ISABEL MCLEISH: A REFLECTION ON REMOTE WORKING DURING COVID-19
Posted by Isabel McLeish - October 2020
I was thrilled to be offered the summer internship with Circus Artspace in June when we were all still in full lockdown. I live in Lochalsh on the west coast of Scotland and as this internship would be mostly working remotely, I thought this was the perfect time to apply. I was really excited to have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with a contemporary art collective based in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.
I have really enjoyed developing two projects, the Liminal Lives postal project and the Crossing Thresholds curated artist conversations as part of my internship. By working on two very different projects, I have been able to develop a range of skills such as webpage and video editing, interviewing techniques and social media promotion. I have also been the minute taker at our weekly meetings which is something I hadn’t done before.
Due to the internship, I have networked more widely and connected with practicing artists across the U.K and more opportunities have been made available to me because I have managed to meet new people (even when it’s all been online!). The Circus Artspace team have been incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout, setting up weekly 1-2-1 chats with each team member so that I get to know them all well and talk with them about their varying practices. I also received support with writing a funding application for a socially engaged arts project for after my internship and I was delighted to be successful!
Overall, I have found the past few months with Circus Artspace inspiring and enriching both for my own practice and plans for the future. I do not feel like I have missed out because it’s all been online and working remotely. In fact, my hope is to help with physical projects such as exhibition set-up at a later date when the circumstances permit!
For anyone thinking about applying, whether in Inverness, somewhere rural in the Highlands or even based on an Island, I would say go for it and apply! I feel grateful to have connected and collaborated in different ways with different people during a strange and uncertain time. I am excited to see what the next graduate intern’s projects ideas are and how Circus Artspace will develop and adapt as we move further into the ‘new normal’!