Throughout this summer, I contributed to a variety of projects for Blank Forms, a Brooklyn nonprofit dedicated to supporting emerging and underrepresented artists working in a range of interdisciplinary art practices, including experimental music, performance, dance, and sound art. My role concentrated on the organization’s development and the preservation of artists’ work. I originally applied to Blank Forms out of my interest in supporting the arts and because of my academic background.

As an urban studies major, so much of our educational focus deals with community organizations and nonprofits, which are integral for a city’s function. We focus on building our interpersonal and analytical skills in the class. For instance, my interpersonal skills were in practice constantly during the internship. Whether it's discussing the next steps with staff members or editing written pieces with artists, communication is extremely important to progress. In addition, digging deeper and always asking questions — why you’re doing something and how it impacts the immediate community — is crucial. We talk so much about how urban development influences the surrounding communities, but that must be put into practice: Is the organization I’m working for truly supportive of its community members? How? What does this look like? Urban studies encourages me to examine my work critically through an interdisciplinary lens.

Development was my primary goal in conjunction with the director of advancement. I initiated research on grant opportunities for the organization and had the chance to learn about the grant-writing process. One of my other projects included launching a 2020 online benefit exhibition called “When Sun Comes Out.” I collaborated with the director of advancement to collect artist information and organize their artwork for publication on the Blank Forms website. In addition, I created a new donor base for the organization by researching high-profile individuals. I also helped the director research new potential leadership, by identifying diverse candidates for the organization’s board of directors.

Preservational work also took up a large part of my responsibilities. One of the main goals of the organization is preservation efforts and this happens through writing. Thus, I assisted the executive director in publications and research for the duration of the summer. Blank Forms publishes written work and runs a biannual magazine. I contributed to the growth of two Blank Forms journals: Journal Six and Journal Seven. Each publication focuses on a special theme or group of artists that have had a significant impact in shaping music as we know it. For instance, Journal Six hones in on jazz musicians, most featured Don Cherry and John Tchicai, as well as close collaborators such as Bengt Berger and Catherine Christer Hennix. I assisted in transcribing interviews from these collaborators, participating in journal meetings and editing and preparing texts to be included in the publication.

Reflecting on my internship, I had a wonderful experience of learning more about nonprofit work and arts preservation. However, I did encounter some challenges. Going remote for the summer was possibly the largest obstacle I faced, and I’m sure many others feel the same. I am very kinesthetic in my learning, so being completely physically removed from my work made it difficult to absorb new knowledge. However, by asking for more Zoom calls, establishing communication methods, and collaborating on more than one project at a time, I was able to make the most out of my experience. I learned to create more meaningful conversations even through a remote setting. Additionally, as the internship progressed, I began multitasking much more, and balancing a variety of projects was a struggle. I began to lose track of my goals and became overwhelmed. However, by organizing my time and prioritizing tasks, I developed a more harmonious approach to my projects. I communicated more directly with the director of advancement and executive director when I was struggling with a project or needed more clarification.

Overall, interning for Blank Forms was a rewarding experience. I wanted to contribute to the organization in a meaningful way and had the opportunity to do so. My appreciation for the arts grew even more, inspiring me to develop my own passion project this summer: I curated a platform for artists of Southwest Asian/North African descent with some friends called Dar Zeytoon. I hope to continue doing work that centers artists and documents their work. This has become more important than ever. During quarantine, we all consumed some form of art, whether that be music, film, or writing. Artists are critical to our wellbeing and that has been extremely visible these last few months. Overall, I want to continue community engagement and social enterprise, however that may look, in the future. My work at Blank Forms helped me gain a sense of my career goals of social impact for next summer and my post-graduate life!