Alumni Spotlight: Madara Vimba 

After graduating from the University of Lincoln with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art in 2019, I ventured into the freelance world within the creative sector. Through the university network and careers portal, I secured significant opportunities, including an internship with Frequency Festival, founded by Threshold Studios. As part of their RADAR Graduate Scheme, I worked as an Audience Engagement & Marketing Assistant for Frequency Festival 2021, which is where my journey in the creative industry ‘officially’ began.

Following my first internship, I had the opportunity to further develop my skills and work with the amazing team at the Lincoln Museum as a Marketing Intern and collaborate with fellow creatives and UoL Alumni on an artist-led organisation ‘The MashUP’, which I now co-direct. Additionally, I had the privilege of working with Lincolnshire’s one and only SO Festival in 2022, which was an unforgettable and rewarding experience.

Throughout my academic journey, I took as many opportunities as possible and co-directed a live art piece ‘UGGA’ as part of the Lincoln Company, performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2019. Another highlight was performing as part of a collective at the UK New Artists (UKNA) Nottingham City Takeover in 2019, where I met the UKNA team. After a year of freelancing, I achieved a full circle moment by securing the position of Marketing & Digital Manager at UKNA in 2022. Working with such a dynamic organisation dedicated to supporting new artists is truly a dream. Currently, I am immersed in working on remarkable projects such as the Robert Walters UK New Artist of the Year Award which takes place at the iconic Saatchi Gallery, in London.

In 2022, I made the decision to return to my studies and enroll in a part-time MA in Fine Art at the University of Lincoln. The three-year gap between my BA and MA has been transformative, allowing me to acquire new skills and establish a solid foundation within the creative industry.

As I now journey through my MA, my creative practice keeps evolving, and I am dedicating more time to finding new opportunities as an artist. In the first year of my MA, I had the privilege of collaborating with members of an artist-led organisation, Two Queens, based in Leicester, and showcasing my work at the Lincoln Museum. This trajectory has sparked a keen interest in exploring curational work.

None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support from my peers, mentors, and the valuable connections I made during my time as a student at the University of Lincoln.