Hey! My name is August I have been a part of this year’s Teen Advisory Council since October. This is my first year as a TAC teen, and I have already begun to really enjoy the program! Some things you should know about me is I play the cello and my family is heavily involved in the arts. My dad is a visual artist and we go to many arts events through ArtsConnection (and outside ArtsConnection). A few things I really like about TAC is the idea of helping ArtsConnection grow by spreading awareness of our favorite programs, as well as the actual meetings themselves where you really get to talk to others about things you like or see and you get to use it in your work. When in TAC, you have so many unique opportunities and privileges, especially considering that it is like an internship. In particular, you get to work in a professional environment and it gives you an idea of what future jobs could look like for you.

The way people get accepted is by participating in at least one ArtsConnection Teen Program. The program I was in was TRaC and I still participate in it. I have been a member of both Film and Music TRaC, and the program actually really prepared me for TAC in terms of meetings and writing skills. Also, as a TRaC member I got to go to shows and review them, which is the main focus of the program. It is also helpful to spend time with people in the your TRaC group with whom you also get to bond. All in all, AC programs are opportunities to make new friends and experience something new. Although you also have to fill out an application about why you should be in TAC if you are meaning to apply next school year, explaining your past with the arts and what your future goals are is worth it. After that, you get an email notifying a person about a group interview. While being interviewed alongside three other teens could seem frightening, the interview is based on what is said on your application and is really an opportunity for you to talk about TAC and what you’ll be doing. Overall, I’m really glad I got accepted and for the opportunities TAC gives me.

Now that I am in TAC, I’ve already had great experiences such as meeting new people and doing fun new activities. The way TAC meetings usually go is first we start with telling the group a high and a low (or a low and a high) about our day to get a general feel of the room. We start with lows generally to be more positive or improve what the low is for the day. Then we do an icebreaker led by one of the TAC teens so that not only we can have a fun start to our meeting, but they can practice planning and leading a group activity. Next, there is a recap so we can plan and discuss our future endeavours in TAC. Finally, we do our main planning session which starts and ends with a big discussion to close out the day.     

There are still many things that I’m looking forward to doing in TAC. First, I’m looking forward to learning new techniques to help with the job that we’re doing. Although we’ve already started basic planning for this semester’s Open House, I’m looking forward to doing more planning work such as how to work in certain situations with a budget or limited space. Finally, improving my writing even more and becoming more familiar in office settings is something I am looking forward to. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the stuff I will get out of TAC, and I hope to see you at our upcoming events!