My Internship at Arnolfini by Zoe Robertson-Tingle
Hi! I am Zoe, a recent graduate in Fashion Communication from UWE. During my final year of study, I had the privilege of working as a Social Media Assistant at the Arnolfini.
In this role, my main responsibilities included producing short-form video for various social media platforms, capturing the essence of new exhibitions, and managing posts across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to promote workshops, upcoming events, previews, and talks.
Being involved in the marketing and content creation for the arts has been extremely valuable. One highlight was capturing the Preview of the Garry Fabian Miller’s exhibition: Adore. Interacting with visitors, streaming Arnolfini’s first live stream on Instagram, and witnessing the artist guide visitors through the exhibition truly brought it to life for me. Attending and creating content for the Women’s Craft Club and Art in Motion Workshops showed me that the Arnolfini extends beyond being a gallery, providing a sense of community and opportunities through their events. Understanding the impact these groups have on the wider community was a fulfilling experience.
Working within the Social Media Team at the Arnolfini allowed me to refine my copywriting skills and tailor my tone of voice to suit each platform. I also gained experience with industry scheduling software, such as Buffer, to coordinate posts according to the events and exhibitions calendar. This involved notifying followers about upcoming exhibitions and exciting events in the city. The Arnolfini has a positive culture that embraces local art and community initiatives aligned with its values, making for an uplifting working environment.
Drawing on my proficiency in the Adobe Suite and Premiere Pro, I edited reels and TikTok videos, learning how to tailor the pace, music choice and create smooth transitions, ensuring engaging content within the 15-30 second format for social platforms. As a Fashion Communication student, I had worked on various moving image projects, and applying this experience to a professional context has been advantageous as I embark on my career after graduation.
Managing my coursework alongside content creation for the Arnolfini during my final year demanded refined time management skills. However, both Sara and Previta from the Social’s Team were incredibly supportive and understanding, offering both in-office and remote working to accommodate the demands of my studies.
Being part of the team has been a pleasure. The experience at the Arnolfini has been invaluable in preparing me for the professional work environment while also broadening my perspective on curation and art institutions, opening new career possibilities that I hadn’t previously considered.
It was a real delight to have Zoe as part of the comms. team at Arnolfini. She worked really well with Previta, our comms. officer and we were so blessed to have her energy, enthusiasm and creativity. Zoe is sure to go on to great things.
Sara Blair, head of marketing and communications, Arnolfini
