This Saturday the Shinnery Review, ACU’s literary publication, will bring students from all departments together for a free afternoon “Crash Course” in photography, poetry and fiction writing.

The goal of the event is to give students an opportunity to learn more about artistic and creative outlets that might not be easily accessible in every discipline, said Bethany Bradshaw, senior English major from Henderson and co-editor of the Shinnery Review.

“It’s an open event to all students to encourage creativity across campus,” Bradshaw said. “We want to give students in all disciplines a chance to learn more about artistic endeavors.”

David McMichael, senior English major from Abilene and co-editor of the Shinnery Review, said the event will also benefit the publication in the spring, when it releases its annual issue of student writings and photography.

“We’re trying to promote the Shinnery Review and get more students interested and involved,” McMichael said. “We’d like to see an increase in the number of Shinnery submissions so that we have a broader pool to choose from.”

The Crash Course will give students tips and tricks for photography, poetry and fiction writing and will be broken into three 45-minute sessions, each featuring an ACU faculty member, Bradshaw said. The faculty includes Nil Santana, instructor of art and design, Al Haley, associate professor of English and writer-in-residence, and Heidi Nobles, managing editor for ACU Press.

Guests are not expected to stay for all three sessions, Bradshaw said, but she encouraged students to try new creative genres.

“We’re trying to give students a place to explore their creative sides and try new things, but it’s very relaxed,” Bradshaw said. “There are no tests, no homework. And there’s homemade food – for free.”

McMichael said the Crash Course is designed to be a fun opportunity for students to develop and experiment with artistic skills.

While this is the first year for the event, the Shinnery Review hopes to make this an annual event, Bradshaw said. In the mean time, the publication’s staff is preparing other campus activities for the semester.

“We’ll have a reading at the end of the semester, ‘The Slithy Tove,’ which is our annual fall reading,” Bradshaw said. “There’s going to be more free food, too.”

The event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Living Room of the McGlothlin Campus Center. All students are welcome, and no previous experience is required.