help in any way asked at any given moment. We are hired as flexible workers. Especially when working in an environment with an incredibly small staff, such as the GDAC, we must all be generous of our time and skills and be willing to help one another as needed, no matter our job title. I plan on continuing to learn and grow immensely through this experience, no matter what tasks cross my desk!

I suppose that this summer has particular meaning and intensity for me, because it is the last part of my MA, after which I will be jettisoned into the world and expected to make something out of this incredible grad school experience I have had. What remains ahead for me? What kind of career in what kind of place? What will I be doing? How creative will they let me be? The more I think I have found my answers, the more questions effervesce to the top of my glass.

Along with the learning process provided to me by the GDAC this summer (and some continued contract evaluation at the Perot coming up!), I am going to focus on finding the questions. This summer is a time for me to analyse myself and what I want, what I am best at. I know the answers will happen in time.

I'll just always remember to have a change of clothes in the car!