Teresa Brown

In the Spring of 2005, I was accepted for an internship with the ERICarts Institute. Interning at the Institute was an opportunity for my talents to shine while pursing my studies, a Masters in Arts and Media Management at the Utrecht School of the Arts (Utrecht, Netherlands). I was very well prepared for my internship with a knowledge-base of issues, trends, and concerns for artists and the management of artistic organisations through a mixture of theoretical and practical experience. This was an added advantage for myself – because I knew what I wanted to learn – but also for them as my similar interests and experience gave the Institute an added ability to cooperate with me on a diversity of ongoing tasks.

While there, I felt my knowledge and management skills increased in running of comparative cultural policy projects – from assisting in significant research studies to participating in key project meetings involving international guests – all the while being surrounded by a team of motivated mentors. One of my major tasks was to provide research assistance to ERICarts contribution in the EU funded “Gateway to Cultural Co-operation Project (G2CC)”.  Identifying resources on European cultural-cooperation, assisting in the development of conceptual frameworks, while particpating in key meetings brought my awareness of all that it takes to develop and execute international projects to a higher level.

Working here fulfilled my expectations, and much more, as I felt I made an important contribution through all of my various activities. As well, they encouraged and valued my opinions during the development of research projects, during the re-development of their online presentation, and while re-envisioning their strategic operational and communication policies. The management team at the Institute functions in a dencentralised manner with an informal culture which allowed me to have a hands-on involvement in their daily work.

ERICarts has shown me the importance of international co-operation and going beyond what is expected of you. My experience has been immeasurable, I can truly say I loved every moment!

Teresa Brown
ERICarts Intern 2005