Rethinking the work experience paradigm

Work experience with arts organisations is in demand but creative companies do more than provide desk-space for envelope-stuffing.
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STC work experience student Angus Crutcher; photo by David Collins

Work experience programs can sometimes be challenging for arts organisations. Without proper structure, students can end up being relegated to mundane tasks, and supervising them can become a chore.

‘All organisations, arts and otherwise, grapple with work experience in different ways. The standard joke is it’s actually more envelope stuffing and a photocopying week for a lot of people in different companies,’ said Sydney Theatre Company (STC) Executive Director Patrick McIntyre.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts