Castle Blatna

CZECH REPUBLIC

CASTLE BLATNA

Lara Garrett, MansfieldCollege, Final Year Undergraduate, BA History, InPersonWorking

Work Projects

Castle Blatna has a relatively small team of staff, which meant that during my internship I undertook a diverse range of projects. This enabled me to gain insight into the full scope of Castle Blatna’s operations as well as to develop lots of different skills, including in graphic design and marketing which I had never done before. The opportunity to take on diverse tasks and discover new skills was a real highlight of the internship.

My main task was assisting with events hosted by the castle, which included outdoor theatre, opera and concerts. My responsibilities included writing social media posts, invitations to VIPs and influencers, and programmes, as well as designing signs and posters, setting up events and taking photos. I worked towards two outdoor orchestral concerts in particular. Unfortunately, one of these had to be cancelled due to rain. However, we worked together to hold a mini indoor concert and drinks reception for the VIP guests instead, which gave me valuable insight into how organisations respond to complications.

As well as event organisation, I completed various other projects, some of which were research-based. For example, I was asked to research the connection between General Patton and Castle Blatna. It was known by oral testimony that Patton had stayed at the castle in 1945, however the castles written documentation confirming his stay had been destroyed. I used online books and archives, and reached out to relevant organisations, in order to write a text on Patton’s stay which could be used for guided tours and the castle website. Another task I worked on entailed researching and designing information signs for the deer park. I was granted lots of freedom in this project, selecting both the themes and content of the signs.

In general, I was allowed lots of independence to complete tasks as I saw fit, and to pursue my own ideas. My colleagues let me develop my own projects, and while some of my ideas

could not be implemented for various reasons, others were taken up. For instance, I designed a brochure about the castle on my own initiative, which was subsequently printed for events. The castle team was incredibly supportive and always ready to answer any questions I had, and the responsibility and ownership I was granted over my work really set this internship apart from my previous experiences.

Daily Life

My colleagues at Castle Blatna were very flexible about working hours, so I worked approximately 9:30am to 5:30pm most days. I sometimes worked in the office but generally worked in the cafe, since it had a very friendly and lively atmosphere as well as great coffee! I lived in an apartment in the castle park which was only a couple of minutes away from work. The park is home to lots of fallow deer and peacocks which made the walk to work really picturesque. Sometimes I was alone in the apartment, however there were generally other people staying there too, either people working at the castle or friends of the owners.

My colleagues at Castle Blatna were incredibly warm and friendly. Due to the pandemic, I was the only intern this year, however everyone ensured I felt welcome. Some of my colleagues even took me on trips to places like Cesky Krumlov, Pilsen, Pisek and Tabor, which meant I got to explore lots of South Bohemia. I also did quite a lot of solo travel, to Prague but also places further afield, including Dresden, Vienna and Salzburg. The owner of the castle was incredibly generous in giving me days off to travel, which enabled me to have a very well-rounded internship experience. I really enjoyed visiting so many new places particularly Prague, to which I would love to return.

Lasting Impressions

I loved my time at Castle Blatna and shall always remember it. As someone who enjoys visiting historic properties, it was amazing to get to live and work at a castle. I liked the opportunity to take on so many different projects, since this enabled me to experience the full scope of the castles activities as well as to develop lots of different skills which will be useful for various careers. In particular, I enjoyed taking on some graphic design tasks, since I had never done this before, making it very rewarding when my designs were implemented. Moreover, the independent nature of the internship and opportunity to pitch my own ideas developed my ability to take initiative, which will serve me well for any future workplace.

The people who worked at the castle were always friendly and welcoming, and I really enjoyed the time we spent together. We were all kept busy due to it being high season at the castle, which at times was overwhelming but also meant there was lots to do and also many great events on. Particularly at a time when such events were cancelled back home, I loved the opportunity to regularly see theatre, opera and orchestra concerts.

A career in museums and heritage has long been of interest to me, and while I am still considering options, the internship has definitely confirmed my interest in this sector. I would prefer a research-based, curatorial role than something in marketing, communications, design and suchlike, however I think the insight I gained into all these different areas during the internship has been invaluable in helping me understand how historic houses operate on the ground.

What advice would you give to future interns?

Don’t be afraid to come up with your own ideas. The owners of the castle want fresh insight and give you lots of responsibility to work on your suggestions if you take the initiative. Also, try out some new skills and activities, whether that be in design, marketing, events and so on. I ended up doing lots of things I had never done before, which was initially intimidating but ended up being the most rewarding part of my internship experience.

Furthermore, make sure you travel. The owner of the castle is very generous in giving you some days off for travelling so long as there are no major events on at the castle. Definitely visit Prague and explore the areas closer to Blatna (like Cesky Krumlov and Ceske Budejovice), but also consider visiting bordering countries like Germany and Austria. While it is quite difficult to get to, Salzburg is a gorgeous city that I would recommend visiting.