Arrowmont Internships
The Internship Program at Arrowmont is a great opportunity for those who are interested in learning about nonprofit administration or seeking practical experience in an arts organization. Interns live and work on campus for 2-3 months, becoming a pivotal part of the Arrowmont Community during our busy workshop sessions. Learn more about internships.
2025 Fall Events Intern: Savannah Flores
We are always happy to welcome a new Events Intern to Arrowmont! This internship entails working closely with our Director of National Programs to create after-hours events and experiences for our workshop students. A warm and welcoming personality and ability to work with autonomy are of utmost importance. The 2025 Fall Events Intern, Savannah Flores, joined us from Dallas, Texas. To continue learning more about Savannah and what brought her to the arts and Arrowmont this fall, continue reading below!
Tell us a little bit about yourself! Where are you from, and how did you get into the arts?
I am a multidisciplinary printmaker currently based in Dallas, Texas. I grew up in Dallas, surrounded by diverse and hybridized culture and food, and eventually found herself attending college in Ithaca, New York. Being from a diasporic city shaped my passion, highlighting the complexities and nuances of sociopolitical issues in my work.
“My father is currently an automotive mechanic/spray painter based in Dallas, Texas. Growing up, I was surrounded by sparkly, painted cars and vehicles. One of my earliest art-adjacent experiences was seeing 2000s iconographic images, pin-up models, and Dallas Cowboys logos covering freshly spray-painted Fords and Chevrolets. Inadvertently, it might have inspired me to start drawing pencils on copier paper at a very young age. Graphic images have been a constant reminder of my origins and the power of symbols in community engagement.”
Tell us more about your artwork and studio practice. What are the mediums you primarily work in and themes that your work explores?
I use the body as a metaphor for intergenerational trauma in first-generation minority households through processes of printmaking and papermaking. My visceral layering of handmade paper, silhouettes, and archival images expresses the enduring impact of settler colonialism and assimilation on the individual and the collective. To disrupt these colonial structures, I represent bodies in migration, speaking to and colliding with colorful abstract worlds encompassing a hereditary past/present space. My work highlights the rawness of disrupted mother-child relationships because of these structures. My work is a homage to mothers and grandmothers who attempt to heal their wounds through their daughters’ experiences, often mirroring the same pain they’ve experienced. My work aims to prove that colonial structures and assimilation still impact millions of families today.
What have your responsibilities been as the Fall Events Intern? What do your days look like?
My everyday routine involves engaging with and welcoming everyone at dinner, then preparing slide nights for the instructors and assistants. I often collaborate with the workstudy team to plan weekly events and create experiences that resonate with each cohort. I also spend time creating accomplishment cards and encouragement devices for various events throughout the week. I have made over 90 different drawings of the Arrowmont community, each expressing a different person, emotion, and accomplishment. Many of the “Accomplishment Cards” range from compliments to words of encouragement, such as “you worked hard today” or “your smile is contagious”. With the help of the work studies, I started new events, such as Fire Hang Out & Jam (Music Making and Socialization) Sessions and the Movement Lab (Yoga, Meditation, and Body Movement).
Tell us one magical story from your time here at Arrowmont.
One of my favorite moments at Arrowmont was a later-than-usual impromptu karaoke session, where a small group of work-study interns and students all performed despite having never sung through a microphone! Half of the group were super nervous, but with enough support, we all demonstrated our impressive courage and beautifully imperfect voices. I even acquired some liquid courage and performed Chop Suey by SOAD with another work study, Jakki. It was the first time I was able to show off my metal-screaming techniques (other than practice sessions in the shower!).
Are you interested in becoming an Events intern? Are you wanting to expand your knowledge in nonprofit administration and the arts?
Contact Kelly Hider at [email protected] or call 865-436-5860 extension 31 for more details on next year’s internships!
