A Reflection on Sandwich Visionaries
as a Marketing Intern, Aidan Billing
Hi everyone, my name is Aidan Billing. I’m a digital content intern at the art gallery, and this is my first Medium article. For my inaugural piece, I thought I would write about a recent filming experience at the Sandwich Visionaries drop-in program at the John Muir branch of the Windsor Public Library.
Sandwich Visionaries is an after-school, drop-in arts program for school-aged children in Sandwich Town and West Windsor. This initiative, led by local artists, engages participants in creative activities highlighting regional history and culture. The youth in this program work to enhance their abilities in digital literacy, artistic mediums, fine motor skills, critical thinking, research, and communication.
During this particular session, I interviewed Marc Ngui, the head of the program, and Chidera Ikewibe, the Poet Laureate of Windsor. Marc provided an excellent overview of the program’s benefits, specifically how it gives kids an outlet to express themselves through art and supports local artists in showcasing their work.
My conversation with Marc led me to my interview with Chidera. She had so much to say about her poems regarding the Black experience and how she collaborated with Marc to bring some poems to life through a chapbook/zine. She provided the community’s kids (along with a few parents) the opportunity to make their mark on the chapbook by interpreting some of the ideas in her poem and drawing them to the best of their abilities. I found her concept for the chapbook fascinating, as adding pictures alongside poetry is an excellent way to engage a younger generation with poetry, reminiscent of something similar to Shel Silverstein.
Overall, my experience at this event was fantastic. I met many young kids eager to spend more time around the arts, which was terrific. I found the kids easy to work with; some even begged me to take pictures of them, which warmed my heart. I enjoyed conversing with Marc and Chidera.
They answered my questions thoughtfully and were easy to film, requiring minimal direction to help me create an excellent image for the video about the event. I would love to collaborate with them again in any capacity, and I encourage everyone to check out the program and Chidera’s poems, as they both offer excellent learning opportunities.
This filming opportunity is just one of the many wonderful experiences I’ve had since joining the team at Art Windsor-Essex. I’ve had numerous hands-on learning opportunities and have been encouraged to learn from my mistakes. The team is incredibly supportive, and my direct supervisors, Fei and Laura, have communicated their expectations. Every day I am on the job, I notice myself becoming a better videographer, graphic designer, and now, with this article, a better writer. My time here will conclude after March, but I have worked with amazing people and am excited for the opportunities this position can open up for me.
