Monmouth’s student-run literary magazine, the “Monmouth Review,” is releasing its 68th edition on April 25. After the publication is released, the organization will host a launch party on the same day where the authors will have the opportunity to read their work starting at 4:30 in Rechnitz Hall, Room 107. This year, there will be a new feature added to the party: students from outside the publication will also be invited to share their work at the event.
“We thought this would be a good opportunity to increase visibility for the Review,” explained Zafira Demiri, Editor-in-Chief for the “Monmouth Review.” “We want to reach out to more people across the disciplines because art is for everyone, and so in inviting more people to come and giving them a safe space to read their work, we hope we can extend this appreciation of the arts to more people. Of course, our contributors for this issue will have priority for the reading, but we hope that allowing more interested students to read in an open mic afterward, if time allows, would boost interest and involvement.”
The “Monmouth Review” has been in print for 68 years and publishes yearly, giving student participants experience with having their art published.
“We host this launch party to recognize all of the contributors who bring the magazine to life: the authors and artists who submit their work, the editors who put in so much time and energy to polishing up the work for print, our advisors who help us sort out the logistics and make the printing process possible. By the end of it all, we have a work of art only possible through the collaboration of all these individuals—and the best way to celebrate that is with a celebration that brings us all together! And most importantly, to give those contributors the chance to share that hard work out loud,” said Demiri.
The party will feature a podium for students to read their work, as well as refreshments and copies of the new edition.
Demiri concluded, “With every launch party, I hope people recognize the kind of artistic talent we have at Monmouth. Artists, painters, writers, poets—you name it, we have it! All of our contributors have something worthwhile to show the world, and it’s important to create a space and hold events like this where those words and ideas can be received and appreciated by the community.”
