My experience working with MAYK
For the last seven weeks, I have been interning at MAYK as part of my Theatre and Performance Studies course with the University of Bristol. From writing tweets and compiling press lists to ushering shows and distributing flyers, the variety of work I’ve done has made my experience extremely valuable. On my first day, I was thrown in at the deep end and logged into MAYK’s social media accounts; I quickly learnt how to maintain a relationship with our followers by retweeting content we hoped would be of interest to them, as well as sharing the details of MAYK’s upcoming work.
Throughout my internship, I was made to feel a part of the company through the level of responsibility with which I was entrusted, and tasks became especially engaging because of how critical my contribution felt. I was lucky to be working with MAYK during Now Is the Time to Say Nothing’s run at the Bristol Old Vic, and was kept busy promoting the show via Twitter and Instagram. Writing a piece for the MAYK website about Working Model (Rachael Clerke’s work in development for Mayfest 2020) was an opportunity to exercise my creativity and immerse myself within the journey of a specific piece; this gave me an essential insight into the processes a work goes through during an artist’s ongoing relationship with MAYK.
There is something intangibly special about MAYK and the bold and uncompromising work they produce. Anyone who has spent time in the MAYK office will understand the welcoming and collaborative feeling the space generates; I was lucky to meet several of the artists MAYK work with when they came in for meetings (but was even more excited when Kate’s dog Arthur came to hang out in the office as well). The things that particularly stand out from my time at MAYK are the way I was made to feel a part of collaborative discussions and the individual support I received from my mentor Polly. When I graduate from university in a few months time, I’m sure the practical skills I’ve learnt and the insight I’ve gained will be invaluable. Thank you MAYK for showing me the inner workings of your keen and creative voice within Bristol’s theatre scene.
Kezia Rice, University of Bristol Marketing Intern