LowellArts is gearing up for a return to normal programming this year, including art classes, live gallery concerts and adult and youth theater productions. In the thick of it all will be Laurel Conrad, the newest staff member of Lowell’s arts non-profit.
Conrad has been on the job for about a year now and calls the chance to work with LowellArts “lightning in a bottle.” Her role as program manager fits perfectly with her education in theater and business, and she looks forward to bringing a variety of arts experiences to Lowell residents.
Pandemic Provides Employment Opportunity
A 2018 graduate of Adrian College, Conrad earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre with minors in business and art. Out of college, she landed a job at a bridal shop in Kalamazoo where she managed the store’s social media among other duties.
Then, the pandemic hit, weddings were cancelled and Conrad was on the hunt for another job. She found one in a call center for an insurance company and quickly discovered that was not what she wanted to do with her life. Fortunately, her mom happened upon the job posting for LowellArts.
“It was like lightning in a bottle, honestly,” Conrad says. The job of program manager not only fit with her passions but also with her educational background.
Today, Conrad wears many hats. To start the year, she’s organized classes, written about the March featured artist and prepped for the first two shows of the 2021 theater season. Those include the youth theater production of The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood and The Cemetery Club for the adult theater.
Residents Encouraged to Embrace the Arts
Conrad grew up in a small town so working in Lowell feels, in some ways, like a return to her roots. “Lowell is definitely a very welcoming and friendly town,” she says.
She is also thrilled to have found a position in the arts and says there is something special about working in the field and being surrounded by creative people. She hopes that residents who haven’t participated in LowellArts events in the past will do so in the future so they too can have this experience.
Theater holds a special place in her heart, and she encourages people to consider auditioning for upcoming community productions. “We try to be as inclusive and educational as possible,” she says of the audition process, and no acting experience is necessary to try out.
Those cast in a production get the chance to meet new people and try on new personas. “It’s a great time,” she says, adding with a smile: “And then you can brag about it to all your friends.”
Looking to the future, Conrad hopes to build upon existing programs at LowellArts and maybe return to some old traditions. For instance, she hopes there will once again be a dinner show in The Old Theater, something that hasn’t happened for several years now.
Shakespeare famously said, “All the world’s a stage,” but sometimes it’s nice to sit in the audience and watch as others do the acting. As she heads into her second year with LowellArts, Conrad hopes area residents will take the time to enjoy some of the music, art and theater that is planned for the upcoming year.
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