Sienna Curness - Pitch Up Intern

About me

Hi! I’m Sienna, an undergraduate student at the University of Birmingham studying English Literature and Film. Alongside my academic work, I’m passionate about creative direction, painting, and curating artistic experiences — so getting involved with the Pitch Up Project through Severn Arts felt like the perfect opportunity.

I found out about the programme through my university and was really excited by the chance to collaborate with others on a real creative brief, support young artists, and contribute to a public exhibition. It felt like such a great way to build my skills in a practical, meaningful setting.

Week 1

My first week at Severn Arts started with a lovely welcome from the team and a tour around the office, which helped me settle in quickly. I had a really great conversation with Elaine about my creative interests and future career hopes and how Severn Arts could help me develop this throughout the internship, she even arranged a meeting for me with the fundraising manager, which ended up being one of the most insightful parts of my week. I jumped straight into the Pitch Up planning with Jen, working on updating the slides for our upcoming presentation at the college. I also learned how to use Canva, which I then used to design posters and invitations for the exhibition, it was a really useful skill to pick up!

When we visited the college, we presented the Pitch Up brief to the students (which was themed around “Why Creativity?”), introduced the project structure, and got to know the group through icebreakers and chats about their artistic goals. It was lovely to hear about everyone’s interests and start building those connections.

Later in the week, we visited the exhibition venue, Arch 27, and took part in co-creation workshops, idea-sharing sessions, and a fantastic budgeting challenge where students had to plan a dream event with both an unlimited and a tight budget. I also began evaluation work, chatting one-on-one with students about their experiences and aspirations.

Week 2

In week 2 we continued developing the students’ ideas and held a brilliant pitching workshop with Jimmy, who gave each group individual support and guidance on how to pitch confidently and clearly. It was amazing to see how quickly their confidence grew. One of the highlights of the whole project for me was setting up and attending a series of guest speaker talks. We heard from Dave (We Are Beard), Anna (The Arches), and Taylor (T.Label), who all spoke so openly and passionately about their creative journeys. I found their talks incredibly inspiring; it reminded me why I love working in the arts.

We wrapped up the week with pitch rehearsals, and on Pitch Day I supported the students as they presented their projects to the panel of judges at The Hive. They all did brilliantly and handled the pressure with such professionalism. It was a proud moment seeing their ideas come to life. After celebrating the winners and collecting materials lists, I headed back to Severn Arts to order everything in time for the next stage.

Week 3

This was the making week, and it was just as fun and hands-on as I’d hoped! I spent time helping each group with their artwork, from cutting out sea creatures and 3D building, to papier-mâché and layout planning. I loved how varied the projects were and really enjoyed supporting each group’s creative process. I also wrote mini descriptions for each project to display at the exhibition and sent out invites and social media content.

The exhibition day was a definite highlight. In the morning, we transported everything to Arch 27 and I helped set up the space, arranged tables and displays, taped down loose wires and cables, and made sure everything was safe and looking great. I popped out to collect refreshments and Hobbycraft gift cards for special awards, then returned to finish the set-up, including placing all the project descriptions and signage around the venue.

The exhibition itself was such a great event. There was a real buzz in the room, with so much creativity, interaction, and enthusiasm. It was lovely seeing how proud the students were of their work, and it felt so rewarding to have played a part in bringing the whole thing together. At the end of the day, we helped return everything to the college, and I followed up with the final round of evaluation questions. It was great to hear how much the students had grown in confidence and creativity.

Final Days

I spent my last couple of days finishing up my blog and evaluation report, as well as helping out with some display boards for another Severn Arts project. It was such a lovely way to round things off and reflect on what a fun, fulfilling few weeks it had been.

I’m so grateful to everyone at Severn Arts and the amazing team behind Pitch Up for making me feel so welcome and for giving me such a brilliant experience. I’ve learned so much about project planning, fundraising, creative leadership, and collaborative working, and I’ve come away feeling even more inspired to pursue a creative career.

Unexpected Lessons

Sometimes the most exciting and rewarding parts of a project are the ones you can’t plan for. It was in the spontaneous moments, helping a student one-on-one or problem-solving on the spot, that I learnt the most.
Everyone responds to energy and openness. Once I started stepping out of my comfort zone, others followed. Being the first to speak up or take the lead in an activity made a huge difference.
You don’t need to be an expert to make a real impact, just being present, enthusiastic, and genuinely interested in people’s ideas goes a long way.
Creative projects like this are never linear, things shift all the time, and that’s okay! Trusting the process and staying flexible was a big part of making it all work.

Favourite Moments

Seeing the students go into their final pitches with such confidence and passion was a standout moment. Hearing them repeat advice they’d been given and cheer each other on was a real sign of how far they’d come.
The guest speaker talks really stuck with me, especially hearing how each person carved out their creative career.
The exhibition day was such a joyful celebration of everyone’s hard work. Seeing people interact with the artwork and watching the students take pride in what they’d created was honestly heartwarming.
Having casual chats with the students and seeing their personalities and ideas evolve across the weeks was the most rewarding feeling.
Working alongside Jen and the facilitators taught me so much about the importance of clear communication and trusting the process. Everyone brought something unique to the project, and it was so inspiring to be part of a team that really cared about the students’ creative development.

Tips for the Next Pitch Up Project Assistant

Keep a record of everything you do, it’ll help with evaluation, CV writing, and reflecting on your growth.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, whether it’s about the organisation or a student’s ideas. A little curiosity goes a long way.
Get stuck in with the workshops, they’re fun, energising, and full of learning opportunities.
Bring positive energy! The students really respond to someone who’s enthusiastic and engaged.
Stay open and adaptable. Plans will change, and that’s all part of the process. If you go with it, you’ll learn loads and enjoy it even more.