28.09.06
University College Falmouth works with leading arts organisation to secure student internships

University College Falmouth is working with regional visual arts organisation, ProjectBase, to enable its students and graduates to undertake paid internships as part of their career development.

Part-funded by Arts Council England South West, ProjectBase is a contemporary visual arts commissioning organisation, supported by partners including Newlyn Art Gallery, Tate St Ives and University College Falmouth, that works with artists to produce and present socially-engaged, interdisciplinary and temporary projects of national and international significance. ProjectBase was previously known as St Ives International, which staged three internationally-acclaimed exhibitions: A Quality of Light (1997), As Dark as Light (1999) and Ceramica (2002).

ProjectBase offers internships to students and graduates from University College Falmouth, in order to provide them with valuable practical experience in the delivery of contemporary art events – from exhibition coordination and marketing, to educational outreach work and increasing access to wider audiences. Interns are recruited through a process of application and interview, and each internship runs for a minimum of five weeks full-time.

"These internships provide an ideal environment for students to learn how a contemporary art organisation operates," says University College Falmouth's Visual Arts Business Fellow, Sara Bowler. "While there are numerous artists in Cornwall there are few agencies in the county commissioning contemporary, challenging work in the visual arts," Sara adds. "Gaining experience 'on the job' is vital to raise students' awareness, confidence and expertise in how complex art projects are initiated, planned and delivered. It is anticipated that after graduation, the interns will be able to utilise this experience in developing their careers and independent projects."

Second year BA(Hons) Fine Art student, Sarah Matthews is assisting the ProjectBase Communications Programmer as Communications Intern to develop, coordinate and implement projects in the areas of fundraising, public relations, audience development and marketing.

PgDip/MA in 20th Century Art & Design student, Carey Harvey, BA(Hons) Photography graduate, Alice Bridges and Sarah de Sainte Croix, a final-year student on BA(Hons) Fine Art, are all engaged as Interaction Interns. These interns support the Interaction Programmer in extending access to ProjectBase projects, and in coordinating, developing and delivering a range of events, activities and workshops for wider, more diverse, audiences.

Elizabeth Waddling, who successfully completed the College's Foundation Diploma in Art & Design in 2003, is working with the ProjectBase Director and Administrator as Commissions Intern and assisting in the research, development and coordination of the next major ProjectBase exhibition in 2007.

Recent BA(Hons) Fine Art graduate, Rebecca Haughton, is providing support for the ProjectBase team across all areas of the programme as Arts Administration Intern.

"The interns benefit hugely from working for an extended period with a professional, highly innovative, contemporary visual arts organisation," says ProjectBase Director, Sara Black. "They gain understanding across all areas of exhibition production and assist in enticing new audiences to engage with us," Sara adds. "In return, ProjectBase benefits from working with highly motivated students and graduates of University College Falmouth who contribute to the effective delivery of our programme."

"This internship provides me with an invaluable opportunity to contribute to some of the most exciting art projects in the county, as they are planned, developed, and realised," says Communications Intern, Sarah Matthews. "Being part of those processes has inspired me to take my own practice further, and has encouraged my interest in working in the field of curating and commissioning in the future."

University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through higher education. The CUC is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council.

For further information about University College Falmouth, please visit www.falmouth.ac.uk. For further information about ProjectBase, telephone 01209 315924, email info@projectbase.org.uk or visit www.projectbase.org.uk.

For further information please contact Jillie Easterby, Public Relations Manager, University College Falmouth on 01326 213792 or email: jillie.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall's Creative Enterprise Cornwall scheme through the European Social Fund (ESF). The Programme has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2 through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). University College Falmouth is a partner in the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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