“To create art is to have courage.
“If art is a window to the soul, then artists take a great risk every time they pick up their pencil, throw clay on the wheel, or brush a white canvas with that first stroke. Because to be fully known is to be vulnerable—both to love and rejection.
“Yet somehow, despite this risk of hurt, you can’t find a time when humans haven’t created art. This suggests that for centuries and millennia, people have found that the risk inherent in creating art is worth taking. Because maybe, just maybe, baring your soul to the world is the only way to become who you are meant to be, the only way to become radically vulnerable and authentic and brave. The only way to become radically human.”
So begins Reveal 2026.
For those of you who are new to Blackbird & Company, Reveal is our annual student writing and arts journal. We believe writing is an artform that is meant to be read by a reader. Therefore, we aim to get our students’ writing into readers’ hands!
This year’s theme is ideas. In Reveal 2026, you’ll see a collection of writers and artists who dared to share their ideas with the world. Expressing one’s inner, most vulnerable self isn’t easy. It’s a tenacious affair, an affair that sometimes involves dragging ideas onto the page kicking and screaming. I couldn’t be more proud of all of our students who found the courage to share their world with an audience.
And good news—Reveal 2026 just went to press. You can order your copy of Reveal HERE to share your student’s work with family and friends, or to catch a glimpse of what our Blackbirds are up to.
Lastly, a big thanks to everyone who helped these students take flight, from our teachers to parents, to our supporters and cheerleaders. You’re making a difference!
~ Claire S.