Центр искусств в Квинси предоставил местной молодежи оплачиваемую стажировку в сфере образования

Quincy Art Center gives local youth hands-on arts employment experience Published 11:27 am Friday, September 4, 2026 QUINCY — Quincy Art Center welcomed two young employees, Caroline Seaman and Leah Hammer, into its classrooms and studios this summer through the Youth Employment in the Arts Grant, a program funded by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. The grant provided Seaman and Hammer with paid, hands-on experience in art education, classroom support, and creative project development, working alongside the Art Center’s teaching staff during summer classes and camps. Their responsibilities included helping students with art projects, assisting instructors with classroom management, and learning various art-making techniques. As they gained experience, both young employees took on opportunities to lead activities and teach classes of their own. They also contributed to special projects, including helping create a display for the Art Gallery on Sixth Street. For Seaman, who hopes to one day own and operate a pottery studio and become an educator, the summer offered a chance to sharpen her own artistic abilities while learning what it takes to teach and run a studio. She improved her pottery skills through time on the wheel and observed teaching artists working with students of different ages and abilities. “The most satisfying part of my job was seeing how the influence of the teachers and myself helped the students improve,” Seaman said. “It was so cool to be able to actually help a student who was struggling.” Toward the end of the summer, Seaman taught a wire sculpture class, an experience she described as a culmination of what she had learned throughout the internship. Hammer valued the opportunity to work directly with young artists and explore different art mediums through teaching. “The most satisfying part about my job was being able to learn so much about teaching kids and guiding them through different projects,” she said. Both employees described their time at the Art Center as positive and supportive, pointing to the chance to learn from teaching artists, build their own skills, and form relationships with students and staff. “This experience was absolutely perfect for me! I loved everybody I got to work with, and grew so much as an artist and a teacher,” Seaman said. Hammer echoed the sentiment: “I would absolutely work here again. I had so much fun this summer!” Beyond the studio, the two employees said they gained broader experience in classroom organization, teaching strategies, communication, and the collaborative work of running an arts organization, while also exploring potential careers in the arts and education. Quincy Art Center said the Youth Employment in the Arts grant made it possible for Seaman and Hammer to gain meaningful paid employment while exploring arts careers and contributing to arts education in the community.