The 2026 edition of the “Arcturus”, Highline’s literary journal, shined at two packed release parties last week, hosting nearly 160 people and showcasing the diverse and wide range of artists within the community. The event was a celebration of creativity, community, and inspiration. 

The theme of this year’s edition was ‘Symbiotic Metamorphosis.’ Student editor of the publication Jared Bjornsson wrote, “Our editing team, after months of poring over all the works we received, saw in them a larger narrative. It told the story of a community navigating the joys and difficulties of life through the help or hindrance of others and the growth that emerges from the self; one may call this a ‘symbiotic metamorphosis.’” 

The cover design, a visual representation of the theme, was submitted and selected anonymously by winter quarter editors, only for the artist themselves to enroll as a graphics intern for the “Arcturus” team in spring quarter. Leonardo Peña Salamanca, who submitted the cover design and assisted with graphics in the production, said he was inspired by the works of Franz Kafka and indigenous artists. 

Salamanca wrote, “What I appreciate the most is that these brief stories present a different kind of deity, one more closely linked to human nature. In myths gods are not perfect and make mistakes. I feel that an artist is precisely that, a creator who requires emptiness and solitude to construct something magical or mystical. That is what I attempted to express in this illustration: the figure of a god who is, in turn, an artist—someone who needs to create their own world.”

Events celebrating creativity can inspire even more creativity, which led to the dinner’s open mic running well past the event’s scheduled end time. Not only did contributors to the publication feel inspired to share, but so did family members, faculty, and Highline’s own Interim President Dr. Jamilyn Penn. 

Dr. Penn shared an age-old poem of theirs, letting her sassy side out with a poem of self perception entitled “Orange Sherbert”. It was incredible to see such support from the college’s administration. 

While AI is implemented into our creative spaces, the “Arcturus” recognizes the change we’re all going through in our relationship with art. This publication is a statement to the value of physical media in the digital age. 

Student editor for the “Arcturus”, Sonya Jennings said, “As AI and tech change our perception of what art and literature work looks like, I as well as many others believe it is important to maintain physical print for creative spaces like ‘Arcturus’.”

Submissions are open for next year’s edition here. 

**Mavrie has been serving as editor for the ThunderWord since 2024. She is also the founding president of Highline’s Non-fiction Writers Circle.**