Colin Sharkey Turns Internship Into Talent Buying Position at Epiphany Center for the Arts

Growing up in Lincolnshire, IL and attending Stevenson High School, Music Business alum Colin Sharkey had the music industry in his sights. Playing in a successful metal band that had sold out shows throughout the Midwest, he quickly realized that in addition to playing in the band, he was doing many of the duties management would be doing. According to Colin, “I was basically working a job when I was booking my band months in advance, street teaming, running the social media, handling merchandise, and so on. Then, we started connecting with bands and fans within the metal community all over the country. A hobby/pipe dream of working in the music industry now felt like an achievable goal.”

Before coming to Columbia, Colin took some time off from the music industry. This led him to reflect on his passion and desire to re-enter the music industry, and also find an internship that would give him a chance to experience what he once had done with his band. This opportunity would come in the form of a fall 2021 internship with Epiphany Center for the Arts. With last fall being his final semester, Colin found an internship that gave him the platform to utilize his previous experience, as well as the skills he had learned via classes. “I really wanted an internship with hands-on experience, because I knew that would be confirming whether or not I still belonged in this industry.”

In addition to an internship, Colin found a community of professionals at Epiphany who supported his goals while providing valuable insight. According to Colin, “The people surrounding Epiphany made the impact for me. We were all coming together to produce these events and made sure they went smoothly, and I missed that feeling of building something within a world of music that I loved.”

With graduation looming in December of 2021, Colin’s hard work and perseverance during his internship paid off. He was offered a paid position as a Talent Buyer with Epiphany. In this position, he is able to work closely with artists, something that comes second nature to him. For Colin, the offer came just at the right time, and gave him a sense of relief about his future. “I found out I was getting hired just before the end of my internship. A weight was lifted off my shoulders. I had been struggling to leave the food service industry for a long time, and even though I've still had to work both jobs, I knew I was finally moving my life forward with purpose.”