Cayman National Cultural Foundation (CNCF) Cultural Interns have the opportunity to discover first hand what CNCF has to offer culturally, and to gain relevant experience in the field of nonprofit arts administration and production, undertaking meaningful projects while working under the guidance of experienced professionals.

The programme is designed to increase interns’ knowledge and skills, and help them gain an interesting and valuable workplace experience, which will enhance their future employment prospects. The structure of the programme includes a blend of hands-on projects and general business practice.

Each intern has to make a minimum 10-month (October – July) commitment to the programme, for which they each receive a subsidy of CI$2,000 per month.

Nicole Crance and Phillipp Richter have been Cultural Intern’s at CNCF for the past 10 months. During that time they have been involved in theatre production (Rundown, Fat Chance, Come Back Home), outdoor events (Red Sky At Night, Gimistory), volunteer programmes (Christmas of Yesteryear), education programmes (Young Image Makers, Young at Arts), as well as general day to day office administration within this non-profit arts organisation.

The Cultural Internship is very reliant on sponsorship funding. We would like to thank Dart for their sponsorship of the 2014 interns. CNCF is now looking for a new sponsor so we are able to offer this fantastic opportunity to two more graduates.

We asked Nicole and Phillipp some questions about their experience as a Cultural Intern. Here are their answers:

1. How did you hear about the Cultural Internship?

NC: I heard about the CNCF internship opportunity through a friend of mine that saw it on the Foundation’s website. He was browsing one day and came across it, told me about it, and I applied.

PR: I walked into the office one day and ran into someone that I knew who was currently doing the internship. I asked him about it, and decided to apply for myself the next time there was an opening.

2. What inspired you to apply for the Internship?

NC: I had just graduated from the University of Tampa, studying the arts, and was really hungry to jump into any opportunity that could allow me to learn more about the arts in Cayman, especially where the Caymanian culture & heritage were concerned. I wanted to grow that part of myself more, and having this 10-month long internship definitely suited my needs well.

PR: I was in need of a job after moving home from university in England and this suited me very well, considering that the technical work in theatre interests me greatly.

3. What has been the high point of the Internship?

NC: I’ve enjoyed each event that I’ve gotten the chance to help organise with CNCF, but I think my favorite was Gimistory. This was my first time actually attending Gimistory, and I had the chance to help organise it with the storytellers, travel to Cayman Brac with them and make fun memories each night in the various districts. It was a lot of work, but was definitely worth it.

PR: I had the opportunity to be a stage manager for our Rundown production this year, and that has been the most rewarding experience for me. I was very nervous about being able to handle all the responsibilities that a stage manager has, but after all the hard work, now I can definitely say I grew as a person and in my skills for the theatre world by having this opportunity.

4. What new skills have you learned during your Internship?

NC: Doing this internship has made me be a better leader, follower, organiser, team-player, have more patience, creativity, confidence, and become more well-rounded as a person.

PR: Time management, leadership, problem-solving, and technical skills for the theatre (lighting, sound, stage managing, etc.

5. How has this internship helped your career development?

NC: There are many ways this internship has helped me in my career development, but I think the most valuable experience has been allowing me to know how to work with all kinds of people and personalities under any amount of pressure. We will always have to deal with people in the work force that come from all walks of life, and this internship has definitely provided me with the experience to be more open-minded and patient.

PR: The skills that I’ve obtained during this internship can carry over into any job and I’m very grateful I’ve had the chance to come here straight out of university. Specifically, this job has really taught me how to be a more tolerable person to see things from multiple persons’ points of view.

6. How do you think your intern experience could be improved?

NC: I would not change a thing during my time of this internship. The experience is set up for a 10-month long period, where you are given the chance to work every major CNCF event throughout the year. Each event requires a different amount of work and preparation, but the best way to approach each one is to remain calm, and rely on your team to help you get done what you need to get done.

PR: This is a great job for anyone. Nothing is perfect, no matter where you go, but the one thing I do know is that I enjoyed my experience and was happy to come to work every day. I wish that it were for two years, and not 10-months.

7. What advice would you give to future Cultural Interns?

NC: Be ready to do tasks that you may or may not be used to, be confident that you have what it takes to get the job done, be patient with the process, and be humble enough to receive correction and direction from your leaders/co-workers, they’re your family.

PR: The work that I had to do required a lot of manual labour as a technical intern (even though it was a mix with office work as well), and it was super important to remain hydrated, active, have a positive and willing attitude.

8. Provide one sentence to sum up your internship experience.

NC: This internship has provided me with the knowledge I wanted to gain in learning about my own Caymanian cultural/heritage identity, provided me with the various platforms to grow as a creator/lover of the arts, and it has also better prepared me as a professional in the working world, especially sharpening my skills in communication.

PR: This internship has really taught me there is a lot of hard work required to make these events/projects happen, but there is much celebration and pride when the final product is presented. The best way to describe it is, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”-Confucius

Phillipp is hoping to continue his career working in technical theatre on Cruise Ships and Nicole will be a full time Cross Fit Trainer. This may seem like a different path but Nicole says “This internship has successfully prepared me as a person in that a) I am much better at my communication skills, which is vital in personal training, b) I have a much higher level of tolerance for all kinds of people and personalities and therefore, have more patience, and c) I am more grounded in my own cultural identity, which gives me self-confidence in who I am as a young Caymanian”.

We wish both of them every success in their future careers!
IMAGES:
Nicole Crance
Left-Right: Patrick Lopez (previous Cultural Intern), Erik Hernandez (volunteer) & Phillipp Richter
Lorna Bush (CNCF) & Jessica Lopez (Dart)

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of our next Cultural Intern please email [email protected] for details. If you would like to be the next Cultural Intern visit www.artscayman.org/jobs to find out how to apply.