Alex Gomes has been accepted into the 2021 Diversity in Arts Leadership (DIAL) internship program established by Americans for the Arts.
Gomes, a Martin Scholar, is majoring in theatre and health management systems. He is one of 25 recipients of a 2021 DIAL internship out of 504 applicants and is the only representative from the Carolinas.
Now in its 29th year, the DIAL internship program matches students from backgrounds underrepresented in arts leadership with host arts organizations for a 10-week summer internship that includes mentorship, professional development workshops, networking opportunities and a $4,500 stipend.
This summer, Gomes will work with the Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance (BAAD!) in New York City, although the work will be done virtually because of COVID. He will have both a supervisor, BAAD! Deputy Director Marcus Gualberto, and a mentor, Lesley Hunter, who has more than 20 years in arts administration.
“Receiving this internship will tremendously help me in developing as an aspiring arts administrator,” Gomes said. “Learning and gaining experience in this field as a DIAL intern will not only affirm that this path I’ve chosen and worked toward, but will assist me in opening doors for others like me, especially young Black boys and girls who, like myself, didn’t even know that this career existed. Working with creatives, especially creatives of color, has been my lifelong dream, and I genuinely feel that this internship will help realize this dream.”
Gomes is expected to graduate from UNC Charlotte in 2021. A field trip to Washington, D.C., as a Martin Scholar ignited an interest in the capitol, and he hopes to attend graduate school in arts administration there. Ultimately, he is interested in program development and aspires to work with performance artists, writers and directors, especially those who identify as people of color, to create meaningful arts experiences for diverse communities.