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Meet the Arts Council's New Summer 2024 PIN Interns - Jaden and Komal

Written by: PIN, Heather Dunaway, Jaden Durand and Komal Bhullar
June 2024

What is PIN?

Launched in 2020, the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation is a public-private organization created to spearhead coordinated, statewide efforts to position Georgia as the leader for innovation, opportunity, and shared economic success. Supported by Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, the Partnership’s focus pillars of community research, workforce development, student engagement, and economic opportunity are a powerful combination that provide technical and financial support to democratize innovation through collaboration. Since 2020, the Partnership’s work has catalyzed 30+ projects with local governments, universities, startups, and nonprofits. The projects have created new businesses, increased access to financial and social capital, and deployed more than 170 technologies. More information is available at pingeorgia.org.

Three people standing on a granite staircase. Two men and one woman. The man at the front is African American and wearinga green polo shirt, the man in the center is Caucasian and wearing a red tee shirt. The woman standing in the back is of Indian heritage and is wearing a blue shirt and black jacket.
Jaden Durand, Tripp Gustin and Komal Bhullar

This year, the Greater August Arts Council welcomed two interns to enact some much-needed updates to our ever-growing public art catalog, digital self-guided tour and map. Over the summer, interns Jaden Durand and Komal Bhullar will be researching public art in Augusta’s River Region, photographing murals, installations and sculptures, building on our catalog of accessible public art, and updating our free digital maps and tour sites.

Man standing in front of a brick building. He is African American with short hair, black rimmed glasses and a beard. He is wearing a light green polo shirt.
Jaden Durand

Meet Jaden

 

Hey! I’m Jaden. I’d describe myself as a laid-back ambivert with a wide range of interests. I love music, spanning from Radiohead to Cleo Sol to Pat Metheny. I enjoy culture, including anime, Asian cuisine, and my Caribbean heritage. I’m also into gaming, both playing and following gamers like Berleezy and Cory Kenshin. Art holds a special place in my heart, with photography being my main medium. One of my dreams, God willing, is to become a full-time photographer, owning my own studio and having a flexible schedule to spend more time with friends and family. I’d also love to create prints from my photos.

 

I was drawn to work with the Arts Council on this project because I love attending the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival. Living in Augusta, I’ve realized there’s a lot of local art I haven’t explored yet. One of my favorite local art pieces is the “James Brown” piece by Robbie Bellamy in the Art in the Box tour. The stark contrast and use of negative space are captivating. If you haven’t checked out the Art in the Box tour, I highly recommend it! 

I’m excited to learn more about the Arts Council and immerse myself in Augusta’s local art culture and community. I discovered the PIN internship program through an email from Wennie Squires, the Cyber Career Success Coordinator at Augusta University. I’m very grateful for this opportunity to explore and enhance Augusta

Meet Komal

 

My name is Komal Bhullar, and I am a senior majoring in cybersecurity at Augusta University. Originally from Lilburn, Georgia, I have a passion for spending time with my family and friends, traveling, and playing various sports.

 

When I heard about the opportunity to help develop the website for the Augusta Arts Council, I was immediately interested. Having attended their Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival, I am excited to contribute to an organization that has positively impacted my community. I am thrilled to be part of the team and look forward to making a meaningful difference.

A woman standing in front of a brick building. She is of Indian descent. She has her dark hair pulled back into a pony tail, is wearing gold rimmed glasses and a blue t-shirt with a black jacket.
Komal Bhullar

The Arts Council team is excited to share our love of public arts with these enthusiastic students! Look for more announcements of their progress in our upcoming newsletters. Sign up to receive them by clicking here.