This Sunday, April 30th, Saga will release the 80th volume of their magazine. This publication features poetry, prose, and art created by members of the Augustana community.
Contrary to popular belief, Saga is not a club but rather a publication that seeks to create a community of artists here on campus. Each board hosts a variety of events throughout the year to encourage a friendly atmosphere for artists of all backgrounds. Past events have included open mics, finger painting on the quad, and the Poetry as Protest event this past January.
Saga’s main event, however, remains the yearly publication of the Saga magazine each spring. Students from any major are invited to submit pieces during winter term, which are then judged by Saga’s art, prose, and poetry board members. Students do not have to be part of one of the Saga boards in order to submit any works for consideration.
“We strive to find diverse voices and artwork and everything and anything. We want to see it all,” said senior and editor-in-chief Emma Smith. “Saga is supposed to represent the community and campus and all of the people in it. Nothing is too raw.”
“Submitting is a huge act of courage,” agreed senior and editor-in-chief Alyssa Froehling. “I get how terrifying it is to have something that represents a vulnerable side of yourself be judged.”
Students interested in getting involved with Saga as staff or board members can apply during the summer and early fall. Staff members, such as the editors-in-chief, work to design and put together the physical magazine, while board members organize events and determine which pieces are published.
“Board members are the lifeblood of Saga. They read all of the submissions and choose what goes into the magazine, even if they don’t submit themselves” said Froehling.
Students who are declined one year are also encouraged to submit again the next year. Saga is continuously seeking out new and different perspectives to include in the magazine.
“A lot of the people who submit or get published aren’t creative writing majors or artists,” said senior and editor-in-chief Elena Leith. “They’re just people doing their own thing, their own majors, and their own clubs that feel passionate about different issues, and their art just exposes that. It’s very unifying for the campus.”
To celebrate the new volume of Saga, the publication is hosting a free release party open to everyone on campus. Interested students can RSVP on Saga’s Facebook page. There, students can get their own copy of the new volume, listen to performances by published students, and enjoy free food.
Saga’s magazine is a free publication to all students on campus. Copies are left throughout the CSL and the different academic buildings on campus for anyone to pick up and take with them.
Students with more questions can contact any of the current editors-in-chief via sagamagazine.com or the Saga Magazine Facebook page.