Designing for Impact: The Bascom Launches Emerging Designer Program
This summer, The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts is introducing a new initiative designed to support the next generation of creative professionals. The Emerging Designer Program is a mentored internship that offers aspiring graphic designers hands-on experience in arts marketing and communications, allowing them to contribute to the visual storytelling and design strategies that support a nonprofit arts organization during its busiest season.
Rooted in The Bascom’s broader Creative Community Initiative, the program embodies the organization’s mission to empower individuals and communities through the visual arts—offering meaningful professional development opportunities for artists at all stages of their careers. It also addresses a regional need: in rural western North Carolina, access to career-building experiences in the arts can be limited by distance, resources, or awareness. The Emerging Designer Program helps bridge that gap by providing real-world learning in a mission-driven environment.
This year’s inaugural cohort includes Seth Baker and Parks Felton, both graphic design students at Western Carolina University. Throughout the summer, they will work directly with Bianca Mitchell, The Bascom’s Director of Marketing and Communications, on design collateral for two key projects: Chatov: A Retrospective and the Dazzling Dahlia Festival. From print layouts to visual storytelling, the internship offers experience in design strategy, creative communication, and nonprofit arts marketing.
“At The Bascom, we’re dedicated to developing professional pathways that help emerging artists apply their talents in meaningful ways,” says Bianca Mitchell, Director of Marketing and Communications. “It’s incredibly rewarding to support these young designers as they grow creatively and contribute to the visual voice of our region.”
Baker, a senior whose studies at Glasgow Caledonian University broadened his global design perspective, shares, “I look forward to designing for art I’m genuinely passionate about.” Felton, a junior, adds, “Working with and contributing to the community I’ve grown to love so much is something I’ve aspired to since I moved here.”
Interns will be on campus each Friday through July 25, and The Bascom invites visitors to stop by and help welcome these emerging designers to the Plateau.
