By Kat Seaman, Jason Hogue, Sadie Olsen, Brianna Cipriano, and Yevhenii Bahrii, Lynn Kim
ArtsForce’s 12th Annual Networking event was held on March 29, 2025. Based on the theme, Creative Connections: The Art of Mentorship, panelists shared their experiences as both mentors and mentees, offering valuable advice to students on networking as artists. Students also had the opportunity to connect and engage in meaningful conversation with local fine arts professionals.
Panel
The event began with a panel of fine arts professionals who have experience with mentorship. Panelists included the Olivia Custodio (Director of Major Gifts at the Sphinx Organization & actress), Molly Korzep (ballet dancer & producer at WEBB), and Corey Lester (co-Founder & Creative Director, Leicester Documentary), led by ArtsForce intern Maya Drayton. Each had either had a mentor who helped them in their early careers or became mentors for others to help them on their journeys.
They discussed how mentorship was a key part of their artistic growth, and how it helped shaped their work and careers and the different opportunities they received from their mentors. They pointed out that you may not even realize you have a mentor till later down the line, but the insight you receive can greatly influence your journey. The panelists also discussed how mentors don’t necessarily come from the field you are pursuing. You shouldn’t disregard anyone not in your wanted field, as they can still have opportunities for you to help you work towards your goals. They can also have connections that can help further your career, so you should always keep your mind and opportunities open!
Olivia discussed a previous experience with a company who didn’t respect her time and worth as a creative. She advised that you shouldn’t work with those who don’t care for or respect you. There are other individuals and organizations that will value you, and you shouldn’t hold yourself back.
Guided Networking
After lunch, Liz Leckie, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Student Affairs, led a guided workshop to kick off the networking section of the event. Both students and employers participated, as a way to break the ice and to get everyone used to both listening and talking about themselves. There were four rounds, which got progressively more networking-intensive. Each round, participants would find a new person to talk with. For the final round, Liz asked each pair of students to decide on an employer (or employers) that they wanted to connect with, and then go talk to them together. Many students ended up forming a connection with their partners and walking to several different tables together.
Connecting with Professionals
After the guided networking session, students had the opportunity to connect with local artists and industry professionals to learn about organizations and how they can become involved. The participating organizations included Bad Dog Arts, Leicester Productions, PBS Utah, Pioneer Theatre Company, Queer Spectra, Salt Lake Academy of Music, Salt Lake Ballet Cooperative, Tanner Dance, The Blocks, UMOCA, UMFA, Utah Film Center, and Zepstone Arts Foundation.
Jason Hogue, a theatre student and ArtsForce intern, spoke with Merinda Starnes, Program Manager at the BLOCKS, out of curiosity: “I wasn’t expecting to find any opportunities at the BLOCKS since my focus is performing arts, but I ended up having a conversation with Merinda and found out that they do actually work with some immersive performance companies."
This unexpected discovery led to a new connection: “I’m a part of a student-run devised theatre company, and, because of our conversation, Merinda told me to reach out to her to see if the BLOCKS would be able to work with my theatre company –– and pay us for our work."
ArtsForce would like to thank all of the participants at the event and invite students to join the ArtsForce Canvas page to hear about future events and opportunities.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Talk to people with curiosity! They may have more opportunities for you than you expect –– even if they’re in a different field of the arts.
- Sometimes you do not realize you had a mentor until later in the future, and sometimes you become the mentor of your mentor.
- Don’t work with individuals/companies that do not value you or your time.
- Above everything, a mentor provides their experience to give you advice and comfort in your field, alleviating potential stresses and potentially referring you to more contacts in the future if needed.
All photos by Brandon Cruz