51Âþ»­

A 51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) student has won a six-month placement with Curve, helping plan large scale events to secure the venue’s future.

Brianna Piasecki said the internship at the Leicester theatre ‘could not be more perfect’ in helping her find a career in theatre management.

The 21-year-old international student – who moved to study in the UK from America – said the opportunity was an ideal complement to the work on her course.

She said: “This was actually the second time I’d applied, having been unsuccessful first time. I knew how useful it would be – it is exactly the kind of work I want to go into – so when I got the call to say I’d got it, I was jumping around, shouting with joy.”

Working in a team of four, Brianna will be planning and organising events at Curve, hiring out space within the venue for conventions, ceremonies and exhibitions.

She said: “Theatres everywhere are having to look at how they use their facilities to make sure they are more secure in future and can keep showcasing independent, creative theatre.

“For example, we are looking at the possibility of bringing a computer games competition to Curve and working out how we could make a really popular event like that work in the spaces we have.”

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Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, Brianna said she had never been to the UK before moving here to study at university.

She said: “It was so hard at first because I didn’t know anyone and missed my family so much. But Skype and WhatsApp are wonderful things and I could stay in contact while getting to know England.”

She said she had initially studied at the University of Lincoln but the course had not been what she was looking for. Then her mum found the Arts and Festivals Management BA at 51Âþ»­.

Brianna said: “I had never heard of a course like it anywhere in the US and knew as soon as I saw it that I wanted to do it.

“So far it has entirely lived up to what I hoped for. The teachers are excellent; they are interested in us as people, we’re not just numbers. They form the course around what you want to do, what you want to get out of it.

“The university is getting it so right for international students. It feels so welcoming. But it is also offering great opportunities for students to go abroad with – I went on a brilliant trip to Amsterdam to spend time with some amazing theatres there.”

And despite having a preconceived idea of England from her childhood, she said she had been surprised by the reality of living in the UK.

She said: “There was much more of a going out and clubbing culture than I supposed but the weather – which everyone always asks me how I can stand – I really like. People always think Florida is all sunshine but we have so many torrential downpours, too.”