BRADFORD, Pa. – The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s creative arts magazine, Baily’s Beads, will hold a celebration Jan. 22 to launch the 2025 issue.

                Admission to the launch is free, and the public is invited to the event, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Mukaiyama University Room in the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The event is co-sponsored by Pitt-Bradford Arts and the Pitt-Bradford creative and professional writing program.

                Attendees can expect live readings from magazine contributors, an open mic for those interested in sharing their own creative work, refreshments and prizes.

The 2025 edition was edited by Randy Mong, an English major from Russell and Angi Burns, a senior writing major from Warren. Designs for the 2025 edition were created by Nehal Palan, chief designer and an interdisciplinary arts major from Croyden, Corriehaze Choo, magazine contributor and artist who is a double major in interdisciplinary arts and psychology, and Paige Belt, a featured artist and an environmental studies major from Taneytown, Md.

The magazine’s latest edition will be available online at https://2025.bailysbeads.org/. A feature of this year’s issue is titled “Heart Stompers.” Burns wrote in her introduction that the magazine received submissions “from art to prose, capturing the most vulnerable moments in our relationships: gut-wrenching stories of friendships gone awry, poems of romance ended prematurely (and) artists capturing the feeling when the heart breaks.”

                Karen Bell, instructor of writing, was the primary adviser. Art advisors for the 2025 issue were Daisy Wiley, assistant professor of art, and Sunyoung Lee, former assistant professor of art. Dr. Nancy McCabe, professor of writing, is the director of the creative and professional writing program.

                In addition to Mong, Burns and Palan, the student leaders for the 2025 issue were Madyson Trama, a senior writing major from Scranton, assistant editor; Sean Luce, a sophomore writing major from Bradford, editorial assistant; and Maddie Cincala, who graduated in 2024 with a degree in biology, assistant designer and art editor.

                Winners of the 2025 art contest were Paige Belt, first, who created the cover image, and Abigail Hawk, an undeclared first-year student from Saxonburg, honorable mention.

The magazine is currently accepting submissions for its 2026 issue. Submissions may be sent to 2025.bailysbeads.org/submissions/. 

For more information about Baily’s Beads or Pitt-Bradford Arts, visit www.upb.pitt.edu/TheArts.