I haven't updated anything regarding the project itself and I realised I should give an anticipation of what it is going to be.

This project explores the problem of waste. It consists of an exhibition with a set of presentations, workshops and forums introducing the concept of creative recycling and reuse of waste products and materials. The project will invite visual artists, fashion designers, interior designers, landscape architects, chefs and creative people of other disciplines to work with this concept.

It will take place over a week, where there will be an exhibition, workshops, talks and events that will actively engage the audience – with particular focus in the local community.

I am toward the end of my internship, even though I will continue to volunteer for ILIRI even after the end of the formal internship for Uni.

I have been VERY VERY busy, that's why I haven't updated often the blog. I can summarise her what happened in the last weeks.

I have looked for a way to fund the project that I want to organise and I found great grant: the Environmental Grant of the City of Sydney. The deadline was the 19th of September, and I came to know about it at the end of August. It surely was not enough time to write a grant, and provide all the documentation necessary. Moreover, being ILIRI a research institute of CoFA, the application has to be made through CoFA; with all the approvals necessary. Anyway, I wrote the project proposal. This was very useful to make everything more clear, to understand what needs more work, what are the strenghts and what are the weaknesses of the project. My supervisor, Louise Fowler-Smith was in Italy for two weeks, so I worked on my own, and that was very hard.

I arranged a meeting with people at the City of Sydney who are responsible for the grant. They liked the idea, and made some useful suggestions on what works, and what needs more thoughts. It was very useful. I had also meeting with people at the Total Environmental Centre, where I met with Sophie and Ruth and they were great making suggestions. They also liked the project and expressed interest in being involved.

The next deadline for the grant will be in April, and I will collaborate with ILIRI to make the application and organise the project. Meanwhile I will look for the venue and I will work on all the other details that the project need.

This internship has been a very useful experience for me. I have had to put myself forward, try hard to explain things, my ideas, my project. It has been a useful experience on how to network and maintain healthy networking relationships. It has also shown me how hard it is to make things happen, but I also think that if you try hard enough and you have a valid idea, then people take you seriously and they can share your enthusiasm. And it is so satisfying when other people like your idea and think that it could be worth the help of a local institution such as the City of Sydney.

Re-update

I haven't posted anything for a long time ... that's because I have had a break with my internship because I had some health issues...everything ok now!

Anyway, since last post not much happened. We still don't know if we got the Grant or not, the Au Council has not given an answer yet. Anyway... as I wrote already, one of my tasks will be to curate and organise an exhibition. Well, I have been thinking about that and after thinking about different ideas, I finally found the theme for the exhibition. The exhibition will feature projects that in different ways use wasted material. It will show projects and works in progress by fashion designers, interior designers, architects, jewellers, artists, chefs etc and will not be limited to just visual art.

I am still working on the concept, but in the next week I will refine the idea and start looking for galleries or ARI in Sydney that can host the exhibition. One of the idea is to find a space for several months and create a sort of hub, open forum to discuss the issue of wasting and recycling.

I will update as soon as I have any news.

For the moment, good internship to everyone!

Update...

I haven't posted anything for quite a while...so here I am!

Regarding the Grant...

The project we are working on at ILIRI is quite huge and it involves many different aspects, with the ultimate aim to create the Museum for Envronment ans Sustainability.
After weeks writing and re-writing the grant application, we finally decided which specific grant at OZ Co to apply to...and we did!

I helped writing the proposal outline and doing the budget for the project. Of course what I did was revised and modified by the Director Louise and Lucy.
I have to say it was extremely satisfying to have finally applied, and now let's hope!

During this experience I learned many things...among which, I don't want to apply for anything like that again. But I'm afraid I will have to. This is what non-for-profit organisation have to do on a daily basis...and like someone said commenting on previous posts, we haven't been taught how to apply for grants....So we will have to learn by doing...REALLY!

Regarding the exhibition...

Being ocupied with the Grant, the exhibition I would have to organise is still a draft. Next week though I will have to do some research on artists and in two weeks max I want to have an idea of what the exhibition is gonna be.
At the moment I am identifying some grants to apply to, then the creative part, so at least I will have an idea about deadlines and criteria for the grants.... Reverse process maybe, but without a budget at ILIRI I will have to try ensure fundings for the exhibit.
More news soon....

first task - Grant

Last Tuesday we all met again. It's nice because we don't use the office...each one of us works and lives in different areas, therefore we meet in Newtown, have a drink and ...work.

We talked about the Grant for the Australia Council we have to apply for. The deadline is in May, therefore we have to work hard. The work to do is a lot...Edwina and I will work together on the application, make a draft and then bring it to the next meeting with the Director and Lucy (the collaborator).

Ok, even though this is a master in ART ADMINISTRATION, we haven't really been tought how to apply for a grant. Well, I did an assignment for the Management and Organisation class...but still...none told me how to deal with it, so now, in the 'real world' I have to deal with it myself...I guess just common sense and some reading...

Meanwhile I get really excited about the exhibition on Art, Environment and Sustainability that I'm going to work on....I'm already looking at possible grants...possible artists... It's gonna be great!

what is my job?

After the first meeting the director sent us an email listing the different tasks that we could work on. I thought about it, but honestly not for too long, because I know what is my passion: curating! I express my interest in curating an exhibition that could tour around regional galleries in NSW or all of Australia, and that could end or start in Broken Hill. Beside that, I gave my availability to work on one of the Grants we have to apply, because the deadline is in May and it is the very priority right now.

This is exciting, because I will get to work on an exhibition for an organisation that could tour Australia. Yes, exciting but also scary... because to organise an exhibition requires to write a concept, liaise with artists and regional galleries, look for fundings and apply....and hope hope to get some... deal with copyright issues, couriers, managing and dealing with artworks, etc...etc...

So....as I said ...a bit overwhelming, but very EXCITING!!!

and so it begun...

After months and months looking for an internship I finally found it!

I have done internships and work experience in the arts, so this one I waned to be special, meaningful for me and for my future career in the arts...and finally I got it.

I am doing my internship in the ILIRI office, Imaging the Land International Research Initiative. Three weeks ago I met with the Director and a collaborator for the project. With me there was another Intern (Edwina) and we are both working in the same project: creating a Art, Environment and Sustainability Museum in Broken Hill, the first of this kind in Australia (anyway, there are not many in the world yet).

Environment now is one of the major issues in our society....and art is the creativity tool that allows people to present solutions that seam not possible, but that open debates and reflection.

During the first meeting, the Director and the collaborator introduced us to the project...it was a bit overwhelming, because, as you can imagine, creating a museum is not a simple task and it requires a lot of effort. The project needs funding, create community partnership, generate interest in the art world, in government bodies, in the community, etc...

It was up to us interns to decide on what aspect of the project to work. It was made clear that the priority is to get fundings, therefore, work on grants...