A (sort of) new face at the HCA

We are so excited to welcome the newest addition to the Harrison Center staff, Cultural Entrepreneur Fellow, Andrew Christenberry! We had the pleasure of getting to know Andrew last summer when he interned at the Harrison Center and we couldn't be happier that he, having recently graduated from college, is back in Indy and on our team. Here's a short Q & A as a brief introduction, but the next time you are at the Harrison Center, stop by the City Gallery desk and introduce yourself!

Where are you from? I grew up in Asheboro, NC and we lived there until 2006. We then moved to a small town just outside of Birmingham, AL called Cullman.

Tell us something about yourself, your interests... I graduated from Covenant College (which is perched on the top of Lookout Mountain just outside of Chattanooga, TN) in May of 2014 with a B.A. in business, concentrating primarily in marketing. I really love local art, community development and cultural renewal. This is why the HCA is such a great fit for me. Right now, I am also very interested in John Steinbeck’s work and love listening to music. It makes me feel more alive. My most recent interest is a spoken-word project called Levi the Poet.

The Neighborhood Ballad Project. From left: Andrew Christenberry, Brandon Lott, Tucker Krajewski

Tell us something about your HCA internship last summer. In the summer of 2013 I did an internship with the Harrison Center, developing what is now known as the Neighborhood Ballad Project. I grew a lot throughout that summer managing high school interns and I loved learning to channel their creativity into this particular project. I have worked with students in a variety of settings, but my experience last summer really confirmed this as a strength and a passion, particularly the relationship-building aspect.

What brought you back to Indy? Moving to Indy made sense to me on many levels. During my time here last year, I felt so welcomed into the community. As I reflected on my summer, I realized I had really fallen in love with the city and could see myself living in Indianapolis after graduation.  Conveniently, I’m also engaged to a bonafide Hoosier, so there was no need to sell her on the city!

What are you looking forward to in your new role at the Harrison Center? I am most looking forward to working with the diverse and talented group of interns we have this summer. I am very excited to see how our interns will grow in the creative environment that we so lovingly call the Harrison Center for the Arts.