The Arts Workforce Initiative (AWI) is a paid internship program administered by the CT Office of the Arts. AWI provides Connecticut college students, emerging creative professionals and military veterans an opportunity to gain engaging, hands-on work experience at arts and cultural organizations throughout the state. Interns selected must complete 250 hours during the time with their organization and are paid at a rate of $15 per hour.
AWI launched in 2017 with 12 interns. This year’s AWI successfully placed 51 interns at host organizations! To date the Arts Workforce program has provided 80 young creative professionals, some of whom are military veterans, with engaging, hands-on work experience.
MEET THE AWI INTERNS!
ABIGAYEL BRYCE PHILLIPS, Orange
Host Organization:
Pilobolus, Washington Depot
ALEXANDRA CASIANO, Bridgeport
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
Stamford Downtown, Stamford
ALEXIS ABBOTTS, East Hampton
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
Greater Hartford Arts Council, Hartford
ALMESA SABOVIC, Waterbury
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
Arts and Culture Collaborative Waterbury Region, Waterbury
ANNA RICHARDSON, Southbury
New York University
Host Organization:
Main Street Ballet, Woodbury
ANTOINETTE NASTRI, Seymour
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
New Haven Symphony Orchestra, New Haven
ANTOINETTE SPADA, East Hartford
Manchester Community College
Host Organization:
Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine, East Granby
ASHLEY D. MONDESTIN, Stamford
Host Organization:
INTEMPO, Stamford
ASHLEY WALTON, Hampton
Eastern Connecticut State University
Host Organization:
Lutz Children’s Museum, Manchester
BRIANNA WILLIAMS, Hamden
Gateway Community College
Host Organization:
Ely Center for Contemporary Art, New Haven
BRIELLE CAYER, Middletown
Fordham University
Host Organization:
Goodspeed Musicals, East Haddam
CHAD BROWNE SPRINGER, Hartford
Manchester Community College
Host Organization:
Night Fall, Hartford
CHARLES BROOKS, Darien
University of Michigan
Host Organization:
Stamford Symphony, Stamford
CLAIRE NEWHALL, East Granby
Saint Anselm College
Host Organization:
Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine, East Granby
CHRISTINA (CORI) DIAZ, Vernon
New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
Host Organization:
Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater, Middletown
DEAN JAIR ANDRADE, Naugatuck
Connecticut College
Host Organization:
Arts Council of Greater New Haven, New Haven
EUMIR ABELA, Stamford
Eastern Connecticut State University
Host Organization:
INTEMPO, Stamford
GABRIELLE FERRELL, Manchester
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
Goodspeed Musicals, East Haddam
GABRIELLE KUNZIKA, Vernon
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
Night Fall, Hartford
GEONNA KLINE, Middletown
Manchester Community College & Lincoln College of New England (Graduate)
Host Organization:
Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater, Middletown
GINA PELLIGRINELLI, Glastonbury
Central Connecticut State University
Host Organization:
Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, Danbury
GINA WHITE, Goshen
Host Organization:
Music Mountain, Lakeville
GRACE HAGER, Branford
Maine College of Art
Host Organization:
Shoreline Arts Alliance, Guilford
JAMES JOHANSEN, Durham
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Host Organization:
Hartford Public Library, Hartford
JARED TURNER, Ellington
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
Style Tinaliah, New Haven
JEREMY SANTIAGO, Meriden
Central Connecticut State University
Host Organization:
New Haven Symphony Orchestra, New Haven
JULIA RAFFETRY, Plantsville
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Host Organization:
Shubert Theatre, New Haven
JULIAN MARKESE, Guilford
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
The Kennedy Center, Trumbull
KAYLEE S. CROCKETT, New Britain
Central Connecticut State University
Host Organization:
Cuatro Puntos, Hartford
KELLY RAFFERTY, Newtown
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
Newtown Cultural Arts Commission, Newtown
KHEPERA-MA’AT BROWN, Bridgeport
Gateway Community College
Host Organization:
Style Tinaliah, New Haven
LAURA BOCCADORO, Hamden
Quinnipiac University
Host Organization:
New Haven Pride Center, New Haven
MADELINE OLDHAM, Brookfield
Hofstra University
Host Organization:
1214 Foundation, Newtown
MARY BIBBEY, Woodbury
Brown University
Host Organization:
International Festival of Arts & Ideas, New Haven
MARY MYERS, Darien
Tulane University
Host Organization:
Bruce Museum, Greenwich
MIA SAGE KRIKSCUIN, Middletown
Wellesley College
Host Organization:
Guilford Performing Arts Festival, Guilford
MILENA ALVAREZ, Norwalk
Norwalk Community College
Host Organization:
Bruce Museum, Greenwich
NICOLE HOOKS, Bloomfield
Newcastle University (Graduate)
Host Organization:
Ely Center for Contemporary Art, New Haven
NINA YILMAZ, Coventry
Eastern Connecticut State University
Host Organization:
Judy Dworin Performance Project, Hartford
PATRICIA BRUHN, Windsor
*Military Veteran
Host Organization:
Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts, Middletown
QUIANA STANLEY, Naugatuck
Eastern Connecticut State University
Host Organization:
Washington Art Association & Gallery, Washington Depot
SAMANTHA BECHARD, New Haven
University of Hartford
Host Organization:
Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts, Middletown
SAMIRA JALLOW, Hartford
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
Hartford Public Library, Hartford
SEAMUS MCKEEVER, Bolton
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
Seven Angels Theatre, Waterbury
SYDNEY WYATT, Southbury
High Point University
Host Organization:
New Haven Symphony Orchestra, New Haven
TAYLOR JASMINE, Naugatuck
Naugatuck Valley Community College
Host Organization:
Seven Angels Theatre, Waterbury
THOMAS E. MARTONE, East Haven
Albertus Magnus College
Host Organization:
Shoreline Arts Alliance, Guilford
THOMAS VALENTI, Weston
University of Miami, Frost School of Music
Host Organization:
1214 Foundation, Newtown
TINGZHU PAN, Hartford
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
TheaterWorks, Hartford
TREVER ROGERS, Plantsville
University of Connecticut
Host Organization:
iQuilt, Hartford
Thank you to the host organizations for offering professional development opportunities to these dynamic individuals!
COA sends best wishes to all the AWI interns!
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