International Storytelling Festival
OCT 22 – 31, 2009
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is Scotland's annual celebration of traditional and contemporary storytelling. The Festival brings together artists and audiences from Scotland and beyond in entertaining and inspiring live storytelling performances, thought-provoking talks, workshops and discussions and fun family activities.
The Festival hub is the purpose built Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh’s Old Town and events also take place in the city’s museums, libraries, art galleries and other venues across the city. The Festival Club hosts late night storytelling gatherings and as well as the full public programme there is a series of events in local communities and schools throughout Edinburgh.
The Storytelling Festival is devoted to the art of live storytelling in the improvised traditional style told direct with the engagement of the audience. The story is created between the teller and the listeners giving visitors to the festival a warm social experience and a chance to discover different cultures, environments and traditions.
Taking place around Halloween, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival is the highlight of Edinburgh's autumn. Leading storytellers from around the world, rooted in traditional culture or contemporary storytellers inspired by old traditions bring the magic of live stories to the hearth of Scotland.
2010 Storytelling Festival: Eastern Routes
In 2010, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival we'll be exploring and celebrating Scotland's historical and cultural links with the East.
Focusing primarily on India, China and Japan and drawing on the Storytelling Centre and Network's strong existing links and storytelling contacts in these three countries, as well as using the Festival's successful model of cultural exchange, the 2010 Festival will be based on a diverse and inspiring programme of events.
The Festival will focus on key themes of ecology, folk culture and tradition, enlightenment as well as the role of storytelling and literature in creating national identity, and what that means for storytelling in contemporary society.
The Fine Art of Storytelling
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Scottish International Storytelling Festival Director Donald Smith takes time to talk about the triumph of stories in Edinburgh.
