Cultural officer at the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Trinidad and Tobago
Daniella, 33, spent eight months as an intern with the trust in 2017, initially as part of a work placement while studying for her master’s degree in Museum Studies with the University of Manchester, and then as a volunteer.
Assisting the research associate, Daniella worked on the first phase of the ‘Coming in From the Cold’ project, documenting the work taking place, archiving material and helping at events. She also helped to establish the Trust’s blog, gathering visuals and creating content.
“When I first arrived in Manchester from Trinidad and Tobago I attended an event at the Trust, and I was so impressed I decided I wanted to work there,” she says. “There’s so much meaningful work being done to capture the hidden heritage and histories of black and minority ethnic groups, and it really felt like being at home. I was introduced to people within the community I could relate to because they or their family came from the Caribbean or we shared similar cultural traditions and practices.
“I really valued the public interaction I had at the Trust and it’s been beneficial in my current career. I work on developing and managing projects and programmes aimed at building the capacities of artists, cultural workers and cultural organisations so they can operate as creative professionals in the arts and culture sector locally, regionally and internationally.
“My internship helped me to be more thorough with my work, especially when it comes to research and data collection. I also featured the Trust as one of the case studies in my postgraduate study on Caribbean museum practice. As I aim to transition into a career in curating in Trinidad and Tobago, I hope that I can make meaningful links between my home and a space like Manchester in my future endeavours.”
