The Well-fêted Folio

Folio: SLCC’s Literary & Art Magazine can’t stop winning awards

In what has become an almost annual event, SLCC’s literary and art magazine, Folio, has won another distinction from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) via the REALM program. The “Renaissance” issue, published in fall 2023, received the rank of Superior from REALM’s judging committee. REALM, or Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines, celebrates student-produced, faculty-supported publications.

The latest accolade from the NCTE joins a crowded trophy case, including Community College Humanities Association awards for two issues (Fall 2013 and Spring 2019) and 16 individual awards for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, photography, and artwork dating back to 2017.

Folio's student design editor, Olga Gao, came to SLCC from the California College of the Arts, bringing with her a BA in design and some professional experience designing packaging. Gao is continuing her education by studying graphic design at SLCC.

Gao recognizes that there’s pressure to maintain the streak of accolades, but she’s confident that Folio will continue to excel. “We have really good art pieces from the students,” she says of the visual contributions that she’s responsible for selecting.

Literary contributions are selected by Abraham Smith, the literary student editor, who refers to his role as “a wonderful opportunity to display, appreciate, and perhaps uplift the art of my peers.”

While Smith is ultimately responsible for curating, he’ll receive plenty of guidance from Daniel Baird, associate professor of English at SLCC and Folio’s faculty advisor.

“I teach them a couple of different ways to look at literature,” Baird explains of his hands-off approach to his advisory role. “So it’s not just them saying ‘I like it’ or ‘I don’t like it.’” These critical lenses include evaluating work as mimetic, pragmatic, expressive, meditative, or through the classic model of formal criticism. He also brings in guest lecturers to help, including SLCC Professor Emeritus and current Utah Poet Laureate Lisa Bickmore.

Though the guest-lecturer spots may be exclusive, seats in ENGL 1830: Literary Magazine Studies — the class that produces Folio — are not. The door is open to all students, says Baird. “If you’re interested in learning how to put together a literary or arts magazine, come to the class. Interest is the pre-requisite.”

The same is true for contributors. “This is the first publication for a lot of students,” Baird continues, calling it an opportunity to build confidence with a chance to be published in an award-winning magazine. Questioning if you’re qualified to be published? Baird has an answer:

“I say submit.”

Folio: SLCC’s Literary & Art Magazine accepts submissions year-round from students, staff, and faculty.

Visit slcc.edu/folio to learn more or pick up a copy of “Renaissance” at the Publication Center (Taylorsville Redwood Campus, AAB 137).