Queen’s oldest arts and literature publication, Undergraduate Review, ventures into new territory.

The campus publication has always been a place for students to exhibit their art, photography, poetry and short stories, but according to the magazine’s co-editor-in-chief, Anna Williams, (ArtSci ’20), this year they’re trying something new.

Williams said the pop-up will be the first of its kind for the magazine, and will be taking place on Feb. 10 from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Mitchell Hall Event Commons.

“The Undergraduate Review is a short fiction and visual arts publication and we’re in our32nd year now,” said Williams. “Every year in about March, we launch a magazine that curates art from undergraduate students across faculties.”

The annual magazine consists of a selection of the boards’ favourite submissions.

According to Williams, the art gallery pop-up was devised as another way for the Undergraduate Review to shine a spotlight on student artists outside of its yearly publications. It’s also a way to bring creative students together into one place.

“The event was originally Jack [Rabb]’s* idea, my co-editor […] Queen’s has a lot of creative individuals and creative clubs, but a lot of them don’t really know each other or don’t get together in the same space as one multi-disciplinary community,” Williams said.

Along with featuring student artwork, the gallery will have live music and gourmet hors d’oeuvres included with the ticket.

Williams hopes that the experience will encourage practicing artists and inspire new ones.

“This event is a chance to celebrate the scope of student creativity,” she said. “It’s really for anyone who wants to enjoy some art and support their fellow undergrads.”

While the annual publication of Undergraduate Review continues to be an important outlet for student artists, for Williams, this live gallery will offer an occasion for creative enthusiasts to connect with each other in a way that print cannot.

“We also wanted to provide a space where people could see the original artwork, and hear some live music, instead of always seeing it in our print publication or on their phones online.”  

So far, Undergraduate Review has collected roughly 35 art pieces from about a dozen artists for the display, including sculptures, and paintings. Some of these pieces will be available for purchase.

Guests of the event will also have the opportunity to vote on their favourite art piece of the evening. The winning artist will be announced at the end of the night and they will receive a prize of $200 from Kingston Frameworks, a custom printing and framing shop and local art gallery.

Fostering a sense of community on campus amongst student artists from any and all faculties is important to the Undergraduate Review and it’s their main goal with this event.

Williams says the event aims “to provide a forum for people to come together and be able to inspire each other, take a look at different disciplines, and generally just experience everything that the Queen’s community has to offer.”                                                                                                                    

*Disclaimer: Jack Rabb, the Undergraduate Review’s co-editor-in-chief, is also The Journal’s Sports Editor. Pamoda Wijekoon (pictured above) is on the Undergraduate Review’s editorial board and is also The Journal’s Assistant Arts Editor.