One of the project’s OPEN NORTH main activitites is the still ongoing internship programme in Riga, Nida and Tallin. This particular activity has aimed to further the change in recruitment culture in the creative sector, encouraging the replacement of voluntary work with apprenticenships and paid internships, seeing it as an increasingly important step towards in both – achieving economic success in creative sector, and avoiding the loss of young creative talents in the sector. The programme has been a direct input in fostering a progressive, sustainable and high-quality practices in the field of culture and creative industries, enabling and encouraging young perspective professionals.
In the framework of this initiative 3 apprenticenship trainings have been launched by selecting 1-2 young creative individuals through open call applications and job interviews and then being recruited by RIXC Innovation Lab, Nida Art Colony and Tallinn Creative Hub for a 4 month period.
To give you an insight on what such an experience really means to a youg person, Eglė Marčiulaitytė from Lithuania have agreet to share some of her experience being an intern at the Nida Art Colony .
In summer 2013 Egle aquired a Masters degree in Creative Industries (Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania) and at that time was an amateur bookbinder at “Siūtos knygos” – her personal mobile bindery. Before starting her internship at Nida Art Colony of Vilnius Academy of Arts (hereinafter – NAC) she had spent four summers in Nida working in ecotourism field, so the environment wasn’t completely new for her.
Egle in Palanga (in the light blue coat). Photo from the personal archive.
Speaking of her work experience in NAC, Egle tells that the most of the time she spent in Nida, she helped with administrative tasks. Apart from that she met newcomers, sometimes did some cleaning, answered the phone calls, booked rooms according to requests, assisted in projects run by the people who live in the Colony. During her internship Egle also put in order NAC’s mediatheque, took care of a news section in NAC’s website and Facebook page, documented various events etc. But what Egle sees as particularly great experience was the opportunity to implement the film program of „Creative Dovumentary Thursdays” prepared by independent Lithuanian film studio „Nominum.”
Another responsibility Egle took was a building commune inside the Colony. In other words – it is easier to live, sort the things out and share ideas when you feel a part of the community that you can trust and always come for help… or just for cup of tea.
As a very valuable experience Egle also sees the opportunity to participate in Residency Circle meeting organised by Nordic Culture Ppoint in Stockholm, Sweden in October 2013. This meeting has been a great opportunity to expand ones understanding about artists residencies ir remote and urban areas, to learn about applied working models and methods, to meet interesting people.
The Residency Circle meeting in Stockholm. Photo from the personal archive.
Thus the whole internship experience has been an amazing adventure for Egle, enabling her to try so many different things, definitely shaping her as a perspective and confident young professional. We are eager to hear also from the other interns when their internships will be completed!