For six days in mid-July, the sidewalk outside Utica’s Munson Williams Proctor Art Institute (MWPAI) turned into an exhibition. Original artwork, created and donated by artists within a 40-mile radius, hangs on makeshift walls along the edge of the sidewalk, attracting the attention of passers-by. Mia Horvath ’25 was among the audience, but it wasn’t the art that caught her eye – it was the crowd.
As he watched people linger in each section, he realized how museums could foster public interest in art. This is an important mission, and one that Horvath received as part of developing his apprenticeship at MWPAI.
“I want to share my appreciation of art with other people,” Horvath said. “Seeing people at the Sidewalk Art Show made me realize that the work I do is important.”
Horvath had always been interested in art, but it wasn’t until he arrived in Hamilton that he began to consider an art-related career. She attributes this newfound career interest to art history and her art studio classes and the Joan Hinde Stewart (JHS) Career Development Program.
The JHS program invites exceptional students with financial need to participate in a comprehensive four-year program of career-related counseling and guidance. Horvath attended many workshops during his freshman year on campus, including one focused on career exploration.
“It really allowed me to develop and discover what I wanted to do and what areas I might be interested in,” Horvath said. “And I started to really focus on a career in art.”
Horvath’s career adviser put him in touch with John Murphy ’85, director of development at MWPAI and former director of milestone reunions at Hamilton. After several meetings with Horvath, Murphy offered him an internship at the MWPAI Development Office.
In the office, Horvath coordinates events to facilitate membership applications, improve donor relationships, and advise the office on how to increase young adult museum members. Recently, he suggested offering a membership raffle at the Sidewalk Art Show as a means to gauge public interest in membership. The event planner implements the idea.
“My ideas are valued and really counted on,” Horvath said. “It’s good to know that I can be creative and offer ideas that might be used in the future.”
Although Horvath’s internship is based in a development office, he has the opportunity to explore other areas of interest. Overshadowing the curatorial staff, he learns about the various decisions made to build an exhibition. He has also collaborated with social media managers to improve the MWPAI online platform, which he will continue to do until his internship ends on August 12.
“It’s amazing to be surrounded by people who want me to get out of this as much as they want to get out of me,” Horvath said.
Major: Not announced
