1.

Why are you interested in participating in an internship at The Museum of

Modern Art?
The reason I am interested in participating in this internship at The Museum of
Modern Art is not only because the museum is one of the elite ones globally,
but also offers a unique way of establishing career paths. This internationally-
oriented internship programme approaches art and cultural heritage from
different perspectives and seeks emerging museum professionals who have
inspiring goals; combines originality, alternative approaches, different culture
background and effectiveness. As a young professional, who believes in the
value of museums and art in contemporary society, this internship is exactly
tailored to my interests and my goals and I intend to develop my skills to
greater extent throughout my time there.
Art and culture have always been appealing to me. Thus, I pursued such
undergraduate and graduate degrees. Since the beginning of my studies I
observed fluctuations in the interest of people to attend exhibitions and
interact with cultural organisations. Starting my career as Museum Educator at
the Foundation of the Hellenic World I had the opportunity to dive deeper in
audience engagement and gain practical and theoretical training in the
museum field by designing and implementing educational tours and
programmes. This experience was a mandatory step to proceed to my future
goal. My MA in Museums and Galleries in Education helped me better
understand the role of museums in contemporary society and provided me
with more in-depth knowledge. As part of my work placement at Fulham
Palace, I supported learning sessions, project-managed the development of
new educational trails and designed family and school activities. Because of
the small team, I also assisted with the communication enquiries of the
Learning Department by improving the online presence. I did this whilst
gaining a deeper understanding of the different means of communication that
are and can be utilized for the arts sector. Part of my professional passion and
graduate research has been museum access. Accordingly, I developed and
implemented an Accessibility Awareness Workshop for employees and
volunteers. The participants gained a deeper understanding of accessibility and
the Palace expanded its collaborative network. Moreover, working closely with
staff from various departments elevated the collaboration and
intercommunication between my colleagues. I applied these skills in my Digital
Marketing and Communications position where I designed a marketing and
communications campaign that increased social media audience and improved
online engagement. My innovative strategy formed a sustainable online
community within 9 months and increased activities participation by 4%. The
museum built strong connections and received funding for international
cultural projects. I also developed live online tours to accommodate people
with disabilities. The project was completed earlier than expected and has
resulted in a more sustainable online presence. Working with children in my
latest position as Art Educator helped me elaborate more efficiently the
curriculum into weekly art projects and cultivate art and creativity.
My international experience working with small groups and larger
organisations has been a significant component to excel in my work thus far.
Yet this internship is the key factor to succeed in my career. (499)
2. b) Describe an individual or an experience that has influenced your
perception of the arts.
I have always been intrigued by the arts and wanted to work/dreamt of
working in a museum. Thus, when I was given the opportunity to join the
Education Department of/at the Foundation of the Hellenic World, I was rather
thrilled/overjoyed/pleased/more than excited. My supervisor informed me
that I would assist with the delivery of the Museum Summer Camp. My
colleagues informed me of the schedule and by-weekly themed activities. I had
never approached learning about arts and culture through/in such a creative
lens/way. I remember thinking to myself “How is this going to work? Will the
children actually learn through play and participation in these activities?”.
During the first week of the camp I was sceptical. I paid close attention to the
ways the participants interacted with the art concepts that were introduced to
them and how intriguing they found the different tours and educational
activities we delivered. By the end of the second week I was certain. This is
how art education should be delivered. The children loved the very experience
of art creation and engaged deeper with the exhibitions. Despite their young
age the seemed to understand complicated concepts and
interact/communicate with each other through art. A communal space was
formed where the participants bonded, exchanged ideas and built strong
friendships. I realised that art is a strong form of change. This change is a
result of learning, analysing, interacting and communicating.
This experience utterly influenced my perception of the arts and was the
fundamental reason I pursued a graduate degree in Museums and Galleries in
Education. Because of the participants’/this interaction with arts, I realised that
art is not only inheritance from the past, but also means to construct a vision
for the present that might influence the future; a future I want to assist
creating.