Art as Antidote
Kendra Klein ’18 is gaining real-world experience promoting the arts through her summer internship at The Arts Partnership in Fargo.
From photographing art pieces to meeting and writing about local artists, her communications internship gives her an active role in supporting local culture and arts.
Kendra Klein ’18, Spiritwood, N.D.
Why did you choose Concordia?
Studying abroad as well as the speech and debate program were things I was considering for college. I found Concordia, which had both, and when I came to visit the campus something just clicked.
Have you had any mentors or special professors in your time here?
I have been a member of the speech team since the very beginning of my time at Concordia. All of my coaches – Joe Kennedy, Megan Orcholski, Adam Knowlton and Teresa Oberdorfer – have profoundly shaped my experience at Concordia and the person I have become during my time here. They are endlessly driven, their enthusiasm is infectious, and they are a genuine, caring support system for their students.
What have you been involved with on and off campus?
In addition to competing for the speech team at a national level, I am part of the Family Weekend committee for fall 2017 and excited to be joining the Writing Center as a tutor for this upcoming school year.
How did you get involved with The Arts Partnership in Fargo?
I found their listing for a summer intern on Handshake. Before that time I had never heard of them, but the more I researched The Arts Partnership, the more I realized how much they do to support the arts. I thought that their work was really admirable and important, so I applied to be their intern!
What is the main mission of TAP and how does that fit with your own values?
TAP is an arts umbrella organization. This means that The Arts Partnership doesn’t just exist in the office with the three wonderful women who actually run the organization. It expands into the community. TAP creates a network of creative people and groups, helps them to grow, and connects them to the outside world. They support local artists and advocate having the arts recognized as a vital part of the Fargo-Moorhead community.
The Arts Partnership staff: Erin LeMair, Chelsey Engelhard, Dayna Del Val, Tania Blanich, and Kendra Klein. Photo: Dennis Krull
Art, to me, is a uniting force that brings people together through shared stories and creativity. It can change opinions and transcend boundaries. Art is vital to any community, and I am grateful to be working with an organization like TAP that understands the power and necessity of art so well.
What kinds of things will you be doing with TAP this summer?
As the communications intern, I will be doing one blog post every week about a local art event. For these blog posts, I do everything from attending art events to interviewing artists and taking pictures of their work. My job changes every day!
What are you most looking forward to in this internship?
I am looking forward to being surrounded by people who love art as much as I do and being able to learn from them. Also, promoting art events through the blog means that I am able to meet local artists and just spend time uncovering all of the art that Fargo-Moorhead has to offer – which doesn’t even feel like work!
How has art impacted your life?
I love to create and I love to share in the things that other people create. Through any kind of school stress, pressures about the future or just a bad day, art has always been an all-purpose antidote for me. It truly is what revitalizes me and keeps me motivated.
Did any particular experiences at Concordia prepare you for this internship?
At Concordia, there are a lot of opportunities to be involved with art. Music, theatre, studio art, and speech have always been there alongside classroom education. Of course, conventional teaching is important but, to me, it has to happen in tandem with real-life experience and exposure to art for real learning to happen. Concordia has made me feel supported in my own creativity and reinforced again how everyone, from every background and during every phase of life, can benefit from art.
How can others get involved with the F-M arts scene?
The Fargo-Moorhead area feels small, but there is actually a ton of unique art events, exhibitions and free community events happening all the time if you keep your eyes open – especially in the summer!
Many organizations publish their art events on Facebook, so if you want to get involved in the F-M arts scene, browsing online is a great place to start. Plus, another of my jobs as the TAP intern is updating our calendar with all of the creative and art-related happenings in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Feel free to visit the site yourself and look through the calendar to see lots of art events in one place.
Published June 2017