Jayla Butler | CIIP 2023 Blog Portfolio
Orientation Week
I will never forget the many encounters I had before arriving to Baltimore warning me to be careful on the streets I choose to journey. People from the DMV would always tell me that you could turn one corner and be in an extremely different climate from the one you just left. And that stood true when I arrived to Baltimore. Up until orientation, I did not have a word or term to describe this phenomenon. My first year in Baltimore was spent exploring the city and everything around, and every time I went on a new adventure, I could always feel a difference between certain locations. Now I know that it is the black butterfly; and, though I’ve been around the streets of Baltimore many times, the true definition finally set it on the scavenger hunt. It wasn’t hard to spot out the neglect of some neighborhoods over the other. It was disheartening to see the abandoned rows of homes, streets crowded with people experiencing homelessness, and the unbalanced policing of the city in the moment.
Week 1
My first week with Station North Arts District has been enlightening. I’ve learned more about programs offered in the district and about the small businesses in the area. It has helped me to realize why organizations like the one I am interning for is so important to the vitality of the community. There can be as many resources as possible in the world, but if no one knows about them or how to access them they’re useless to the community, which is not benefitting. I’ve found that promotion is of the most importance when piloting a program because the members need the information and opportunity to actively participate. It has become obvious that lack of awareness is a common issue that organizations and programs are constantly working to combat. And it is extremely important to do such because without the spread of awareness the community would not benefit from some of the things that exist within their own neighborhood.
Week 2
Something I’ve had to adjust to this week is keeping myself busy with tasks. At the beginning of the week my supervisor and I make a list of tasks that need to be completed and touch base about our ongoing projects. The issue with that is that I feel like I complete some of the tasks quicker than intended and find myself at a standstill with my projects. That could be due to waiting on a response from a partner or an approval to continue with the work I’m doing. I’m learning how to adjust to trying to think about the net steps that have to be taken. In doing so, I’m not only staying busy but ahead of the projects that need to be completed. This has taken some getting used to and a little trial and error.
Week 3
Week 3 was a hallmark of my placement. Friday marked the beginning of the summer programs Station North Arts District hosts, and it was kicked off with Art Walk! When I first joined my placement, I immediately dove into the hard work put into successfully creating Art Walk. It was a quick deep dive into the art world and what it takes to coordinate, but the hard work was shown off last Friday. Art Walk was amazing, and I was happy to be a apart of the project. It gave me insight on what the work done at Station North means. It also gave me inspiration for ways to help improve Art Walk, especially post pandemic. I am excited to say I am now working on the next Art Walk and helping on Art Scape’s project
Week 4
My goals for the summer were very broad: improve my organizational skills, continue to build my leadership skills, and to learn about the partners that Station North Arts District has and how they operate. They have remained the goals for my summer with Station North Arts District, and I believe that I am on track to achieving it. I feel like I’ve grown from the past 4 weeks at my placement. I’ve learned to efficiently communicate amongst different partners to achieve the same goal in a timely manner. I’ve gotten over my anxiety of sending an email and have learned how to navigate different forms of communication to get a response. I’ve even contributed to managing the first Art Walk of the year by assisting with tours and covering tables ensuring everything runs smoothly. There’s been a lot of opportunities for me to grow towards my goals, and I believe I’ve done just that! I will continue to grow towards my goals by working on the next Art Walk and continuing to take charge of my personally assigned project “Station North Music Series.”
Week 5
I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons from my internship this summer, and they all share a foundational intersection of communication. Working in the Arts District involves heavy networking and flexibility, which is extremely important when trying to coordinate a program or connecting two organizations/artists. I’ve found that planning is useful when trying to stay organized with a long-term goal, but that is only 50% of the work. The other 50 involves making last minute calls trying to adjust to a situation in time. This can look like a conflict coming up with a scheduled performer and having to adjust the set day of. I’ve seen such scenarios happen firsthand in my position, and I marvel at the way my supervisor handles them with due diligence. It’s all about presentation in the art world, and that is something I now pay close attention to when using my communication skills.
Week 7
As an intern at Station North Arts District, I find myself partnering with people from several different organizations. SNAD often acts as a connector for different organizations and self-owned businesses in order to keep the Arts District thriving. I’ve seen SNAD partner up with artists and managers from Motor House, Open Works, Area 405, and much more. Some of the most important collaborations have been with Jubilee and Central Baltimore Partnership. Both play big roles in funding businesses within the Arts District and supporting the artists that work in the area.