Bard Written Arts

Resources

Internships and Other Campus Opportunities

  • Conjunctions
    Conjunctions
    An internationally distributed literary journal edited by Bradford Morrow, Conjunctions is both a weekly online magazine and a biannual e-/print collection of provocative, risk-taking fiction, poetry, and narrative nonfiction. Applications are accepted year-round from students wishing to intern in the Bard business office.
  • La Voz
    La Voz
    La Voz is the only publication in Spanish for the 120,000-plus Latinos of the Hudson Valley. When student work opportunities are available, they are listed at College Central.

Internships and Writing Opportunities for Students

Students can refer to this document for an updated list of internships and databases that may be useful for Written Arts majors. 
Grammar & Copy Writing Resources
Students can find campus and online resources for grammar and copywriting in this document. 
Bard Student Publications and Literary Groups
Bard writers can find a quiet, productive space to work on their writing through the gatherings of Shut Up and Write! (email the Bard Learning Commons at [email protected] for more information).

In addition, numerous student-run literary journals and text-in-performance groups exist on campus—some more ephemeral in nature, and others long-running. Some examples of opportunities for student editing and publication include:

Bard Creative Writing Club 
Club Heads: Kamil Karpiak ([email protected]) and Kaleth Torrens-Martin ([email protected])
Inclusive of all majors, not just Written Arts! In this club, members can submit their written creations (be it prose, poetry, or other works of written word) for the reading and group critique of the other members. The best way to take a written work to the next level is to put it out for peers to read it. This club is here to provide that opportunity to anyone who wants it. Constructive criticism only!

Bard Free Press
https://issuu.com/bardfreepress
Club Head: Cassidy Alitz-Polga ([email protected])
The Free Press is Bard's preeminent source for print journalism. We are dedicated to hard-nosed, straightforward reporting and in-depth investigative journalism. We cover anything deemed relevant to the community, whether it happens on or off campus. We are always taking submissions.
Social Media: @bardfreepress on Instagram

Bard Papers
http://www.bardpapers.org/about
Club Head: Evan John ([email protected])
Bard College's visual/written arts publication showcasing student and faculty work each year.
Social Media: @bardpapers on Instagram

The Bardvark
​​​​​​​https://thebardvark.wixsite.com/thebardvark
Club Heads: Annie Dodson ([email protected]), Maya Lavender ([email protected]), Brian Watko ([email protected])
Bard's preeminent satirical publication.
Social Media: @the_bardvark on Instagram

Bard Observer
Club Heads: Elena Thompson ([email protected]) and Mel Torres ([email protected])
A newspaper that focuses on the news Bard students are interested in, with articles written by students. Showcasing the wonderful art, events, and general content that Bard students are constantly creating.
Social Media: @bardobserver on Instagram

BOTV (Bard On Television)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdI_dV8dYheQJ_S1lUY4WxQ
Club Heads: Freddie Hernandez ([email protected]) and Kaitlyn McClelland ([email protected])
BOTV is a media club whose goal is to bring entertainment, creativity, and also a platform for social thought to Bard by utilizing video, the Internet, and photography. We record and publicize Bard events in addition to creating original content created by our staff and Bard students within the community for the enjoyment of the Bard Community. We also are here to provide pertinent news information ranging from the Bard Hub to global news. We also teach workshops to club members who want to gain experience using video-audio equipment. As well as host events throughout the semester for all of campus.
Social Media: Facebook

Bard Science Journal
Club Head: Liam Bach ([email protected])
Bard Science Journal is a student publication dedicated to all genres of science writing including news articles, essays, science-inspired art & poetry, and peer-reviewed research papers. We want Bard Science Journal to be a forum for students to explore different ways of writing and thinking about science. Bard Science Journal emphasizes access to quality science for everyone. Open to both majors and non-majors!

Black Artists at Bard
Club Head: Andy Garcia ([email protected])
A space for black students working across mediums to engage with each other’s work where it may not be understood in the traditional spaces as well as maintaining an open dialogue about the ethics of each medium and issues of representation.

Fantastic Tales
​​​​​​​Club Head: Christopher Benincase ([email protected])
A bimonthly publication for science fiction and fantasy short stories by Bard students, for Bard students. There is high interest within the student body for an outlet like this, yet it does not exist. Hence, my decision to start this club.

La Voz Club
Club Head: Elisa Littin Egana ([email protected])
This is the club affiliated with La Voz magazine. We help organize events relevant to the Hispanic community such as concerts, lectures and more. In addition we seek writers, journalists, and artists for the magazine´s content.
Social Media: Facebook and @lavozhudsonvalley on Instagram 

Project for Policy Innovation
Club Head: Eli Shapiro ([email protected])
Want to boost your resume and do something cool? Project for Policy Innovation is a student-run think tank that will produce economic, political, and foreign policy proposals and Op-Eds. It will provide students with opportunities to learn how to research and write professionally about these topics, improve their design skills, and learn how to organize labor. We are looking for a treasurer, secretary, writers/editors, digital designers, and a film specialist. Students majoring in political science, human rights, religious studies, EUS, economics, GIS, gender & sexuality studies, studio arts, and film are highly encouraged to apply. Depending on the role, members will be asked to submit an Op-Ed about any relevant topic every other week and work together in groups to write a policy brief due at the end of the semester. Other members will be tasked with interviewing scholars and professionals. Members are also encouraged to submit their papers that they've written in class to publish.

Race Monologues
Club Head: Skye Carter ([email protected])
The Race Monologues will serve as a platform for expression for students on and off Bard's campus. As a WOC and POC on this campus, there is not a day that my race/identity/ethnicity does not present itself whether implicit or within interactions. In the past, the Race Monologues have been a space of inclusivity for Bard students to engage how they confront race or conversely, how race confronts them (or does not). At this predominantly white institution or PWI, it seems many forget that there are those that do not always have that.

Sonnet — A Literary Magazine
Sonnet Literary Magazine is an annual, student-run literary publication which aims to create a platform for both written and visual artists by and for Bard students. We seek to publish creative fiction, poetry, works of translation, and art. Our hope is to compose a final creative project that represents the many literary and artistic talents at Bard College.
Social Media: @sonnetmagazine on Instagram 
Publishing Outside Bard
Those who are ready to begin submitting their work to non-Bard publications will be able to find hundreds of indie lit mags that accept no-fee submissions. Always be sure to read a journal’s submission guidelines carefully before submitting, in order to be aware of upcoming themed issues, reading periods, policies regarding simultaneous submissions and SASEs, etc.
 
The best way to know whether a given lit mag will make a good home for your work is to read it. Many journals publish work on their websites; in addition, the Shafer House and Stevenson libraries make a number of literary periodicals available for students to browse. You can also read annual anthologies such as the Best American or Pushcart Prize series to find prize-winning selections from current journals. And Twitter is an easy way to discover lit mags—you can search for literary journals, then follow a few, and Twitter will recommend more for you to discover.

Here are a few sample sites that can help student writers begin to get a sense of what journals are out there:
Resources for Life after Bard
Graduates of the Written Arts Program go on to pursue many different paths, including careers in publishing, journalism, teaching, marketing, the nonprofit sector, and the library sciences. The Career Development Office is a tremendous resource for those preparing for the job market, and the Written Arts Senior Colloquium (required for all written arts majors in their senior year) brings in guests, including faculty, alumni/ae, and outside speakers, to discuss with students the range of internships and careers available to the writer.

Graduate Study in the Written Arts
Many written arts students consider pursuing their creative work at the graduate level by obtaining an MFA or PhD (although the Program strongly advises waiting at least a few years after graduation to do so). Both AWP and Poets & Writers provide online databases of colleges and universities that offer such degrees; you can search by criteria including degree type, level of residency, funding, location, etc. Bard itself has a summer MFA program offering a masters of fine arts in various disciplines, including writing.

A few of the many Written Arts graduates who have gone on to pursue MFA degrees over the past several years include Molly Anders (Syracuse University), Joy Baglio (The New School), Jedediah Berry (University of Massachusetts Amherst), Liza Birnbaum (University of Massachusetts-Amherst), Moira Donegan (NYU), Sarah Goffman (Hunter College), Christina Kaminski (Iowa Writers' Workshop), Zachary King (UMass-Amherst), Gracie Leavitt (Brooklyn College), J. W. McCormack (Columbia University), Grayson Morley (Iowa Writers' Workshop), Sophie Rosenblum (University of Houston), Christian TeBordo (Syracuse University), Emma Smith-Stevens (University of Florida-Gainesville), Joe Vallese (NYU), and Mary Wilson (Brown). Others have pursued PhDs, including Len Gutkin (Yale), Wendy Lotterman (NYU), Ethan Porter (University of Chicago), and many others.

Residencies, Fellowships, Grants, and Contests
Once writers have a published body of work, they may look for residencies that will allow them time and space to work. Yaddo, MacDowell, the Provincetown Fine Arts Center, and the Vermont Studio Center are among the best-known of these. Poets & Writers has a searchable online database. Funds for Writers also provides a list of fellowships and residencies.

Some organizations provide financial grants to writers; Write Life is one of various websites to list some available grants. The Poets & Writers database for grant-giving organizations that accept applications also includes a number of writing contests.

Be aware that many writing contests require a submission fee (these contests often generate revenue for the sponsoring publisher), and that the award is not always financial: Sometimes the winner is simply honored with publication of his or her work. It can be advisable to familiarize yourself with the work of the contest judge(s) before submitting, in order to gauge whether the styles and forms of your own writing are likely to appeal. The Written Arts Program frequently uses the [email protected] listserv to advise students of current writing contests; to join the listserv and receive those announcements, email us at [email protected].

CDO Career Guide for the Arts

How to Start and Sustain an Art Career
Career Guide for the Arts is designed to provide creative students with a fundamental understanding of how to get started as serious young artists following graduation. Written by the Career Development Office (CDO) in collaboration with the faculty of the Bard Conservatory of Music, Arts Division, and Written Arts Program, the guide offers suggestions on how to start and sustain a career in the arts.
Download the Career Guide