Since 2000, the Los Angeles County District of Arts and Culture (LACDAC) has offered the Arts Internship Program to undergraduate college students seeking internships in non-profit arts organizations across LA County. Founded as a companion program to the Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship Program, it aims to provide students with valuable hands-on training and experience in preparation for entering the arts workforce. Listings on the LA County Arts website consist mostly of administrative positions, covering virtually the entire spectrum of the arts, from fine arts and creative writing to film and music. Grand Vision Foundation (GVF) is one of over 140 excellent LA county organizations that also participate in the Arts Internship Program, from the LA Opera to the American Youth Symphony and to our friends at Little Fish Theatre and the Waterfront Arts District.
GVF has participated in this program since 2009, and since 2019, GVF has had the honor of employing 2 interns as part of the Cultural Equity and Inclusivity Initiative to prioritize a space for community college students. This year GVF is proud to announce the hiring of a new pair of LA County student interns: Mary Fristensky and Isaac Ramirez.
Mary at the Grand Annex
Mary is finishing her BA in Music Industry Studies at Cal Poly Pomona University. She graduates this Fall and hopes to use her degree to make a lasting impact on society in the music field. Mary impressed GVF with her application and cover letter and now works at the Grand Annex Music Hall as their Publicist Intern. Her writing skills have already become a huge asset to the GVF marketing department and we are excited to see how she will continue to contribute to our work. In fact, she’s the one writing this article!
Isaac is a physics major at El Camino College. When he’s done, he intends to work in astronomy studying the stars and galaxies above us. Isaac started earlier this month as GVF’s Concert and Events Intern, preparing the Grand Annex Music Hall for the Fall 2023 Season. He also supports GVF’S data management, overseeing such statistics as ticket sales and volunteer scheduling. Isaac’s assistance at the Grand Annex and the Warner Grand Theatre last weekend proved he will be a major contributor to the success of the Fall Season.
Andrew (left) working with Isaac (right)
Mary and Isaac are hardworking interns, willing to help out in any area needed by their coworkers and patrons. Their work has allowed GVF to enjoy a higher capacity for carrying out programs and outreach efforts and we could not be more grateful for them. On top of that, both students feel that their opportunity to intern here is more than adequately preparing them for their future careers, so it’s a win-win. We invite you to extend a warm San Pedro welcome to Mary and Isaac next time you see them around town or at one of our events!
