Jurnee Weeams: An Arts Intern’s Evolving Career in Cleveland

We sat down with former Arts Intern Jurnee Weeams to discuss her arts career journey at Cleveland’s Assembly for the Arts, and how the Arts Intern program helped her launch her arts administration career. This interview highlights how Studio Institute's commitment to fostering professions in the arts creates real-world opportunities for young professionals. Read on for her insightful takeaways on arts internships, professional development, and building a thriving career within the Cleveland arts scene.

Editor’s Note: After the interview, Jurnee transitioned from Social Media Associate at Assembly to new opportunities in Cleveland that align with her evolving arts career path. She is now a Supporting Muralist for Impart 216, a Transformative Arts Fund mural initiative with Lead Artist Robin Robinson of Sankofa Fine Art Plus and Ingenuity Cleveland. 

“This is a project I’ll be working on consistently for a good portion of the year,” Jurnee explains, “learning new skills with mural making and furthering my arts advocacy career. We’ll be building and furthering the arts renaissance in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Cleveland, while bringing public art that includes, resonates with, and properly reflects the community. I’m very excited for this initiative, as I’ve never done a mural before and helping people or evoking change with my art has been a lifetime goal of mine.” 

Jurnee is also a fellow for Arts and Culture Network Night, working closely with Gwendolyn Garth and Joi Carter of Neighborhood Connections to expand and host this night of connectivity, dialogue, and action. “I’ve finished a couple of commissions for my personal art career. I just finished one last [exhibition] night, ‘Nature of Healing,’ with the DeepRoots gallery in partnership with the Cleveland Botanical Gardens.”

This progression highlights how Arts Intern successfully prepares emerging professionals to pursue diverse opportunities within the arts ecosystem. We're excited to see how Jurnee continues to apply the skills and connections she gained through her Arts Intern experience as she builds her career. 

Please note that the following interview contains her reflections at the time of the interview. 

Left: Jurnee and Cleveland-based artist Lacy Talley chatting, Assembly for the Arts Breakfast at Studio Institute’s partner Rainey Institute; Right: Jurnee at her desk

Q: Tell us about your arts background. 

A: Art has always been in my family ... My great grandmother was an artist ... My mom and my dad met at Columbus College of Art and Design ... I started going to the Cleveland School of the Arts in the first grade.

Q: Tell us about your academic background and how it aligned with your internship. 

A: I got into art at [the] Cleveland School of the Arts ... then I went to Cleveland State University for studio art and am currently doing studio art at the Cleveland Institute of Art. At CSU, I was introduced to many opportunities through Liz Maugans, a Cleveland artist. She had a class where she took us around the city to visit different practicing artists ... That was a good way to discover different opportunities, jobs, and arts careers.
 
Q: How did you learn about the Arts Intern position and what prompted you to apply?  

A: I was in my senior year at CSU ... Liz, a big arts personality here, pressed me about going to Assembly, because of the impact and the opportunities. Liz got me an interview with Valerie [Schumacher, Director of Strategic Initiatives]. Liz said, “You’ve got to do it!” ... I was scared, but decided to do it. The rest is history. 

Q: What did you do as an Art Intern and what were your key responsibilities? 

A: I cultivated the website that Assembly and Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) manage called Cleveland Arts Events. I would find opportunities to post and … get more artist profiles on there... I stepped in with the social media role, learned graphic design, and connected with people to share their opportunities. I also communicated with our 2024 Creative Impact Fund cohort, a group of 16 artists who got grants from Assembly and CAC ... I supported them in any way I could.

Q: What unexpected discoveries did you make?

A: I'm more of a people person than I thought I was. I learned how to better communicate with people. An unexpected outcome is that I learned how to see and compensate for the specific needs of artists within different disciplines.

COSE Art at Work Group Photo, Beachland Ballroom and Tavern

"My networking skills have increased tremendously. I'm more prepared to talk to people, such as arts administration leaders and business leaders, more professionally. Knowing how to act in a business setting has greatly benefited me."
— Jurnee Weeams

Q: How do you think Arts Intern shaped your understanding of arts careers? 
 
A: Seeing the different avenues you can go within the arts and that the arts is supported was a big eye opener. The opportunities within Cleveland alone are boundless, meeting new people like arts administration leaders, and seeing these new careers.

Q: How have the connections you made during Arts Intern influenced your career? 
 
A: I was doing a lot of communications, so I went out to different events, talked to people, and learned about what they are doing within the field. I stay in contact with people I met through my internship and have deeper personal connections with them. It's led me further within my artist career. For example, we shared an opportunity with Breakthrough Sounds Recording Studio ... I was one of the artists chosen for the exhibition. Another one of our Creative Impact Fund grantees invited me to participate in her Transformative Arts Fund (TAF), which was a $3,000,000 initiative that we did in Cleveland to bring arts to the city. There are a lot of people I met during the internship; that's changed my life.

"Seeing the different avenues you can go within the arts and that the arts is supported was a big eye opener. The opportunities within Cleveland alone are boundless, meeting new people like arts administration leaders and seeing these new careers.” — Jurnee Weeams

Jurnee Weeams at the Assembly for the Arts Winter Assembly Gathering with Another Local Artist, Artfully Phi Gallery

Q: What has been the most rewarding aspect of your journey so far? 

A: Being part of a group who [works] together for the betterment of the city [and] the people. We're all in this together to do a bigger job than all of us combined. It's inspiring to see how hard everybody works. And how much they give to Greater Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and ... for the arts and cultures. Those are the most significant rewards other than personal artist gain.

Q: What site visit or experience most impacted your perspective, professionally and personally? 

A: It was the Pivot Center for Art, Dance and Expression — a big place where people from different nonprofits, organizations, and disciplines collaborated. Plus it was the Cleveland Museum of Art Community Art Center or the Cleveland Clinic site visit. Seeing the interplay of arts and health inspired me with my personal goals of helping people through the arts.

Q: What professional skills have you developed? 

A: My networking skills have increased tremendously. I'm more prepared to talk to people, such as arts administration leaders and business leaders, more professionally. Knowing how to act in a business setting has greatly benefited me.

Q: What advice can you give other artists who would like to give Arts Intern a shot? 

A: If you see Arts Intern or any opportunity, go headfirst for it. It will benefit you in the long run. Even if it's daunting or scary at first, do it. You can be surprised and learn so much from an opportunity like this. I never really thought I would be in an arts nonprofit or any field like this but here I am.

March 12, 2025