Bold Tendencies

The Bold Tendencies Art Trainee Programme was founded in 2014 by Diana Córdoba Barrios, our Managing Director. The Art Trainee Programme was inspired by Diana’s personal experience on the Internship Programme at The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice.

Diana moved to Venice from Mexico to take part in the Programme, then being promoted to Coordinator, running the prestigious programme for the Museum. Diana has supervised the ATP at Bold since it was started, overseeing its growth and development as well as its delivery year on year.

Since 2014 the Bold Programme has been completed by 215 Trainees, joining us from all parts of the UK and further afield. Our working and learning Programme aims to give participants immersion in the day-to-day life of our non-profit arts organisation and help develop future-proof skills, as well as fostering long-term connections between each other and our wider networks.

Bold Tendencies welcomes all applications irrespective of experience or background. We are committed to provision without high barriers to entry for young people of outstanding creativity and individuality interested in pursuing a career in culture and creative industries.

We acknowledge the huge potential of young people to add value to wider cultural life. We support this by continually evolving how our Programme is best structured, and consistently nurturing access to the professional proximity and opportunities critical to kick-starting a career in the exciting world of arts and culture, as well as building our network into the future.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

The core commitment of the Art Trainee Programme is to a balanced experience of working, learning, training and peer-networking. The ATP aims to offer a healthy and inclusive environment for young people of all backgrounds and life experience at the beginning of their career path.

Working – Bold Tendencies offers practical on-site experience and proximity with the administration and operations of the organisation to open up what it means to work in culture and the creative industries.

Learning – the Traineeship offers a series of learning experiences – from wide-ranging organised talks and visits to connect the Trainees with the world of contemporary culture, to weekly collaborative sessions and individual assignments as well as one-on-one mentoring sessions. A laboratory format gives Trainees the opportunity to cultivate their own intellectual and creative practice, and to contribute to new initiatives to Bold Tendencies by proposing and developing original projects and new tools for the organisation.

Training – by teaching new practical skills and testing them in application, we hope participants leave us with greater employability and confidence overall.

Peer-networking – working together at Bold Tendencies, and sharing the experience, Trainees develop connections and friendships. We hope they evolve a sense of collective belonging, support and care for each other which they carry with them after they complete the Programme.

Alumni Support is an essential part of the Art Trainee Programme. Based on a fundamental commitment to the value of long-term relationships and collaborations, our Alumni Support covers a full spectrum of opportunities and networking including annual gatherings and special events. For example, in 2019 we organised a visit to Hauser & Wirth and Drawing Matter in Somerset for 24 Alumni.

We also support our Alumni by regularly sharing relevant job opportunities in the sector and writing reference letters as well as offering informal advice and support when requested.

We are committed to creating Paid Opportunities for Art Trainee Alumni beyond the period of their working and learning experience with us. We have Opportunities for Alumni to work on Front of House for Live Events, in Education and on Site Supervision and Content Development. All Paid Opportunities are paid in-line with London Living Wage.