Annabel Haake interned with Tucson Loves Music, producing visual, written, and multimedia content via photography, interviews, and feature articles, uplifting local artists and growing the company’s digital presence and engagement with the local live music community.
Why did you choose this internship?
I selected this internship with such confidence due to the serendipitous way in which the opportunity presented itself. I was able to naturally involve myself with the company, given that I had met my supervisor at our local dog park, where we began chatting about what Tucson’s community means to us. I immediately recognized the authenticity of Tucson Loves Music’s mission, and the passion of the team was undeniable. Moreover, this internship was impossible for me to pass up, as I was able to easily observe shared values between my identity, both professional and personal, and the company’s identity.
What kind of work did you do?
I mainly engaged in photography work, capturing the energy of Tucson’s live music scene, in addition to filming/interviewing local bands and musicians to deepen our public engagement by way of amplifying underrepresented artists. This coincides with a lot of tech work, digitally editing photos, creating outlines and other structural documents for reference, designing content, branding assets, conducting research (local artists, organizations, event spaces, festivals, etc.), and compiling video interviews. This type of work was very complementary to my skill set and allowed me to work within a large degree of freedom to explore how creative work translates into digital marketing. Being able to engage with the live music community in such a hands-on way gave me a chance to truly connect with and observe the passion of this industry, further prompting me to deliver authentic, genuine work outcomes.
What is unique about your situation that influenced your internship selection?
A unique element that absolutely influenced my decision to select this internship was my overwhelming need to be closer to or more immersed in Tucson’s local music community. I grew up as a performer in New York City, and there was a clear depletion of musical collaboration and atmosphere in my life, having been at the University for over three years at that point. Upon hearing Tucson Loves Music’s goals to broaden the reach of live music in Tucson, I understood that this is a company in which someone like me would have loved to use to reconnect with local live music. Thus, I felt motivated to expand it further to foster my own love of music and the city of Tucson’s as well.
You have a unique story about how an essay you wrote in class led to your internship, can you share it?
When I met my supervisor for the first time, we spoke of community, based on our mutual understanding of Tucson's distinctive social dynamics and cultural elements, something I had, in fact, previously explored in an analytical essay for a PAH course. I eventually shared my essay with him, which then prompted us to move further in offering me a professional position, given his interest in my ability to convey the complex structure of a local culture through articulating a shared narrative. Applied Humanities intricately studies human connection and how it manifests in each sector of society, through a critical lens of foundational frameworks in order to enhance the community and beyond. Understanding these concepts so deeply has allowed me to integrate them into a role that relies heavily on the navigation of cultural exchange and currents to ultimately share the undefinable beauty of music in Tucson with a wider audience.
What was your favorite part of your internship experience?
Overall, my favorite part of this internship was being immersed in the energy of live music and being able to both listen to and learn from artists with unique stories. The work is all the more rewarding when you hold the vibrancy of live music so close to your heart. Offering artists the chance to express their narratives freely, especially those in a difficult, slightly struggling industry, is an experience I will carry forever. It is particularly meaningful to me as I am a young creative, hence reflecting on the words of older musicians goes beyond just the technical work. I genuinely process and internalize their stories as advice and a source of direction to develop professionally while still maintaining my inherent creativity and passion for music.
How has your internship impacted the organization? How has it impacted you?
The ultimate impact of my internship experience from the perspective of Tucson Loves Music is the large amount of digital content and assets to refer to in preparation for the launch of its latest version. In addition, I was the first intern to step into this role, so I spent time documenting my work in an outline, template, guide, copy, and reference files. My experience now paves the way for a new intern to take on this position with a structured development path.
The impact of this experience from my own perspective is immense as well. Throughout my work with Tucson Loves Music, I have been able to observe the inner workings of a start-up company's operations from both a business and creative perspective. Furthermore, I have advanced not only my writing, communication, editorial, live music, and design skills, but have also obtained new skills in business marketing, management, and projection/planning. I am now able to utilize a wide range of professional skills while simultaneously immersing myself in an environment with other creatives, who engage similarly in work as I do. The direct contributions I have provided as an intern allowed me to actively participate in the ongoing growth of a business and a local industry, which is in alignment with my professional and artistic ambitions.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for and begin their internship?
My biggest piece of advice to offer other students seeking an internship is to try and avoid settling for an internship out of convenience and truly search for something that aligns with your values and identity. I think it is vital to recognize a shared perspective between you and your employer or the company itself. In my experience, I found that Tucson Loves Music’s focus on artist advocacy and community-driven music discovery truly resonated with me. Considering this, in my journey as an intern, I was eager to contribute as much as possible to the expansion and success of the company while simultaneously absorbing knowledge from a diverse range of challenges, experiences, and opportunities, alongside how my leaders combat or approach such moments. All of these elements collectively continue to mold and formulate my professional development, and I feel as though that is largely attributed to how well Tucson Loves Music aligned with my most authentic self.