Arts & Culture
Student organization releases creative publication
The Pointer
aschl336@uwsp.edu
“Barney Street,” University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s student- run literary magazine, will be released on April 24. The publication allows UW-SP students to submit poetry, prose, essays, short fiction and nonfiction, as well as black and white artwork, for consideration. The “Barney Street” organization accepts submissions until the end of the fall semester each year.
This year’s release marks the 30th anniversary of “Barney Street.” The publication was named for a road that once bisected the campus. According to rumor, this street was a hangout for the local creative community.
The organization’s history, which appears on its Web site and in many of its books, describes the name’s origin.
“In July 1962, the City of Stevens Point, Wis. issued a Resolution of Discontinuance for a road named Barney Street and all adjacent properties. The tiny street bisected the campus between 4th and Franklin, and was named after Barney Kostuchowski. An article in a 1975 issue of The Pointer records the dedication of the Gilbert W. Faust Lecture Hall, part of the Science Building addition built on what was once Barney Street. The College of Professional Studies, the Learning Resource Center and the College of Natural Resources now stand on part of the 1962 land purchase. Barney Street existed for only 15 years. Barney Street, the literary publication, first emerged on the UW- SP campus in 1978. Its title is in remembrance of this road.”
Students on the “Barney Street” staff are responsible for gathering the submissions, choosing pieces for publication, layout and copy editing. They also coordinate a yearly release party. The organization currently consists of 15 active members. This diverse group includes students of all four academic years with varying majors and publishing experience.
The group is open to anyone who is interested, regardless of major. “We were lucky enough to have a fabulous group of editors this year who took on a lot of responsibilities and made our job so much easier. We have a few seniors leaving at the end of this year, so we could really use some new faces next year!” said the co- president and co-editor in chief, Kate Worzala.
The April 24 release party will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Carlsten Art Gallery on the second floor of the Noel Fine Arts Center. The event includes a reading, which will begin at 8:00 p.m. Refreshments and free copies of the book and food will be available for anyone who attends the party. For the rest of the semester, the organization will offer other opportunities to obtain a copy of the book.
“After the release party, we plan to have a booth in the UC concourse and give out copies of this year’s book; these copies will also be free, but a good-will donation is heavily encouraged. Copies of the book will also be placed in the university library and the Mary K. Croft Tutoring-Learning Center,” said Worzala.
Those who wish to join the organization next year or submit their work to “Barney Street” can find more information at www. uwsp.edu/stuorg/univwriters/ barney_street.htm. Submissions may be set to barneyst@uwsp.edu.
See previous issuses of the PointerOnline!