Tees Valley Arts Benefit Auction 2019 Catalogue

My Work Experience by Luke Swales

I really enjoyed my work experience here at the Tees Valley Arts. Over the course of this week I have been able to learn a variety of new skills and programmes which I believe will help me in the near future when it comes to finding a career for myself.

Throughout the week I have been producing a catalogue for an auction that the Tees Valley Arts team are hosting in partnership with the Northern School of Arts and the Endeavour Partnership in which student’s work from Northern School of Arts will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go to not only support the charity but back to the students themselves, which I think is really great for a charity like Tees Valley Arts to do. In producing the catalogue for the auction, I have learned a variety of skills in using the Adobe InDesign programme; I have learned how to format a catalogue and how to typeset a catalogue which has given me a little bit of insight into the creative field. I have also been able to create my own website during this work experience which is something that again can help me in the long run not only during my work experience placement: it will help me further in my creative career as will my time here working firsthand in a charity which specialises in the creative field. I also have learned how to create spreadsheets and all the little things that going into creating something that will be used by someone else. It has taught me how to be slightly more meticulous about what I create and how much it means to take that little bit of extra time to finesse the product I am creating to make sure that not only is it appealing but it is also accessible and easy for someone to use/read.

Although creating a catalogue may seem boring and so may spreadsheets, I have really enjoyed the environment of the office at Tees Valley Arts. I love the staff here and their friendly demeanour and I love that it is a very hardworking yet laid-back environment in which it is easy to feel comfortable while also working to the best of my ability and further while gaining the experience I need to succeed in my career path. I am very thankful for my experiences here and I hope that I have been able to apply the skills i have learned into the catalogue I have created that will be used.