Letter from the Arts & Life editor: The Lantern wants to publish your art

Nicholas Youngblood
Thu, 19 Mar 2020 22:34:16 +0000
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As of March 19, any of our readers are able to submit their acts of self-expression to The Lantern for publication.

Submissions can be drawings, photos, poems, essays, sculptures, songs, spoken word — anything. We will host them on our Projects website and post them on our social media. Any students, faculty and staff members or alumni who would like to submit a piece can do so through a Google form that can be accessed under the COVID-19 tab on our website.

This space is not just for “artists.” Anyone with a need to be seen, heard and shared is welcome to participate. These pieces can be inspired by cabin fever, quarantine fears, hope for the future or something entirely different.

It has now been more than a week since University President Michael V. Drake announced that face-to-face classes would be suspended for the rest of the spring semester to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. In that time, I have seen the initial shock from friends and co-workers at The Lantern who have felt the disappointment of a year cut short.

Some — myself included — are graduating this spring, and we have had to come to grips with an undergraduate experience that will end with a sad fizzle in lieu of a bang. Others are missing out on in-person learning and professional experiences that could prove essential in their budding careers. Still, more have felt isolation compound with uncertainty, anxiety and crushing stress during one of the toughest parts of the academic year.

Being the arts & life editor for The Lantern, I have witnessed my desk dry up as events are canceled and theaters, restaurants and cultural hubs temporarily close their doors. My heart goes out to the dancers, singers, painters, actors, authors, photographers and more who have seen their performances and exhibitions go up in smoke.

A virus can take its toll on one’s health, but social distancing and stifling artistic expression have robbed us all of pieces of ourselves. In an ongoing effort to serve our readers, The Lantern staff has decided to do something about it.

I can’t wait to see what our readers share. Covering the culture and expression of the student body has been my job and passion for a year now, and it’s my hope that this will help fill the hole left by our empty campus.

My utmost gratitude goes to Jack Long, Lantern special projects director, for his idea and expertise setting up the site.

Visit the Artboard Submission Page on The Lantern website to submit your work. The Lantern editors reserve the right to deny any submission for any reason. By submitting, you are agreeing to allow The Lantern Media Group to use your artwork with attribution and modification.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Youngblood

Arts & Life Editor