The Bell Tower Arts Journal has been established at TJC for over a decade. The first journal came out in 2006. The Bell Tower Arts Journal is a journal made by students for students. Dr. Linda Gary was the dean of the School of Humanities, Communications, and Fine Arts at TJC in 2006 when the journal began.
“She started with the journal,” Reagan Minkel, the editor of the Bell Tower Arts Journal, said. “Got with the Visual Communications Department and said ‘Hey, you have students that are taking these kinds of classes, let’s pair up and make it a journal that we can publish.’”
Originally, when the Bell Tower Arts Journal came out, it was open for faculty and students to submit their works. Additionally, the first two issues were printed in black and white because of budget costs. As the popularity of the journal increased, so did the budget. That’s why TJC has the Bell Tower Arts Journal it has today.
The process of making the Bell Tower Arts Journal is a lengthy one. The process starts in the fall.
“In the whole fall semester, we just accept submissions. It’s all about recruiting, getting students to submit,” Minkel said. After they get all of the submissions the editorial board compiles them into two big documents.
“We compile all of the literary submissions into a Word document, and we compile all of the art, photography and sculpture submissions into a PowerPoint,” Minkel said.
Minkel explains the process further by explaining how a committee of six people pick out which submissions would be best in the journal. She explains the committee is comprised of three faculty representatives and three student representatives.
Once the meeting is over, Minkel puts everything that was accepted into a document and sends it to the Visual Communications Department.
Art Professor and Department Chair Derrick White has been a long standing contributor of the Bell Tower Arts Journal. White was previously a Bell Tower committee member but stepped down this year.
“I’m taking over part of Derrick’s role,” Paula McDermott, professor of art, said. “Selection and editorial.” McDermott has been a part of the Bell Tower for two years.
White has been involved in the Bell Tower for 15 years. He had two roles during his time in the Bell Tower as the Art Department faculty and Editorial Board member. The Art Department faculty was a part of the selection committee.
“Each department has a faculty member and a student member to look at the submissions and vote to decide what gets selected for each issue,” White said.
As for his role as the Editorial Board member, White said, “I’m just there to help contribute to getting the Bell Tower published.”
Both White and McDermott said, “they’re excited to see the all new selections.”
The Bell Tower Arts Journal is important to the committee that is in charge of putting it together.
“It’s important to have an arts journal on campus because we are an educational system. Just because we’re a junior college, we can’t forget that art is a part of having a full education,” Minkel said.
The Bell Tower Arts Journal can be for anyone, even those who don’t submit anything. However, for those who do, Minkel said, “Also for people who do submit, I think it’s important for them because they have an opportunity to be included in something the college put together.”
Submissions for the Bell Tower Arts Journal are due by Nov. 12. If students are interested they can visit tjc.edu/belltower and click on the 2024 submission form button. Students can submit up to three pieces (two literary pieces and one art piece).