The Tyler Literary Society (TLS), one of the oldest student-run clubs in Bucks history, is looking for students to submit or perform art for their annual Tyler Literacy Showcase Tuesday, April 16.
The showcase will take place in the Gallagher Room on the Newtown campus and will begin at 11:30 a.m.
Vice-president Cherry Kivumbi, a 22-year-old communication major from Fairless Hills, described the showcase as “an inclusive event that showcases different forms of talent of Bucks students in a friendly and welcoming environment.”
TLS has been accepting any poetry or musical performances from both students and staff, and it has also encouraged people to bring in physical art to display or even sell during the event.
Food and music will be provided, and anyone is welcomed to attend at no cost.
This is the second showcase that TLS has hosted, and members are hoping for an even bigger turnout.
President MaryKate McGarvey, a 22-year-old music student from Levittown, shared that “even if you don’t have any art to display or perform on stage, we really encourage people to come for a good time. We have a lot of fun planned for this event.”
She continued, “I’m so excited to see it happen for a second year in a row.”
The club, advised by English Professor Eric Specian, has been in place since the 1960s, when the school was first founded. It has been off and on for several years.
McGarvey explained that officers would come and go as they graduated and moved on to four-year universities. She got involved when a friend stepped up and took a position as an officer.
“When she left, I decided to step in as president and brought a lot of awesome people with me to be on the board of officers, including Cherry, the current vice president,” said McGarvey.
McGarvey believes that with this team, they can really bring honor to the club and artistic value that TLS have emphasized and encouraged in previous years.
In addition to the showcase, the TLS has previously published multiple issues of their art magazine, “The Tyler Lit Mag.” It featured original poems, short stories, artwork, photos, music lyrics, screen plays, and more created by Bucks students.
A new issue of the magazine is published and printed once a semester and is free for anyone to read.
The club is looking for any student interested in or has experience with graphic design or magazine layout and editing to help them work on their next issue of the magazine, which should be published in late April to early May.
If any student is interested in providing their original art for the magazine, providing assistance with editing and graphic design, or overall have any questions, they can contact the club at [email protected].
TLS has been looking for new members. If you want to be able to share your creativity through art, music, and writing in a fun and down-to-earth environment, TLS may be the right choice for you.
The deadline to submit pieces or performance ideas to the TLS to be featured in the showcase is Wednesday, April 10. All art must be approved by the club and Student Life beforehand.
Anyone can go the “Tyler Literary Society” Facebook page and follow the Signup Genius link.