Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

  -- For the first time, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s award-winning literary magazine, Baily’s Beads, will be published online.             The 2021 edition will be unveiled at an online event at 7 p.m. Feb. 3. The event will include the Baily’s Beads tradition of an open mic. For login details, email Dr. Nancy McCabe, professor of writing and Baily’s Beads adviser, at ngm4@pitt.edu .             Additionally, the event will celebrate the awarding of first place with special merit by the American Scholastic Press Association to Baily’s Beads 2020 edition edited by 2020 graduate Taylor Tarahteeff, which focused on local and regional history, including historical photographs. The magazine also received an award for outstanding theme.             McCabe said the magazine staff had to make two m...

Bradford Landmark Society photo Calling all armchair historians! The 2020 edition of Baily’s Beads, the award-winning literary magazine created by University of Pittsburgh Bradford students, is seeking submissions for a writing contest. Editor Taylor Tarahteeff, an interdisciplinary arts major from Bradford, selected the theme of “Past, Present, and Future” for the 2020 issue and hopes to represent the rich local history of McKean County. “Bradford is a city built on a complex and fantastic heritage! Everyone you meet has a story to tell about the glitz and glamor of this bustling oil town,” Tarahteeff said. “We wanted to recognize the writers in our community and represent the pride and legacy of the area.” The guidelines for the contest are as follows: Create a piece of prose, poetry or artwork in any genre, focusing on McKean county history. Suggestions for topics include oil history, natural disasters, family occupations, Bradford during prohibition, architecture, railroa...

Baily’s Beads, the literary magazine of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, and student writer Shahada Thomas have both received awards from the American Scholastic Press Association for the magazine’s 2017 issue. For the fifth time, the association named Baily’s Beads the Most Outstanding Literary Arts Magazine, awarding it a near-perfect score and First Place with Special Merit. Editors of the 2017 issue were writing majors Colin Almeida of North Wales and Stephanie McFall of Smethport, and Amy Gaberseck of Smethport, an interdisciplinary arts major who served as the head editor of layout and design. Faculty advisor Dr. Nancy McCabe, professor of writing and director of the writing program, said, “These awards are due to contributions from the entire staff, but I especially would like to credit designer Amy Gaberseck, whose hard work, talent and high professional standards brought this issue to the highest level it’s ever been, in my opi...

The 2018 edition of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s award-winning literary magazine will feature online components, such as musical compositions or audio renditions of performance poems. The staff of Baily’s Beads will unveil this year’s issue at the Annual Literary Magazine Celebration at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24 in the Mukaiyama University Room of the Frame-Westerberg Commons at Pitt-Bradford. Edited by three writing majors, Isaac Payne, a sophomore from Kane, Jayden Pire, a senior from Oswayo, and Shahada Thomas, a sophomore from Chester, the 2018 volume incorporates a variety of work. That work included an immersion journalism piece, a play, a screenplay, poetry, literary fiction and genre fiction. Readers will also be able to use web links or QR codes to hear original musical compositions and performance poetry read by the artist. In addition, the issue contains original digital photography and winners of a Seven Word Contest, for which a...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s spring Spectrum Series will showcase student talent as well as regional musicians and an artist’s view of Iceland. Events are open to the public and free unless otherwise noted. The season begins with the unveiling of the 2015 edition of Baily’s Beads, the award-winning student-run literary magazine. The annual celebration will take place at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21, 2015, in the Mukaiyama University Room in the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The latest issue will be revealed with refreshments, prizes, readings by Baily’s Beads contributors and an open mic for anyone who wants to share original work. February will begin with an art exhibition by Burke Jam, “From a Black Shore: FRACTURE,” that examines how sound informs our perception of place. An opening and gallery talk by the artist will take place at noon, Feb. 6, in the KOA Art Gallery in Blaisdell Hall. The exhibition will be on display from Feb. 6...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s student literary magazine, Baily’s Beads, and the Bradford YWCA are sponsoring a poetry contest to spotlight Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The contest is open to students, faculty, staff and community members. Those wishing to participate may sign up Oct. 28 in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel on campus at 6 p.m., at which time a reading of the poems will take place. Contestants may also pre-register by calling the YWCA at 368-4235, ext. 116. Former members of the writing faculty at Pitt-Bradford will serve as judges, and prizes will be awarded for first, second and third. Poems should deal with domestic violence themes. For disability needs related to the event, contact the Pitt-Bradford Office of Disability Services at 814-362-7609 or clh71@pitt.edu. To hear more about the poetry contest you can listen to today's LiveLine or last Tuesday's (10/14) by going to WESB.com/listen and clicking on th...

Baily’s Beads, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s award-winning literary magazine, is seeking general submissions and sponsoring a contest open to students, faculty, staff, and community members of all ages. Contest winners’ entries will be published in a special section of the next Baily’s Beads. The directions are to write a piece of creative nonfiction, fiction, or poetry of no more than 300 words incorporating the following words: A broken mask, a violin, neon lights, ashes, metallic, rustle. Editors are looking for concrete imagery and sensory detail, focusing on “showing” the reader rather than “telling” through summary. Submissions can be sent to bailys@pitt.edu by Friday, March 29. Writers should put “Prompt Contest” in the e-mail’s subject line and include a cover sheet with the author’s name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, and genre of submission. The author’s name should not appear anywhere on the manuscript. ...

The staff of Baily’s Beads will unveil the 2012 magazine at a celebration Jan. 25 in Mukaiyama University Room of the Frame-Westerberg Commons at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The event, which begins at 7:30 p.m., will include refreshments, readings and an open mic for those wishing to share their original work. The staff will also present awards for the best writing in the magazine. The free event is part of the university’s Spectrum Series. Co-editors for the 2012 edition of Pitt-Bradford’s literary magazine were Seth Cheatle, an English major from St. Marys, and James Segee, a writing major from Bradford. Advisor Dr. Nancy McCabe, director of the writing program, said that this year’s staff had some additional challenges to overcome due to rising printing costs and a constricted budget. “The staff and I challenged ourselves to produce a high quality, low-budget magazine, which meant that we couldn’t do as much with color or...

The 2011 edition of Baily’s Beads, the literary magazine of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, has been chosen Most Outstanding University Literary Magazine for 2011 by the American Scholastic Press Association. It is the highest honor the association can award a college literary magazine. Last year the magazine received the award for colleges in its enrollment category, but this was the first year it was the overall winner. The magazine also received first place with special merit, a distinction it also earned in 2004, 2005 and 2008. The 2011 issue was edited by Sarah Dorben, a 2011 writing graduate, and Michael Reeder, a 2011 writing graduate from Murrysville who also served as layout editor. The issue also earned a gold medalist certificate from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, which it also earned in 2005, 2007 and 2008. Dr. Nancy McCabe, associate professor of writing and director of the writing program, is advisor for the staff, which also included Arpad Hervanek...

The staff of Baily’s Beads, the literary magazine of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, will have two reasons to celebrate Wednesday night. The first is the unveiling of the 2011 edition. The second is accolades received for the 2010 issue. The public is invited to join the unveiling and celebration at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in the Mukaiyama University Room. The event will include refreshments, readings and an open mic for those wishing to share their original work. The free event is part of the university’s Spectrum Series. Also during the celebration, Mandy Colosimo, editor of the 2010 edition, will accept the Best College Magazine award from the American Scholastic Press Association. The award is given to the top scoring magazine in each enrollment category. The 2010 edition scored 990 out of a possible 1,000 points, receiving marks of distinction in both writing and editing and concept. Judges wrote that that the edition was, “unique and breathtaking …...