Patience and trust
By: Tasana Clarke, Volunteer administration.
This summer I was recruited into the volunteer coordinating team at The Works. I remember leaving my interview being unsure if I got the position but confident that I had been incredibly honest and open about my skill set and just had to be patient while waiting to hear back. I knew that if I didn’t get the position I simply wasn’t ready and would find something I was ready for.
However that wasn’t the case. When I found out that I got the job, I quickly realized that I’d have to continue practicing that same patience, to trust that things will come together. For example, during the internship we had a collaborative art-making project where we were put into randomly selected groups of four and asked to create a visual art piece. With very few parameters set for the project we decided to continue along the free flow path and in doing so the project created itself. We collected recycled materials (which we had little control over) and then collectively started gluing and cutting cardboard all while trusting it would simply come together. At first I was wary, but after a few short hours we created something we could present and were very proud of.
What I learned during that project has translated into the everyday work I do in the volunteer department. Every shift I’ve worked has gently implored me to continue this patience and trust exercise with myself. There are a lot of things to learn working in the volunteer department. There are also a lot of things that are out of my control. Being patient and trusting my judgement has allowed me to see the magic in things coming together. Now that we’re less than 2 weeks away from festival I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but my nerves are also overcome with a turbulent excitement to watch all of our hard work fall into place. Being patient in a time of anxiety is by no means reinventing the wheel, but this practice has seeped into all aspects of my creative and personal life and my internship with The Works has really helped to solidify this mindset.
About the author: After graduating from high school in 2013, Tasana Clarke travelled to multiple music festivals and arts-based events. In 2017 she decided to take this interest to the next level by pursuing a diploma in Arts & Cultural Management at MacEwan University. This program fostered a deeper appreciation of the arts sector and volunteering, which has brought Tasana to many incredible opportunities, the most notable being her current role in Volunteer Administration for The Works Art & Design Festival. Beyond work and school, she enjoys hosting friends, cooking and experimenting with DIY craft projects. After completing her diploma in 2019 and completing a subsequent degree, Tasana plans on utilizing her education and experience to continue travelling as a means to gain a deeper understanding of the work that goes into festivals, galleries and cultural events.