As an intern with M&G NSW, the IMAGinE Awards was my first look at the hard work done in the museums and galleries industry.
By 1pm the van was loaded with the equipment and refreshments for the event and Brendon, Michael and I, with Andrew at the helm, set off for the Heroes and Legends Rugby League Museum. That short trip from Woolloomooloo to Moore Park will likely go down as the most dangerous 20 minutes of my life. The role of the digital intern didn’t warn about Andrew’s abilities to wheel-spin, his inability to release a handbrake or his inadvertent disregard for the road rules. Miraculously we made it to the venue in one piece.
The combined efforts of the M&G crew and me saw the event set up in no time with the exception of taming the sometimes unreliable and always moody Technology beast. Right on cue our PowerPoint failed to format correctly requiring a quick side-step and stiff-arm fend performance from Andrew and I to reformat the presentation moments before kick-off.
The role of the digital intern didn't warn about Andrew’s abilities to wheel-spin, his inability to release a handbrake or his inadvertent disregard for the road rules.
All was well, the event was ready to go and I had taken my place next to the MGNSW banner for meet and greet duties. Easy right? Not exactly. Despite sandbags bogging down the banner, the strong winds threatened to set it loose down the sideline, and not for the first time I found myself witness to something or someone (cough Andrew cough) at M&G which could wreak havoc on an innocent Sydneysider.
After successfully preventing banner lift-off and innocent bystander impaling, the event kicked-off with great food and refreshments to boot.
The speech by Michael Rolfe M&G CEO and his correlation between a ‘well-timed backline move’ in a rugby league match to the hard work done at the coal-face of the museums and galleries industry was something I thoroughly enjoyed. As a university student making correlations in essays and assessments between seemingly disconnected things and drawing out meaningful relationship between them is something I pride myself on. But on this score Michael Rolfe definitely kicked the winning field goal. The other revelation was that Michael H aside from doing a splendid job in the finance department of M&G, demonstrated exceptional bartending skills which wouldn’t look out of place at a jazz bar as the customers crowd favourite.
Working at this event I learnt more about the people I work with than I had from my several weeks in the office with them. On a final note, being largely unfamiliar with the museum and gallery industry it was good to see such a sense of excitement and enjoyment generated from the award ceremony. The IMAGinE Awards are a great way to recognise the team spirit, effort and commitment that those working in the industry put in every week. It was a spectacular event and something I was proud to take part in.
Simon Conyard. Digital intern M&G NSW.
