This month, we welcomed Athene from Burford School for a week of work experience – here’s what she got up to during her time here at the venue:
During my time working at The North Wall, I have gained a wide range of new knowledge from the art world. I chose to have my placement here because of my passion for theatre, visual arts and the inner workings of the creative world. Originally, I was expecting my work to mainly focus on the theatre and the play showing at the time, We Need New Names. However, I have learned over the past week all kinds of roles that team members play in the upkeep of such a high-quality venue. Prior to the placement, I didn’t spare many thoughts for the people behind the scenes of theatres. I now can appreciate the effort and hard work put into the North Wall by its magnificent team of all kinds of amazing people.
Before working here, I was made to believe that the only available careers in theatres were actor, director or backstage assistant. Meeting with the North Wall’s team has shown me that the types of jobs available in helping the art world thrive are endless.
One particular highlight of my work was being at the front of house and interacting with audience members during a night of the play being shown. At first, I was nervous to speak to so many people, however I very quickly honed my services skills with the help of the wonderful front of house staff Gabi and Tenika.
Meetings with each of the employees has shone light onto where art can take me in the future. Moving forward, I will be working to achieve a Gold Arts Award, with help from the North Wall’s participation manager, Abie.
In conclusion, my week at the North Wall has been nothing short of inspirational, and I greatly look forward to how my experiences will benefit my arts career in the future.
