Welcoming Our Exeter University Intern

Day One 

As an aspiring Media & Entertainment lawyer, I was drawn to the Arts Engagement & Outreach Internship at the Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue for the opportunity to gain greater exposure to drama and live theatre — an area of the arts that I had not previously explored in depth. I was excited to step into a new creative environment and learn more about the work that happens behind the scenes.

 

My day started with a warm welcome from Katherine Beverley, Arts Engagement & Outreach Manager, who then gave me a tour of Westlands Entertainment Venue and introduced me to the organisation and the team. Everyone I met was incredibly friendly, from the box office staff to the marketing and arts engagement & outreach teams, and it was fascinating to learn more about the huge range of activities that take place.

I particularly valued speaking with Andrea MacLauchlan, Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer, and Hollie Wiggins, Arts Engagement & Outreach Assistant, who highlighted the organisation’s commitment to making the arts more accessible — something that strongly resonated with me. They explained how the SHiNE Bursary Fund helps remove financial barriers by providing subsidised or free places for people to take part in creative classes and workshops, while the Summer PlayDays bring free outdoor theatre performances into local communities. I came away with a greater appreciation of the practical ways organisations can remove barriers and create opportunities for people to engage with the arts.

Later, I joined a Movement Through Cancer movement and dance session led by Carrie Madgwick, Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer, which supports people at different stages of their cancer journey. Despite my somewhat questionable sense of rhythm, the session’s relaxed and encouraging atmosphere reminded me that everyone moves at their own pace. Chatting with participants afterwards over tea and coffee, I could see how valuable the sessions were for building a sense of community.

I then processed data and feedback previously collected into a spreadsheet and created a summary impact report based on the conclusions. I was touched when reading comments from the participants about how the programme has increased their confidence and helped them form new friendships.

 

With only day one underway, I was already impressed by how Westlands is working to make the arts welcoming and accessible to all.

Day Two

On my second day, I got stuck straight into supporting Centre Stage with Jenny Lowe, Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer, a showcase bringing together music, drama and dance performances from local schools and performing arts groups.

It was definitely one of the most exciting, though a little hectic, days of the week! To help the day run smoothly, I welcomed groups to the venue, supported technical rehearsals, and, when it was showtime, made sure performers were ready to go on stage at the right time.

One of the highlights was watching Milford Infants during their technical rehearsal and then seeing them take to the stage for the showcase. Seeing such young children perform with such enthusiasm and excitement was incredibly heartwarming. For many of them, it was their first opportunity to perform in front of an audience, and it was wonderful to see how proud they were of their achievement.

Seeing everything come together throughout the day, from the first rehearsals to the excitement of the final performances, was truly rewarding. At the end of the show, we celebrated a successful Centre Stage event with confetti cannons and a real sense of pride.

Day Three

My third day began with preparations for the Summer Play Days. With this year’s pantomime being Aladdin, I began developing a magic carpet arts-and-crafts activity, writing instructions and creating my own sample version. It was a great opportunity to channel my creative side while also thinking about how to make activities accessible and easy for children to follow.

Much of the day focused on preparations for Yeovil Together, a vibrant community festival celebrating cultural diversity, creativity, and community. I created a feedback survey for attendees to complete, which helped me appreciate the importance of collecting and evaluating feedback to demonstrate outcomes to funders and improve future activities. To encourage attendees to share their thoughts, I also designed signs for comment boards asking questions such as "What did the event today mean to you?" in a number of different languages.

I also created a sign inviting participants to share the country or culture they were representing at the event by placing a Pindrop sticker on a world map – a simple but meaningful way for people to celebrate their backgrounds and see the incredible diversity within the community.

Through preparing for Yeovil Together, I learned how seemingly small details, such as creating multilingual signs and designing interactive activities, can help make an event more welcoming and inclusive, as well as support the much wider aims of celebrating diversity and strengthening community connections.

Day Four

Day four was focused on bringing together the final touches for Yeovil Together.

I painted some “Draw Yourself” activity sheets, allowing children to draw their own self-portraits and celebrate their individuality.

To encourage audience engagement, I also created an event passport for attendees to use throughout the festival, encouraging them to explore different activities by collecting stamps for each challenge they completed, such as watching a performance on the main stage or learning three new words in another language.

I also had the opportunity to watch the Octagon Memory Choir, a choir designed for people living with dementia, perform “New York, New York” as part of their current “America” theme. Carrie explained how the sessions use familiar structures, including the same opening and closing songs each week, to support memory recall and create a sense of comfort and familiarity. I was impressed by how thoughtfully the sessions were designed, showing how important the arts can be in supporting our health and wellbeing.

Day Five

The last day of my internship ended on a high, with Yeovil Together finally taking place. To celebrate the spirit of the event, I wore my mum’s cheongsam from the 1990s, a traditional Chinese dress. It felt special to bring a small piece of my own heritage into a day that was all about celebrating different cultures and communities.

The day began with a fashion show, where I was amazed by the incredible traditional clothing on display, including many colourful saris. Each outfit reflected the heritage of the person wearing it and was a wonderful reminder of how the arts can create spaces where people feel proud to express who they are.

I spent the day helping at the outdoor acoustic stage, welcoming local musicians and dance groups on stage. One of my favourite moments was joining in with the Indian dance performance and seeing people of all ages come together, laughing and enjoying themselves.

Of course, another highlight of the day was trying some of the amazing food stalls! I enjoyed a delicious ensaymada from the Filipino stall, as well as the best Sri Lankan pineapple curry and samosas from Sri-Licious.

I loved chatting with people from all around the world, from Ecuador to Hong Kong.

We ended the day dancing together, surrounded by music, laughter and a genuine sense of community. It was inspiring to see so many different people connected by shared values of creativity, inclusion and belonging.

Final reflections

In just one week, I have deepened my understanding of arts engagement, community outreach and the important role that cultural organisations play in improving wellbeing and bringing people together. Whether supporting live performances, analysing participant feedback, developing creative activities or helping to run community events, every day offered a new insight into the incredible work that happens behind the scenes.

It has been an inspiring and rewarding week, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone at Westlands Entertainment Venue and the Octagon Theatre for making me feel so welcome.