Why You Should Submit to the Muse!

Photo Courtesy of Mr. Davis (from top left to bottom right: Liv Pruitt, Madeline Solomon, Reign Woods, Kathy Frey, Karen Mercado, Isaac Savoie, Joseph Templeton, Jude Allen, Avery Heard, Fiona Tang, Christina Lau, Namira Rubaiyath, Bianca Lombo. Not pictured: Lindsey Bube, Maddie Karaki, Mr. Davis)

By: Namira Rubaiyath and Bianca Lombo

The media below contains the opinion of an individual student and therefore does not represent or speak to the values of Vestavia Hills High School and Vestavia Hills City Schools.

If you’ve ever taken some time to look at all the posters around school, you’ve probably seen four words plastered on the walls in each hall: Submit to The Muse. Ever wondered why they’re everywhere, or what The Muse even is? Or perhaps, why are the posters absolutely fantastic? Well, look no further; coming to you straight from two Musers, this is what The Muse is all about, and here is why you should submit to us!

With the oldest issue being published in 1977, The Muse is Vestavia’s very own literary arts magazine. The Muse compiles student submissions of art, literature, crafts, photography, and much more into a student-designed magazine over the course of one school year. Submissions are open when school starts, and close sometime around March or April. Musers use Photoshop, Illustrator, Design, and other professional design software to create a magazine, completely funded by donations, from scratch, and publish it for the school. Since its inception, The Muse has phased in and out of action, with some years being very productive and some being dormant. We hope that this year, The Muse returns to being an active and well-known contributor to our school’s arts community.

The Muse is led by the well-loved Mr. Davis (who also leads Pillar!). He took on the role after the previous teacher-in-charge moved to New York (if you’re curious, he’s back and teaches at Pizitz now), and has since then shaped The Muse into the warm, loving family it is now. He says that watching students get excited over art and literature is the highlight of his day and that he values the connections that are made between the Musers.

Now that you know what The Muse is, let’s discuss how The Muse works. If you’re wondering if your type of art can be submitted to The Muse, the answer is an absolute yes! We’ve had recipes, dresses, prints, sculptures, and even castings of ant hills, alongside our literature and visual art. So, even if your art is unconventional, there is definitely a place for you in our magazine. One concern that applicants have centers around the reviewing process and the fear of being judged for their work. The Muse reviews all submissions 100% blind: no member (except the editors) knows who has submitted what, and The Muse first critiques the submission and then votes on it. If you have a majority, you’re in! In fact, the members won’t even find out the artists until it comes to design. The Musers will also select their favorite works from the pool of submissions, and said pieces will receive an additional spotlight in the magazine. 

While The Muse is a relatively unheard-of class, Musers and potential Musers are hiding amongst you! There is a common misconception that, because of our catchphrase “Submit to The Muse”, we are a cult. We are certainly a very tight-knit community, but for all legal and moral purposes, the “submit” does indeed mean to submit a piece of your own work. But you aren’t alone in thinking this way: a couple of current Musers also believed The Muse to be some obscure, cultish community, and ended up here anyway. Many of us joined because of word-of-mouth, and the minority actually knew The Muse for what it was. So, if you want to go a step further than just submitting to The Muse, consider joining us next year! I can guarantee you will never laugh as much in a class as you will here.

Submitting to The Muse is an excellent way to explore your skills and build on your talents. It’s also a great way to fill up your resume and have a special, student-made keepsake of your high school years. If you have any questions, ask any of the Musers or just drop by Mr. Davis’ classroom (H155), and you’ll probably never want to leave. You can also ask to read past issues for a glimpse at what The Muse looks like. Our Google Classroom code is scyig4o, and you will find a Google Form there where you can submit your work to us instantly.

One pillar of The Muse (pun 100% intended) is that art is subjective, constructive, and ever-changing. Even if you feel that your art is not worthy of being in a magazine, there is a group of students who will appreciate your effort and talent, anyway. We will always balance critique and praise, and we treat each submission with the respect it deserves. Keep on the lookout for our new batch of posters this year, and remember, submit to The Muse!