Finding an internship during times of a global pandemic was a long process and quite a struggle for me. So naturally when I went to my job interview at Mediamatic and immediately got accepted I was surprised, but also relieved and excited. I had tried to get internships at other, more ‘conventional’ companies and offices, such as Abn-Amro, Vattenfall or the Municipality of Amsterdam, so when I was accepted to intern at this art institution I had no idea what I should expect.
I believe working in the Mediamatic office has been a much different experience than I would have gotten at any of the other previously mentioned firms, and it was definitely different than anything I expected. Mediamatic is situated on a beautiful location overlooking the water and NEMO science museum, it has a big serre next to the water and every room in the building is decorated differently but in an interesting way with some type of artwork. Next to this, there is an urban farming garden in a greenhouse, a lab in which experiments with bio-art were being done, a big warehouse for hosting events such as lectures and funerals, and a restaurant kitchen in which staff (including interns) would switch to cook lunch every day, followed by communal lunch with everyone together. On top of this, the complex and its direct surroundings are an ever-changing work in progress of art installations and renovations. During my 4 months there, 2 new big art exhibitions were created and 2 were taken down, a new automatic sliding door entrance was installed, a big ventilation system was setup in every room, and renovations to the kitchen of the restaurant were started. All in all, some construction was always being done there.
I mention all of these things, because I want to convey the feeling I experienced while interning at Mediamatic. Even during the pandemic, with stricter measures forcing the restaurant and workshops and events organized by Mediamatic to come to a halt, it was a very dynamic time to work there. There was always a good sense of community, especially among the interns, people would help each other out, new projects were being created, improvements to the building and the restaurant were being implemented, and of course we in the communication department did our best to keep Mediamatic’s fans, customers and visitors entertained, informed and excited to come by if there was something new to see or experience.
My time there turned out to be a lot of fun. The ‘different’ experience forced me to keep an open mind, be proactive and voice my ideas. It was highly educational and allowed me to experience many new and different things. Especially during a big lockdown, it allowed me to meet new, interesting and likeminded people, experience an office in a completely different yet fun and inspiring way, and taught me a lot about communication as a profession as well.