Students looking to unleash their creativity in the form of the written word or visual art work will again have a canvas this semester.
“Each year we publish a 100-plus page journal showcasing creative work by Bradley students,” Broadside Editor-in-Chief Melissa Wahl said. “We publish written work, including poetry, fiction, plays, screenplays and creative non-fiction, as well as visual artwork including photos, paintings, drawings and more. Any current student may submit work to be considered for publication.”
While the Broadside Journal is published in the spring, Broadside also publishes “Broadsheets,” posters displaying student writing and art, around campus three times a year, as well as hosting several open mic nights, Wahl said.
“These events are opportunities for students to share their creative work with each other,” she said. “Any student may read or perform at these events or sit in the audience and enjoy. The last open mic of the year will be held around the same time the journal comes out, so those published in the journal can share their talents.”
Wahl said this year Broadside is also hosting its first ever Broadside Writing Week on its Web site from Feb. 8 to 12.
“Each day, we’ll post a different prompt to get the creative juices going,” she said. “Those who are inspired who want to submit their piece for consideration in the spring publication are encouraged to do so.”
As the submission deadline for the spring journal draws nearer, Broadside will be offering a service to any art students who need to photograph their large art pieces but have no way to do it themselves, Wahl said.
“During the last week before the submission deadline, interested students can e-mail broadsidelitmag@gmail.com to set up a time for one of our staff members to come photograph the piece of art for them,” she said.
The Broadside staff is made up of only current Bradley students, and committees of five to 20 students evaluate pieces for publication through an anonymous selection process, Wahl said. The only person who knows who submitted each piece is the editor-in-chief.
“The submission deadline for the spring journal is Feb. 21 at 9 p.m,” she said. “Once everything is selected, designed and proofed, it takes about four to five weeks for the printer to return the final product to us. Our release date should hopefully be either April 16 or 23.”
After the submission deadline has passed, Broadside will host a reception for anyone who submitted anything for the spring journal, Wahl said.
“The dessert reception is our way of saying thanks for contributing,” she said. “The final information about it is still to be determined though.”
Anyone interested in submitting their work to Broadside can do so on its Web site: www.bradley.edu/campusorg/broadside.
