Winter Internship through Humber College with ArtsBuild

During the Winter semester of 2021, ArtsBuild was fortunate enough to have a Program Assistant intern.

Warren Bain, a student of the Arts Administration & Cultural Management Program at Humber College, spent four months evaluating ArtsBuild’s programs and overall structures.

We recently caught up with Warren and here is what he had to say about his time with ArtsBuild.

Photo Credit: Mark Binks Photography

“As part of my learning with the Arts Administration & Cultural Management Program at Humber College I completed a winter internship with ArtsBuild Ontario. The entire placement occurred remotely online and I had an enjoyable experience. As a Program Assistant I worked closely with Interim Executive Director Diana Moser and Program Manager Amy Poole.

I was brought in to do an evaluation of much of ABO’s materials in what I came to call “An Outside Perspective on the Current Workings of ArtsBuild Ontario”. Diana helped steer me through close to 10 years of material and I was happily given agency to ask for whatever I needed and encouraged to investigate whatever I was curious about. The full report came to 40 pages in length and as ABO looks ahead to a new Strategic Plan, I am hopeful that my report will be of value and use.

The internship was a stimulating and informative learning experience for me. I was tasked with completing many different administrative jobs including reporting, data entry, research, and analysis. I participated and engaged in written and spoken communication through weekly staff meetings, emails (I got my own fancy ABO email to use), reporting, and representing ABO during third party engagements (webinar’s, a CPAMO meeting, and a Scarborough arts meeting). The evaluation was my first solo undertaking of such a large-scale administrative project, and stress management was key to the success of my writing. This was a challenge I had not fully appreciated, and I am happy to have experienced it in an internship especially considering the breadth of health management many people have had to navigate while working from home.

My experience with ABO led me to learn of many arts organizations in Ontario. Arts work can often be lonely work but my time with ABO showed me how connected we all are. I look forward to hearing more from great companies and ABO in the future – though not through a screen but rather in real life!”

Thank you Warren for your hard work throughout the semester!