Closing the Curtain at Art Services Inc.

I can’t believe that I am wrapping up my internship at Arts Services Inc. This was the only internship that I was in for a whole year and I am happy to have continued it through the spring semester. 

The project that I worked on this semester was the 2021 monthly spotlights. I helped write the first four features highlighting arts organizations and local artists in the Western New York area that reflected each month’s observance. In February for Black History Month, I interviewed Terry Alford, Executive Director and Audrey Clark, Project Manager at Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission. I also interviewed Ally Spongr, Interim Director of Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center. In March, I interviewed Lara Haberberger, the co-founder of Brazen-Faced Varlets for Women’s History Month. In April, I interviewed Corinne McCarthy, the Coordinator of the Healing Arts Program at Oishei Children’s Hospital. I also interviewed Sara Rogers, a musician and music therapist discussing the ways the arts can help with mental health. In May, I interviewed Dawn Hoeg, Founder and Executive Director of Stitch Buffalo highlighting the work of refugees and immigrants. These interviews produced great conversations and I developed an admiration for the amazing work that these individuals and organizations are doing right here in our community.

When I entered this internship last fall, I could never have imagined the inspiring people I would meet, the fascinating projects that I worked on, or the virtual events that I would attend. Arts Services Inc. exposed me to a whole new side of the Western New York arts and cultural sector that I never even knew existed. I have had an incredible experience at Arts Services Inc. and look forward to staying connected with them.