ST. LOUIS – (February 10, 2017) – The Regional Arts Commission (RAC), the region’s largest annual funder of the arts, dedicated to the cultivation, promotion, and fostering of cultural programming in the St. Louis area, has announced the selection of Morgan Hill for the 2017 Katherine Dunham Internship.
Named in honor of African American dancer, choreographer and social activist Katherine Dunham, the internship is intended to increase the diversity of professionals working within museums, theatres, dance companies and other arts organizations throughout the region and beyond.
The internship, established in 2011 by St Louis arts supporters Sara and Jack Burke, is funded in partnership with RAC where the internship is based. It provides experience in arts administration, a $6,000 stipend, and other professional and personal enrichment opportunities over the 16-week period.
Inspired by Dunham’s history of activism, this year’s internship is especially unique because it provides Hill with a special emphasis in community arts, a practice that utilizes art and culture as a tool for social change and community development. While Hill will engage in all aspects of RAC’s programs she will train primarily within the Artist and Community Initiatives Department.
“The internship will provide hands-on experience in both arts administration and community arts through the work we do with our Community Arts Training (CAT) Institute, the Gallery at RAC and the artists’ grants. This program continues to increase the pool of diverse leaders in our sector which is critically important to the future of arts and culture in our communities,” said Roseann Weiss, Director of Artist and Community Initiatives at RAC.
For Sara Burke, a RAC Commissioner, the Katherine Dunham internship has already made a significant impact towards creating a pipeline of diverse leaders in the arts, “To date, six individuals have had the opportunity to develop both professionally and personally within the Katherine Dunham internship program. In addition, they were able to expand their network and cultivate new relationships among the KD alums as well as local leaders who support the program. It has been an incredible experience to witness the continued growth and advancement of their careers as arts administrators and artists in the St. Louis community and beyond!”
Hill, a recent graduate from SIUE with a BFA in Textile and Fiber Arts is looking forward to further developing her professional skills as an artist and arts administrator. “I am excited to join the RAC staff as the 2017 Katherine Dunham Intern. Having the opportunity to represent Katherine Dunham’s legacy through this internship will no doubt have a profound impact on my journey as an artist, activist and arts administrator.”
Hill has exhibited her work in a juried show at SIUE, Co-curated A Gathering of Black Women Artists Art Exhibition and is a current member of the Ferguson Youth Initiative and Missouri Fiber Artists.
For more information about the Katherine Dunham Internship, visit www.racstl.org.
About the Regional Arts Commission www.racstl.org
The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) is at the forefront of efforts to transform St. Louis into a more vibrant, creative and economically thriving community by elevating the vitality, value and visibility of the arts. It is the largest annual funder of the arts in the region, and since its inception in 1985, RAC has awarded more than 6,900 grants totaling over $97 million to support nonprofit arts, individual artists, cultural organizations, consortiums and programs. Directed by a board of 15 commissioners appointed by the chief executives of St. Louis City and St. Louis County, RAC is a pivotal force in the continuing development and marketing of the arts in the region. Visit www.racstl.org for more information, or follow us on Facebook at Regional Arts Commission or Twitter @RACStLouis.
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