Scottish storytelling centre scottish Once international storytelling Upon festival 2014 a Place Box office: 0131 556 9579 24 October – www.tracscotland.org/festivals 2 November Contents About the programme 04 Festival Exhibitions We’ve categorised our events to ensure your storytelling 06 Opening Weekend experience is exactly what you’re looking for – from evening 10 Festival Week Welcome 16 Festival Diary gatherings in jovial company to daytime events for the to the world’s finest feast whole family, or craft and workshop sessions to get creative. 18 Finale Weekend 21 Festival on Tour EDINBURGH Keep an eye out for Edinburgh Sessions – stories 26 About the Storytellers of traditional storytelling. SESSIONS inspired by the Edinburgh Museums collections. Once Upon a Place looks at the living environment around us, expressed through story. We bring Edinburgh to life as a city of story, and radiate How to book Become a Festival Supporter out with touring events across Scotland, providing the perfect experience Tickets for all events at the SISF Festival Supporter Pass 2014 in this Year of Homecoming 2014. We look into the past in town and Scottish Storytelling Centre, £25 country, and gaze into the future through the dreams, imaginings and Gladstone’s Land and charged There is no greater pleasure than the power of traditional storytelling visions of the poets and bards. And through the Open Hearth sessions events at the National Library of taking listeners on a journey of the imagination. we celebrate our common humanity with stories and songs that connect Scotland can be booked by phone, across the continents. online or in person through the Register now as a Festival > 1 free ticket to a Festival event Scottish Storytelling Centre Supporter to enjoy an array of of your choice at the Scottish The Festival combines storytelling ceilidhs with talks, landscape tours Box Office. benefits including exclusive invites Storytelling Centre (subject to and specially commissioned performances. Guest storytellers from and great ticket deals so you can fully availability) All other partner venues and Europe, North America and the Pacific regions, perform alongside the immerse yourself in the celebrations, regional events have their own > 15% Storytelling Café discount cream of Scotland’s renowned storytelling talent, with a finale weekend as well as support the Festival to booking outlets. See the back during the Festival marking the ancient Celtic New Year of Samhain/Hallowe’en. continually provide a world class cover for contact details. Evening events ensure adults enjoy warming nights alongside a rich forum for the art of storytelling. > A Welcome Pack, containing: www.tracscotland.org programme of family friendly events in a variety of locations around As a Festival Supporter you - Copy of the programme the city. can enjoy: - Lanyard - Festival Supporter Certificate The Storytelling Festival is for everyone from home or abroad who > 25% off any Full Price ticket at wants to explore what is distinctive and special about Scotland. of thanks and participation any Storytelling Festival event at - Invite to the Festival launch We are also delighted to be marking the 10th anniversary of the Scottish Storytelling Centre Edinburgh’s designation as the world’s firstUNESCO City of party on Fri 24 October Literature with celebrations of Edinburgh storytellers – Call our team on +44 (0)131 556 9579 to book your pass and for Sir Walter Scott in the 200th anniversary of his first novel, Scottish Storytelling Centre further enquiries email [email protected] Waverley, Robert Louis Stevenson who links us with the Pacific, and raconteur extraordinaire of the Old Town, John Fee. How to get here Scottish Storytelling Centre | 43-45 High Street | EH1 1SR The Festival Team Claire McNicol The Scottish Storytelling Centre’s award- winning building is the hub of the Festival. The Scottish International Storytelling Festival You can find us half way down Edinburgh’s EAST MARKET STREET is supported through Scottish Government’s CRANSTON STREET Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, Creative Royal Mile, within easy walking distance of JEFFREY STREET Scotland, Homecoming Scotland, City of Princes Street and Waverley train station. NORTH BRIDGE Edinburgh Council, Festivals Edinburgh, Culture The Scottish Programme of the European Union, Creative There is no parking directly outside the Storytelling Centre CANONGATE New Zealand, Royal Norwegian Consulate Centre, but Lothian bus number 35 stops Edinburgh Castle Holyrood Palace General and the Italian Cultural Institute. HIGH STREET outside our door, and there’s a taxi rank ST MARY’S STREET Special thanks to our national and Macrobert Arts Centre, Edinburgh Central for Palliative Care, Elphinstone Institute, just up the road. BLACKFRIARS STREET regional partners: National Museum of Library, Edinburgh World Heritage Trust, Argyll and Bute Council, Clackmannanshire > Fully accessible to wheelchair users SOUTH BRIDGE Scotland, National Library of Scotland, Floris Books, Luath Press, Hawthorn Press, Council, Resonate Arts House, The Glad Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, National Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, Café, The Village Storytelling Centre, > Hearing loop Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh Museums The Demarco European Art Foundation, Historic Scotland, Portskerra International & Galleries, National Trust for Scotland, University of Edinburgh, School of Scottish Storytelling Festival, Orkney Storytelling > Braille signage throughout COWGATE Mercat Tours, Gorgie City Farm, Lapidus Studies Archive, Edinburgh Peace and Festival, Blether Tay-gither, Eyemouth Scotland, Festival Theatre Edinburgh, Justice Centre, Scottish Partnership Primary School Festival and Kingdom Crack. > Licensed Café and Storytelling Book Shop 02. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 03. Friday 24 October – Sunday 2 November Festival Richard Demarco’s Road to Meikle Seggie Scottish Storytelling Centre 10am-6pm and before evening events Free entry | All ages In the 1970’s Richard Demarco embarked on a series of journeys, Exhibitions starting in Edinburgh, to recover a sense of our living culture in the environments around us. These radiated out across Europe, underpinning the internationalism of this unique Scottish-Italian Friday 27 June – Tuesday 11 November artist and the curator’s own extraordinary journey. Forty years later the journey is renewed with Demarco’s original artwork and notes, along with a republication of his first Meikle Seggie essay, with a new Behind the Lines: introduction by SISF Director, Donald Smith. Personal stories of the First World War National Library of Scotland Monday to Friday: 10am-8pm, Saturday: 10am-5pm, Sunday: 2pm-5pm FESTIVAL LOCAL – ONCE UPON A PLACE Free entry | All ages As the centenary of its outbreak is marked across the world, this exhibition Celebrate your own place with a local storytelling event, examines Scotland’s role in the First World War through the personal school visit, storytelling walk or Hallowe’en storytelling. stories of a number of men and women who lived, and died, during Resources connected to local legends throughout Scotland this momentous period in history. Diaries, letters, photographs, and will be published on the website to inspire and support your sketches of men on active service, nurses at the front, grieving parents, event. Get involved and enjoy the pleasure of sharing stories and conscientious objectors imprisoned for their beliefs, offer a direct about your surroundings. link to the diverse experience of individual Scots during the war. These To register your event, access local resources and for more information moving, personal documents are supported by a range of film and printed contact [email protected] material, including a large selection of vibrant recruitment posters.
Wednesday 10 September – Sunday 16 November Cat Outram’s artwork will feature in this year’s print Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley brochure. Cat was born in 1959 National Library of Scotland in Nairobi, Kenya. In 1996 she Monday to Friday: 10am-8pm, Saturday: 10am-5pm, immigrated to Edinburgh and Sunday: 2pm-5pm did the BA Honours in Drawing Free entry | All ages & Painting at the Art College 2014 is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Waverley, Sir Walter from 1977-1981, finally going Scott’s first novel, and arguably the first ever historical novel. Lord professional as a printmaker in Cockburn recalled how the appearance of Waverley struck Edinburgh 1990. Cat exhibits regularly in ‘with an electric shock of delight’, dealing with themes that greatly small galleries in and around interested Scott’s contemporaries and that continue to fascinate today: Edinburgh, at Craft fairs, Charity the lost cause of Jacobitism, the romance of the ’45 Rebellion and exhibitions, Open exhibitions the depiction of societies (both Highland and Lowland) in the course and members’ shows at of profound change. This display uses treasures from the Library’s Edinburgh Printmakers, which is collections to illuminate the publication of Waverley in 1814. where she creates her etchings In association with Scott 2014 – an Edinburgh City of Literature of views of Edinburgh. celebration of 200 years of Walter Scott’s Waverley.
04. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 05. Mountain Vision: The Landscape Experience Tales of a Granny National Museum of Scotland Scottish Storytelling Centre Edinburgh Partner | Family Event Opening Weekend Live Storytelling 11am (2hrs – rolling programme) 5pm (50mins) Free (drop-in) | 3+ £7.50 (£6) | Adults Where do you begin sharing the story of Scotland? With the stories, Scotland’s song traditions are Places of Power the songs and the beautiful and sometime strange things the past has intimately connected with “the high Friday 24 October Scottish Storytelling Centre Saturday 25 October left us! Aimed at the under-fives these storytelling sessions introduce hills” and Scotland’s mountainous Live Storytelling younger children, parents and carers to the riches of Scotland’s story. terrain. Travelling on North Tales of a Grandfather: 7.30pm (2hrs 15) Natural Stories The event is also the prologue to Tales of a Grandson. Unrolling Walter Scott’s £10 (£8) | Adults Scottish Storytelling Centre America’s Pacific west, in the high From the beginnings of time, sierras, John Muir realised his very Magic Carpet Crafts & Live Storytelling Tales of a Grandfather: all across the world, certain 1.30pm (2hrs 30) Scottish vision of “living with nature”. Central Library places have attracted people £6 per child | Ages 6-9 Musicians and storytellers Geordie Unrolling Walter Scott’s Magic Carpet Edinburgh Partner | Talks & to them as places of power. Explore the forms and patterns of MacIntyre and Alison McMorland National Museum of Scotland Lectures Such places evoked the need to living nature through storytelling, felt recapture the spirit of mountain Edinburgh Partner | Talks & Lectures 2.30pm (1hr) celebrate, to go beyond this world, making and story drama. Introductory vision in its Scottish sources. 2pm (1hr) Free (ticketed) | Adults to connect with some primordial story followed by wet-felting and Free | Adults Donald Smith opens the Scottish force. We will take you to visit story drama activities, with artist Robert Louis Stevenson – Donald Smith presents Scott’s superb re-telling of Scotland. Begun International Storytelling Festival some of these places through Joanne Baker and storyteller as a project for his own grandson, Scott was soon transported into with Scott’s superb re-telling The Life Journey the mystery of the Didgeridoo, Allison Galbraith. Children must a historical tapestry for all ages – of his own wizardly making. This is of Scotland. Begun as a project Scottish Storytelling Centre Harp, Story and Dance. See the be accompanied by an adult. Please also the inspiration for Andy Cannon’s contemporary remix Tales of a for his own grandson, Scott was Live Storytelling connecting storylines that run from bring an apron, a towel and a plastic Grandson, which runs through the first Festival weekend. soon transported into a historical 6.30pm (50mins) place to place and weave a web bag to take your damp felt home. In tapestry for all ages – of his own £7.50 (£6) | Adults of story around the world. With association with Lapidus Scotland. Tales of a Grandson: The Dig, The Feast wizardly making. This is also the The story of the life, loves, Daniel Allison, Paula Huolman, adventures and sorrows of the and The Hooly inspiration for Andy Cannon’s Ken Shapley and Mio Shapley. contemporary remix Tales of a Witches Brew Edinburgh writer, crowned “Tusitala” The Studio @ Festival Theatre Grandson, which runs through Gladstone’s Land – the Storyteller – by the Samoans. Edinburgh Partner | Family Event 2.30pm (Dig), 3.45pm (Feast) & 5.30pm (Hooly) the first Festival weekend. Everyday Edinburgh Partner | Live Scotland’s best loved author is throughout Storytelling brought to life by fiddlerJudy £15 (£10) | 6+ the Festival! 2pm & 3.30pm (1hr) Turner and guitarist/singer Neil Where do you begin to tell the story of Scotland? With the myths, the Exclusive Story! Edinburgh’s £8 (£6) | All ages Adam. Reliving Stevenson’s journey legends and the battles? Or perhaps simply with the universal story of Underground Vaults Explore the darker side with in song, through his own words – boy meets girl? Tales of a Grandson is one man’s re-telling of Scotland’s storyteller Fiona Herbert. Who poetry, diaries and letters – they tell history – but this is no straight and dusty history lesson. To tell this Meet at Mercat Cross beside were the Scottish witches – healers, the story of his action packed but all epic tale Andy Cannon (previously of Wee Stories) takes us on a time St Giles Cathedral devil worshippers or gender rebels? too short life in Scotland, America travelling adventure with his grandparents through Scotland’s past to Edinburgh Partner | Walking Tour Find out about the lives and perils and finally the Pacific. piece together the myriad of Kings, Queens, friends and foes that make 4pm (1hr 15) of witchcraft in this evocative up our nation’s story (and unearths just why our mountains are so small £11 (£9), £6 child (£28 family) | 5+ seventeenth century house on the on the way!) Accompanying Andy and adding to the Tales are a local cast Hear the authentic history of the Open Hearth Royal Mile, in association with the of dancers, a choir of grannies and some of Scotland’s finest musicians. underground. This is your chance Scottish Storytelling Centre National Trust for Scotland. Live Storytelling Tales of a Grandson is a story for all the family to enjoy, presented in to visit the Blair Street Underground three parts – The Dig, The Feast, and The Hooly. Stay for the day, join in Vaults, exclusively available with 8pm (1hr 30) | £10 (£8) | Adults Join storytellers and musicians in the feast and the hooly and help Andy in his quest to tell Scotland’s great Mercat Tours. Explore the deepest, story. Bring a picnic and a rug to share in a feast between parts 2 & 3. largest and most extensive vaults in a relaxed traditional session round the hearth, as the darkness closes in the city whilst in the company of a In association with the Macrobert Arts Centre Stirling, Andy Cannon, Festival Mercat historian. Why were the Vaults built? Who used them? We will and the embers glow with pictures Theatre Edinburgh and the National Museum of Scotland. Part of the Walter Scott in the fire. Hosted byDonald Smith, recount the history of the Vaults, recall their stories and answer your Allison Galbraith 200th Anniversary. questions. Meet at Mercat Cross 15 minutes in advance. with Judy Turner, Neil Adam, www.mercattours.com Grace Taylor, Tusiata Avia, Dawne McFarlane and Bea Ferguson.
06. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 07. Macastory: A Soldier’s Tale Sunday 26 October Tales of a Granny Scottish National Portrait Gallery National Museum of Scotland Edinburgh Partner | Family Event Down at the Farm: Edinburgh Partner | Family Event 2pm & 3pm (45mins) In Gorgie 11am (2hrs – rolling programme) Free (drop-in) | 7+ Free (drop-in) | 3+ Gorgie City Farm 1914, the first months of WWI – Where do you begin sharing the Edinburgh Partner | Family Event Young Scottish soldier Archie is story of Scotland? With the 11.30am & 1.30pm (30mins) away from home for the first time stories, the songs and the beautiful Free (donations welcome) in the trenches of the Western and sometime strange things the All ages Front. A few hundred yards away past has left us! Aimed at the Head down to the farm where is Rudi, a young German soldier. under-fives these storytelling storyteller Rosie Mapplebeck will Featuring shadow puppets, song sessions introduce younger share some animal tales amidst and rhyme, hear the story of Tusiata Avia children, parents and carers to the riches of Scotland’s story. the cows, sheep, pigs and ducks, their meeting during the 1914 The event is also the prologue to Tales of a Grandson. mixed in with a bit of home reared Christmas Truce. Rhythms from Open Hearth native wit and wisdom. New Zealand Scottish Storytelling Centre Tales of a Grandson: From the Pacific Coast Scottish Storytelling Centre Live Storytelling Storytelling for a The Dig, The Feast and Scottish Storytelling Centre Live Storytelling 8pm (1hr 30) Greener World The Hooly Live Storytelling 6.30pm (50mins) £10 (£8) | Adults Join storytellers and musicians Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh The Studio @ Festival Theatre 5pm (50mins) £7.50 (£6) | Adults from Scotland and the Pacific Edinburgh Partner | Family Event Edinburgh Partner | Family Event £7.50 (£6) | Adults Aoteorea, with its north and in a relaxed traditional session 1pm (4hrs) 2.30pm (Dig), 3.45pm (Feast) & Canadian storyteller Dawne south islands, marks the furthest round the hearth, as the Free | All ages 5.30pm (Hooly) McFarlane shares the rich destinations of the Pacific voyagers. darkness closes in and the Experience natural stories of all £15 (£10) | 6+ traditions of Canada’s Pacific Today, poets and storytellers, embers glow with pictures in kinds in the beautiful setting of Where do you begin to tell the coast with stories from land and like our guests Grace Taylor and the fire. Hosted byBob Pegg, Edinburgh’s botanical gardens. story of Scotland? With the myths, sea. For many Europeans, including Tusiata Avia, reach out from New with Grace Taylor, Tusiata Avia Stories will emerge gently in the legends and the battles? Or Robert Louis Stevenson, the Zealand across the oceans with and David Francis. different locations, while story perhaps simply with the universal Pacific journey begins here. their own distinctive tempos. walks meander between the story of boy meets girl? Tales of a story encampment and the Grandson is one man’s re-telling of Andy Cannon Macastory outer reaches. Also included Scotland’s history – but this is no is a specially commissioned straight and dusty history lesson. To tell this epic tale Andy Cannon performance of Where Curlews (previously of Wee Stories) takes us on a time travelling adventure Call by Malcolm Green and with his grandparents through Scotland’s past to piece together Nick Hennessey at 3pm, and the myriad of Kings, Queens, friends and foes that make up our an introduction to the ground- nation’s story (and unearths just why our mountains are so small on breaking Hawthorn Press book, the way!) Accompanying Andy and adding to the Tales are a local Storytelling for a Greener World. cast of dancers, a choir of grannies and some of Scotland’s finest musicians. Tales of a Grandson is a story for all the family to enjoy, presented in three parts – The Dig, The Feast, and The Hooly. Stay for the day, join in the feast and the hooly and help Andy in his quest to tell Scotland’s great story. Bring a picnic and a rug to share in a feast between parts 2 & 3.
In association with the Macrobert Arts Centre Stirling, Andy Cannon, Festival Theatre Edinburgh and the National Museum of Scotland. Part of the Walter Scott 200th Anniversary.
Bob Pegg
08. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 09. Hirta Songs – Seeing Stories Seeing Evoking St Kilda Stories Scottish Storytelling Centre Reaching across Europe, people Festival Week Live Storytelling are trying to recover their urban and rural narratives – the magic 8pm (1hr 30) of place to create sustainable living and an art that celebrates life. representatives Steve Byrne and stories they gathered while living £10 (£8) | Adults If we do not connect with our own environments, how can we expect Monday 27 October Chris Wright, and Donald Smith. and learning abroad. Is narrative Glasgow-based singer and humankind to care enough to ensure conservationism for the future? See related performance Between the clue to understanding guitarist Alasdair Roberts will The European Seeing Stories project partners will be in Edinburgh to Learning Where We Live Tides, featuring the Tentsmuir area another culture, and “being perform the critically-acclaimed share their stories and approaches, with the support of the Culture of North East Fife. found in translation”? Hirta Songs, featuring the fruits Programme of the European Union. The Education Day: of his recent collaboration Place Based Learning Stories and Between Tides with the award-winning poet EDINBURGH Lisbon – Where Rural Scottish Storytelling Centre SESSIONS Scottish Storytelling Centre Robin Robertson. Hirta Songs Songs of Sir Meets Urban Training & Development Walter Scott Live Storytelling is a graceful and emotionally 10.30am (5hrs 30) stirring suite of poems and tunes Scottish Storytelling Centre Museum of Edinburgh 5pm (50mins) £15 (£12) | Adults concerning the remarkable story Live Storytelling Edinburgh Partner | Talks & £7.50 (£6) | Adults How do we harness the power of of St Kilda, a now uninhabited 1pm (50mins) | £7.50 (£6) | Adults Lectures Tentsmuir is a unique area of North place in learning for adults and archipelago lying some 50 miles Ana Sofia Paiva moves between 2pm (1hr) East Fife caught between the tides children? Experience Story Maps, off Scotland’s West Coast. For narrative and song to capture Free | Adults and endowed with a rich ecology. local song searching and devising, many years, St Kilda was home the intense colour of Portuguese Borders storyteller Mary Kenny Lea Taylor, Mairi Campbell and natural world interpretation to a small population of Gaelic- culture – where everything flows introduces us to the songs and Derek Robertson combine with and much more in a fantastic speaking Scots, who eked a hard to the sea or comes ashore at this stories of Scott in the anniversary Scottish natural heritage to capture day of exploration, workshop living from the unforgiving cliff- meeting place of cultures and Ana Sofia Paiva year of his first novel,Waverley . the flow of nature and the spirit of and discussion. For teachers, a special place. This performance faces and raging oceans of their continents. In the Alfama district educators, and artists who are follows on from the Place Based home until their final evacuation in of Lisbon the rural and urban poor met and enriched their lives working in schools and community Scottish Traditional Learning workshop. 1930. A European Seeing Stories through the music of Fado and storytelling. Join Ana on her journey learning. With Bob Pegg, Tales with Lari Don event from Scotland with Stevie through this unique world. Malcolm Green, Local Voices Central Library As I Was Young and Easy: Jones (double bass) and Rafe Edinburgh Partner | Live Fitzpatrick (violin). Seeing Stories: Symposium Storytelling Dylan Thomas – A Lyrical Celebration Scottish Storytelling Centre 2.30pm (1hr) Talks & Lectures Scottish Storytelling Centre Free (ticketed) | Ages 4-7 2.30pm (2hrs) | £7.50 (£6) | Adults Live Storytelling Lari Don introduces a super Tuesday Hear about the development of story collecting and interpretative 6pm (1hr 15) new series of illustrated tales, 28 October projects – and performances – in Aachen, Florence, Lisbon, and £7.50 (£6) | Adults and shares her version of Tam Edinburgh. Why is this rich cultural seam important and what should The acclaimed Scottish artistes – of the Linn and other fantastic Commonwealth we be doing about it? With project partners from Germany, Italy, storyteller David Campbell, cellist EDINBURGH Scottish stories. In association Stories of WWI SESSIONS Portugal and Scotland. with Floris Books. To book: 0131 Wendy Weatherby – come Museum of Edinburgh 242 8100 or www.edinburghreads. together in this joyous evocation Edinburgh Partner | Talks & eventbrite.co.uk of their fellow Celtic poet’s life Follow the Story – Folklore and Archaeology and wit. The programme connects Lectures Scottish Storytelling Centre 2pm (1hr) Studying Elsewhere – Wales and Scotland in recalling Live Storytelling Dylan Thomas’s memorable 1948 Free | Adults 5pm (50mins) | £7.50 (£6) | Adults Stories of Learning Abroad visit to Edinburgh, with original Scottish-Canadian storyteller The past is all around us waiting to be found. Storyteller and folklorist Scottish Storytelling Centre music by Wendy Weatherby. Phyllis Davison evokes the many Stuart McHardy demonstrates in this illustrated talk how traditional Live Storytelling The SISF is delighted to feature experiences and connections of tales can take us to specific and special places in the landscape, 4pm (1hr 30) Wales as part of the European ‘the war to end war’. as well as lead to new insights into the lives of our ancestors. Free (ticketed) | Adults Seeing Stories project. By following traditional story, and utilising place name analysis Storytelling youth meets the wide and landscape reading, we can set off on journeys that find new world. University of Edinburgh archaeology and gain greater understanding of the sacred past. exchange students share the
10. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 11. Lost Horizon or Living and songs from the Scottish Landscape? Place, Studies Archives to illustrate the Wednesday Seeing Stories Seeing relationship of ordinary Gaels with 29 October Stories Time and People in the lands they inhabited – the Reaching across Europe, people are trying to recover their urban Gaelic Tradition people and events that shaped and rural narratives – the magic of place to create sustainable living and an art that celebrates life. If we Stories and do not connect with our own environments, how can we expect humankind to care enough to ensure Alan Bruford them and the memories of those EDINBURGH taken abroad and forced to Songs of Sir SESSIONS conservationism for the future? The European Seeing Stories project partners will be in Edinburgh to share Memorial Lecture their stories and approaches, with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union. Scottish Storytelling Centre emigrate from home. Walter Scott Talks & Lectures Museum of Edinburgh Welcome Home 6.30pm (50mins) Open Hearth Edinburgh Partner | Talks & Scottish Storytelling Centre Free (ticketed) | Adults Scottish Storytelling Centre Lectures Live Storytelling Commemorative annual lecture Live Storytelling 2pm (1hr) 1pm (50mins) | £7.50 (£6) | Adults organised by the Department 8pm (1hr 30) Free | Adults Lydia Winter upon visiting her home town encounters a strange murmuring. of Celtic and Scottish Studies £10 (£8) | Adults Borders storyteller Mary Kenny She interprets it as the cobble stones welcoming her home. Years later she at the University of Edinburgh. Join storytellers and musicians introduces us to the songs and discovers the true voice behind the murmurs. It is the Mother Goddess of For most visitors and many Scots, from Scotland in a relaxed stories that inspired Scott in the water and stone. She – whose name changed several times throughout the Highlands of Scotland – the traditional session round the anniversary year of his first the 12,000 years of known worship – remains the guardian of the land Gàidhealtachd – suggest a region hearth, as the darkness closes in novel, Waverley. and brings prosperity to the people as long as she is respected and of misty mountains, the odd and the embers glow with pictures acknowledged. She asks Lydia to tell her story to the people of today. ruined castle perched by a loch in the fire. Hosted byMargaret Open Hearth Storyteller Regina Sommer brings to life the hidden stories of Aachen. Regina Sommer and the perfect holiday spot for Bennett, with Gary West, Scottish Storytelling Centre the romantic imagination (if the Domhnall Uilleam Stiůbhart Live Storytelling Seeing Stories – Story guides weather holds up). Dr Virginia and James MacDonald Reid. 8pm (1hr 30) Scottish Storytelling Centre Blankenhorn presents stories £10 (£8) | Adults Training & Development Join storytellers and musicians 2.30pm (2hrs) | £15 (£12) | Adults from Scotland and Europe in a This symposium and workshop explores how to source, edit and shape local narratives for the benefit relaxed traditional session round of both residents and visitors. What are the vital stories and how can they be communicated for today’s the hearth, as the darkness audiences and explorers? What might form a story guide or interpretation? Ideal for artists and those closes in and the embers glow working in tourism, visitor attractions and marketing. with pictures in the fire. Hosted by Andy Hunter, with Regina Ginevra degli Almieri – Love in Florence Sommer, Giovanna Conforto, Scottish Storytelling Centre Ana Sofia Paiva, Stuart McHardy Live Storytelling and George Macpherson. 5pm (50mins) | £7.50 (£6) | Adults A journey through the old streets of Florence rediscovering the life of Ginevra degli Almieri, with storyteller Giovanna Conforto and art historian Daniela Corradini. This incredible love story could be one of the sources of inspirations for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but the roots of the legend are lost in time… This event marks the 50th anniversary of the twinning of Florence with Edinburgh. Daniela Corradini The Earth, The Colour Scottish Storytelling Centre Live Storytelling 6.30pm (50mins) | £7.50 (£6) | Adults A bilingual storytelling event in Italian and English based on stories from Fiesole, the mother village of Florence, affirming the importance of including the “outsiders” in our lives. The story of Silvana, an old lady who was one of the last farmers working as a sharecropper, is entwined with the story of Paolo, a painter and former cobbler. The two life stories are enriched with folk tales, as well as local myths and legends, George Macpherson performed by storytellers Monica Fabbri and Andy Hunter. This event marks the 50th anniversary of the twinning of Florence with Edinburgh.
12. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 13. Commonwealth EDINBURGH Tales from Norway Open Hearth Thursday 30 Stories of WWI SESSIONS Scottish Storytelling Centre Scottish Storytelling Centre October Museum of Edinburgh Live Storytelling Live Storytelling Edinburgh Partner | Talks & 5pm (50mins) 8pm (1hr 30) Lectures £7.50 (£6) | Adults £10 (£8) | Adults Through Border Eyes – 2pm (1hr) Scotland and Norway have been Join Stina Fagertun, Lawrence Celebrating Walter Scott Free | Adults exchanging people, stories and Tulloch and Heather Yule in a Scottish-Canadian storyteller ideas for centuries. Like Scotland, relaxed traditional session round John Buchan’s Guide Phyllis Davison evokes the many Norway has a flourishing storytelling the hearth, as the darkness to Walter Scott experiences and connections of renaissance, with tales ranging closes in and the embers glow with National Library of Scotland ‘the war to end war’. between land and sea, the traditional pictures in the fire. It’s a northern Edinburgh Partner | Talks & and the contemporary. Take a trip to brew, stirred by Tom Muir as host. Lectures Exploring Celtic Norway with Stina Fagertun. 2pm (1hr) Traditions with Free (ticketed) | Adults Orkney and Shetland – Friday 31 October Why is Scott the great unread? Let David Campbell – All Hallows Eve, Scottish Storytelling Centre Northern Connections John Buchan be your guide to the Scottish Storytelling Centre the Night delights and perils of the “Wizard Training & Development 2pm (2hrs) Live Storytelling of Samhain of the North”. In the 200th 6.30pm (50mins) anniversary of Scott’s Waverley, £15 (£12) | Adults Calum Lykan David Campbell has been at the £7.50 (£6) | Adults Rosslyn Glen Walk Donald Smith invites you to look Norse culture spread across forefront of Scotland’s storytelling Meet at 10.30am at the Scottish travelled with her late husband again at Scott through Buchan’s Scotland, as raiders turned to Exploring Celtic Traditions renaissance, and has written and Storytelling Centre Duncan Williamson, a master eyes. To book: www.nls.uk/ settlers, but in the Northern with George Macpherson events/booking or 0131 623 3734. taught widely about both the older Walking tour & Live Storytelling storyteller of Scotland’s Travelling Isles it remains the dominant Scottish Storytelling Centre Celtic traditions and the Scottish £7.50 (£6) | Adults People and of the Wonder Tales. note. Meet the masters of the Training & Development Scott’s Singing Muse: Travellers, especially tradition- Go by bus to Loanhead then walk for Encounter magical creatures northern storytelling art in full 2pm (2hrs) Minstrelsy of the bearer Duncan Williamson. A two miles through the beautiful Glen and transforming imagination in flight, celebrating their new £15 (£12) | Adults Scottish Borders workshop for all those who wish to Rosslyn, exploring the weird and a session set to delight the wise books. The unstoppable flow of wonderful moods of the Glen with George or Seoras Macpherson National Library of Scotland to learn more about the Celtic heart in everyone. humour, adventure and tragedy its extraordinary chapel and castle. is the traditional Seanachaidh Edinburgh Partner | Talks & traditions of storytelling from a master storyteller. will continue into the later evening Storyteller Ken Shapley is your guide, of Glendale. He continues an Lectures events, with storytellers Tom Muir who has his own special take on the unbroken line of stories from Meeting 3.30pm (1hr) and Lawrence Tulloch. patterns to be seen in the woodland. ancient times to the more recent the Fairies Free (ticketed) | Adults This event is weather dependent – community stories of his beloved Scottish Storytelling Centre All of Sir Walter Scott’s later please wear sturdy shoes and warm North West Skye, Ardnamurchan Live storytelling achievements are foreshadowed clothing. The terrain is hilly and and Argyll. He has a special 5pm (50mins) by his first major work – a Linda Williamson involves climbing over fallen trees and interest in the older sagas, and in £7.50 (£6) | Adults monumental collection of Borders narrow ledges of rock by rivers so you stories of the second sight. Prepare Only don’t call them “fairies” songs and legends. Re-published need to be fairly adventurous and fit. for Samhain in the traditional but the Good Folk or the Gentle this year, for the first time with the Highland manner, with Seaoras’ Kind. Otherwise they might take music and full background, the Haunted Tales of unique insights. offence, curdle milk, steal babies Minstrelsy is a kist of treasures EDINBURGH and generally make your life Old Edinburgh SESSIONS and curiosities. General Editor The Coming of the Unicorn unbearable… On the other hand Sigrid Rieuwerts unveils this Museum of Edinburgh a little generosity and respect – ground breaking achievement. Edinburgh Partner | Talks & and other Tales of Wonder or if push comes to shove raw To book: www.nls.uk/events/ Lectures Scottish Storytelling Centre courage – may do wonders. booking or 0131 623 3734. 2pm (1hr) Live storytelling Storytellers, singers and musicians Free | Adults 4pm (50mins) David Francis and Rachel These events complement the Royal Mile storyteller Calum Lykan £7.50 (£6) | Adults and 8+ Newton of The Shee move from display Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley captures some gruesome and Linda Williamson has been song to story and back in an at the National Library of Scotland, spooky moments from Auld Reikie gathering stories and ballads entrancing session. 10 September – 16 November. past and present. of wonder since before she
14. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 15. For Festival on Tour listings see details on page 21-25, and for more information visit the website Festival Diary www.tracscotland.org/festivals
Time Event Venue Page Time Event Venue Page
Everyday Wednesday 29 October 4pm Exclusive Story! Edinburgh’s Underground Vaults Mercat Cross beside St Giles Cathedral 06 1pm Welcome Home Scottish Storytelling Centre 13 2pm Stories and Songs of Sir Walter Scott Museum of Edinburgh 12 Friday 24 October 2.30pm Seeing Stories – Story guides Scottish Storytelling Centre 13 2.30pm Tales of a Grandfather: Unrolling Walter Scott’s Magic Carpet Central Library 06 5pm Ginevra degli Almieri – Love in Florence Scottish Storytelling Centre 13 7.30pm Places of Power Scottish Storytelling Centre 06 6.30pm The Earth, The Colour Scottish Storytelling Centre 13 8pm Open Hearth Scottish Storytelling Centre 12 Saturday 25 October 11am Tales of a Granny National Museum of Scotland 07 Thursday 30 October 1.30pm Natural Stories Scottish Storytelling Centre 06 2pm John Buchan’s Guide to Walter Scott National Library of Scotland 14 2pm Tales of a Grandfather: Unrolling Walter Scott’s Magic Carpet National Museum of Scotland 07 2pm Commonwealth Stories of WWI Museum of Edinburgh 14 2pm & 3.30pm Witches Brew Gladstone’s Land 06 2pm Exploring Celtic Traditions with David Campbell Scottish Storytelling Centre 14 2.30pm, 3.45pm Tales of a Grandson: The Dig, The Feast and The Hooly The Studio @ Festival Theatre 07 3.30pm Scott’s Singing Muse: Minstrelsy of the Scottish Borders National Library of Scotland 14 & 5.30pm 5pm Tales from Norway Scottish Storytelling Centre 14 5pm Mountain Vision: The Landscape Experience Scottish Storytelling Centre 07 6.30pm Orkney and Shetland – Northern Connections Scottish Storytelling Centre 14 6.30pm Robert Louis Stevenson – The Life Journey Scottish Storytelling Centre 07 8pm Open Hearth Scottish Storytelling Centre 15 8pm Open Hearth Scottish Storytelling Centre 07 Friday 31 October Sunday 26 October 10.30am Rosslyn Glen Walk Scottish Storytelling Centre 15 11am Tales of a Granny National Museum of Scotland 08 2pm Haunted Tales of Old Edinburgh Museum of Edinburgh 15 11.30am & 1.30pm Down at the Farm: In Gorgie Gorgie City Farm 08 2pm Exploring Celtic Traditions with George Macpherson Scottish Storytelling Centre 15 1pm Storytelling for a Greener World Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 08 4pm The Coming of the Unicorn and other Tales of Wonder Scottish Storytelling Centre 15 2pm & 3pm Macastory: A Soldier’s Tale Scottish National Portrait Gallery 09 5pm Meeting the Fairies Scottish Storytelling Centre 15 2.30pm, 3.45pm Tales of a Grandson: The Dig, The Feast and The Hooly The Studio @ Festival Theatre 08 6.30pm Ballads and Tales of the Supernatural Scottish Storytelling Centre 18 & 5.30pm 7.30pm Grave Tales: Festival Guid Crack Waverley Bar 18 5pm From the Pacific Coast Scottish Storytelling Centre 09 8pm Hallowe’en Hearth Scottish Storytelling Centre 18 6.30pm Rhythms from New Zealand Scottish Storytelling Centre 09 8pm Open Hearth Scottish Storytelling Centre 09 Saturday 1 November Monday 27 October 11am Scottish Traditional Tales – New Series Launch Scottish Storytelling Centre 18 10.30am Learning Where We Live. The Education Day: Place Based Learning Scottish Storytelling Centre 10 2pm & 3.30pm Deacon Brodie Unmasked – by Jack Martin Gladstone’s Land 18 2pm Stories and Songs of Sir Walter Scott Museum of Edinburgh 10 2.30pm Near not Far – World War One’s Divergent Voices National Library of Scotland 18 2.30pm Scottish Traditional Tales with Lari Don Central Library 10 3pm To Absent Friends Scottish Storytelling Centre 19 4pm Studying Elsewhere – Stories of Learning Abroad Scottish Storytelling Centre 10 5pm Stories from Wales – Yng Ngheredigion Scottish Storytelling Centre 19 5pm Between Tides Scottish Storytelling Centre 10 5.30pm Death and Fish Scottish Storytelling Centre 19 6pm As I Was Young and Easy: Dylan Thomas – A Lyrical Celebration Scottish Storytelling Centre 10 6.30pm On the Western Edge – Stories from the Outer Hebrides Scottish Storytelling Centre 19 8pm Hirta Songs – Evoking St Kilda Scottish Storytelling Centre 11 8pm Open Hearth – Islands Scottish Storytelling Centre 19
Tuesday 28 October Sunday 2 November 1pm Lisbon – Where Rural Meets Urban Scottish Storytelling Centre 11 11am Storytelling Master Class Scottish Storytelling Centre 19 2pm Commonwealth Stories of WWI Museum of Edinburgh 11 1pm-4pm Canongate: The Glorious Half Mile to Holyrood Various venues 20 2.30pm Seeing Stories: Symposium Scottish Storytelling Centre 11 2.30pm Near not Far – World War One’s Divergent Voices National Library of Scotland 20 5pm Follow the Story – Folklore and Archaeology Scottish Storytelling Centre 11 5pm John Fee’s Old Town Journeys and Evocations Scottish Storytelling Centre 20 6.30pm Lost Horizon or Living Landscape? Scottish Storytelling Centre 12 6.30pm The Rescue of the Son of Fion Scottish Storytelling Centre 20 8pm Open Hearth Scottish Storytelling Centre 12 8pm Open Hearth – Fires of Memories Scottish Storytelling Centre 20
16. 17. Ballads and Tales of On the Western Edge – the Supernatural Stories from the Scottish Storytelling Centre Outer Hebrides Live storytelling Finale Scottish Storytelling Centre 6.30pm (50mins) Live storytelling £7.50 (£6) | Adults 6.30pm (50mins) The old songs continue to haunt, £7.50 (£6) | Adults not least in the hands of great Sea lore and craft, along with performers and especially on Weekend humour, weather – lots of it – and a Samhain, when the ghosts and close connection with people and spirits walk into our world. With Later writers such as Robert Louis place thread through Ian Stephen’s storytellers and singers Marion Saturday Stevenson turned to Brodie as the storytelling and writing. Moving Kenny and Susanna 1 November epitome of Edinburgh hypocrisy. between his new novel Death and Orr Holland. We couldn’t possibly comment… Fish, and traditional tales, he evokes Scottish Traditional Tales but storyteller Jack Martin the living culture of the outer isles, Grave Tales: Festival will comment very fully. In and how to survive it. – New Series Launch Guid Crack association with the National Scottish Storytelling Centre Trust for Scotland. Waverley Bar Live storytelling Open Hearth – Islands Club Event Scottish Storytelling Centre 11am (1hr 30) Near not Far – World War 7.30pm (2hrs 30) £6 (£4) | Ages 4-7 Live Storytelling By donation (£3) | Adults Enjoy a range of new children’s One’s Divergent Voices 8pm (1hr 30) An opportunity to get a tale in National Library of Scotland £10 (£8) | Adults story books based on traditional Ashley Ramsden round the circle of Edinburgh’s tales: The Selkie Girls by Janis Edinburgh Partner | Live Join storytellers and musicians from regular storytelling session. the northern and western Isles – Mackay and The Dragon Storytelling To Absent Friends storytelling with Rafe Fitzpatrick This Guid Crack Festival special 2.30pm (2hrs) and Cynan Jones. And the hiraeth and some sea faring guests – in a Stoorworm by Theresa Breslin. Scottish Storytelling Centre is hosted by Orkney storyteller £7.50 (£6) | Adults – meaning both longing and relaxed, traditional session round Join the authors and storytellers Live storytelling Tom Muir. The centenary of WWI has brought belonging – remains strong. the hearth, as the darkness closes in as they share Scotland’s treasury 3pm (1hr 30) unprecedented access to archives Music from Pumlumon 70: Michael and the embers glow with pictures of myths and legends, with book £7.50 (£6) | Adults Hallowe’en Hearth and first-hand testimonies. We Truswell (percussion), Jer Reid in the fire. Hosted byIan Stephen, illustrations as a backdrop. This weekend is traditionally a Scottish Storytelling Centre can’t imagine or relive the horror, (guitar, harmonium), Stevie Jones with George Macpherson, Tom Presented by Edinburgh based season for remembering the Live Storytelling but we can listen to the voices (double bass, moog, tapes), Rafe Muir and Sarah McFadyen. publisher Floris Books. lost and the loved, and poet and 8pm (1hr 30) of those who lived through it Fitzpatrick (violin, sounds). The storyteller Margot Henderson £10 (£8) | Adults all, speaking to us across the SISF is delighted to feature Wales Deacon Brodie Unmasked marks the tradition by exploring Outside the wind rustles in the decades. A specially commissioned as part of the European Seeing Sunday 2 November – by Jack Martin how those who have died live on in darkness and the shadows creep live performance based on the Stories project. the memories and stories we share. closer. Join storytellers and Gladstone’s Land first-hand testimony of soldiers, In partnership with To Absent Storytelling Master Class musicians from Scotland and Edinburgh Partner | Live nurses, home front workers, Friends, a People’s Festival of Death and Fish Scottish Storytelling Centre around the world in this special Storytelling women, and those who opposed Storytelling and Remembrance – Scottish Storytelling Centre Training & Development evening event for Samhain, 2pm & 3.30pm (1hr) the war. Devised by Brian Larkin www.toabsentfriends.org.uk Live storytelling 11am (5hrs) as the darkness closes in and £8 (£6) | All ages in association with the Edinburgh Just across from Gladstone’s 5.30pm (50mins) £36 (£30) | Adults the embers glow in a relaxed, Peace and Justice Centre. Free | Adults Ashley Ramsden, founder of the traditional hearth session. Land lived Deacon Brodie, Featuring Gerda Stevenson, Stories from Wales – Edinburgh’s most notorious Ian Stephen’s new novel is an School of Storytelling in 1994, Hosted by Jess Smith, with Crawford Logan, Aonghas Yng Ngheredigion exploration of storytelling and a leads an intensive day for those Dawne McFarlane, Rachel double dealer and master of MacNeacail and Jamie Reid- Scottish Storytelling Centre disguise. A respectable citizen by lyrical exposition of living by and with storytelling experience who Newton and Grace Banks. Baxter, with music by Michael Live storytelling on the sea. Following the book are keen to stretch their skills and day, Brodie ran multiple rackets Byrne. This event complements 5pm (50mins) by night including gambling, launch with Saraband Publishing, explore the traditional art more the exhibition Behind the Lines: £7.50 (£6) | Adults Ian will weave material from Death deeply. Participants are advised to cock-fighting and theft. Finally he Personal stories of the First Welsh landscapes, language and got his come-uppance, but not and Fish with his new collection bring a 5-7 minute story that they World War at the National rural culture are brought together of traditional stories from the have already told but would like to before Jack Martin wiled his way Library of Scotland. through music, visuals and into the villain’s inner secrets. Western Isles. work on further. 18. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 19. Canongate: The Glorious Half Mile to Holyrood Seeing 1pm-4pm Stories Look again at Edinburgh’s glorious Canongate. Sir Walter Scott was inspired to pen his Chronicles of the Canongate, Charles Dickens got the idea for Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol here and Edinburgh’s beloved makar Robert Fergusson found his last resting place at the Kirk. All the pageant of life has gone up and down this street from Queens to Festival rebels, courtiers to beggars, and indigent debtors to the wealthiest in the land. In former times Churches, palaces, taverns and brothels jostled for space, while more recently the return of Scotland’s Parliament has once again made Canongate a scene of power play and intrigue. On Tour Enjoy free events at The Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate Kirk, the Coordinated by regional storytelling teams with People’s Story Museum, Acheson House, and the Scottish Parliament. the support of the SISF. Guest Storytellers meet A glorious afternoon of Once Upon the Canongate brings Edinburgh – City of with local performers and audiences, offering Story – to life. The event concludes at the Scottish Storytelling Centre at a fantastic opportunity to experience in-situ 5pm with John Fee’s Old Town Journeys and Evocations – see below. storytelling across the country and highlighting With the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union and in association with Edinburgh the close links stories have with local tradition, Museums and Galleries, Edinburgh World Heritage Trust and Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature. landscape and history.
Near not Far – World War First World War at the National in Skye, Ardnamurchan and the Isle One’s Divergent Voices Library of Scotland. of Man. Climb mountain heights and plummet the depths of oceans National Library of Scotland in search of the cup of healing with Edinburgh Partner | Live John Fee’s Old Town traditional Seanachaidh Seoras Storytelling Journeys and Evocations Macpherson sharing the tale, 2.30pm (2hrs) Scottish Storytelling Centre supported by Kati Waitzmann £7.50 (£6) | Adults Live storytelling who is learning from the tradition. The centenary of WWI has 5pm (50mins) brought unprecedented access £6 (£4) | Adults to archives and first-hand A celebration of the late, great Open Hearth – Fires testimonies. We can’t imagine John Fee – storyteller of the Old of Memories or relive the horror, but we can Town – coinciding with the launch Scottish Storytelling Centre listen to the voices of those who of his posthumous book of Old Live Storytelling lived through it all, speaking to us Town Tales, introduced by Donald 8pm (1hr 30) across the decades. A specially Smith, with photos by Stuart £10 (£8) | Adults commissioned live performance McHardy. They are joined for this Join storytellers and musicians based on the first-hand testimony special launch event by storytellers from home and abroad in a relaxed of soldiers, nurses, home front Audrey Parks, Millie Gray, Colin traditional session round the workers, women, and those Mackay, Jack Martin and Claire hearth, as the darkness closes in who opposed the war. Devised McNicol, in aid of Edinburgh’s Life and the embers glow with pictures by Brian Larkin in association Stories project. in the fire. This final session of with the Edinburgh Peace and the Festival is hosted by David Justice Centre. Featuring Gerda The Rescue of Campbell, with Janis Mackay and Stevenson, Crawford Logan, the Son of Fion festival guests. Aonghas MacNeacail and Scottish Storytelling Centre Jamie Reid-Baxter, with music Live storytelling by Michael Byrne. This event 6.30pm (1hr) | £7.50 (£6) | Adults complements the exhibition Behind Enjoy a big story from the classic the Lines: Personal stories of the Highland canon, with a tale known
20. Box office: 0131 556 9579 identify key activities and locations, Thursday 23 – Friday 24 October hear about archive and funding Tuesday Sunday 26 October resources, and consider how an 28 October Eyemouth Primary Inverclyde traditional arts network Orkney Storytelling School Festival might function. Glasgow Festival Eyemouth Primary School will be Micro-Stories: Between the first school in Scotland to host Perthshire Now in its 5th consecutive year, Russia and Scotland – the Orkney Storytelling Festival its own designated storytelling Stories Around welcomes three visiting storytellers festival on Friday 24 October for Stanley Mills For Lermontov to the island: Ian Stephen (Isle of 1000 children across five primary Stanley Mills, Stanley, The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Lewis), Liz Weir (Northern Ireland) schools and three nursery schools! Perthshire, PH1 4QE Easterhouse, Glasgow, G34 9JW and Stina Fagertun (Norway). It will have a truly international Live Storytelling Live Storytelling Together with local storytellers theme with storytellers Dawne 2pm (2 hrs) From 10am they will take part in events across McFarlane (Canada), Grace Taylor Free with normal admission to site Free | Older children and adults Orkney, including the traditional and Tusiata Avia (New Zealand) All ages To mark the bicentenary of Mikhail island jaunt – this year to the tiny joining Scotland’s tale weavers Join storyteller Claire Hewitt to Lermontov (Learmonth), who island of Graemsay (population Macastory, Ruth Kirkpatrick, explore the history of the Mills died in his twenty seventh year, 23). There is also an event in a Donald Nelson, Margaret through interactive stories in all sorts young people from Scotland and brewery, as well as a return to the Christison and Marjorie Leithead. of places! Discover the mystery of Russia are exchanging 27 word wonderfully welcoming surrounds Please note: This event is not open the golden pocket watch, the Italian stories. In a special Scotland- of homely Betty’s Reading Room. to members of the public. prisoners and the baby, the mouse Russia celebration for SISF 2014, Ian Stephen 2014 will celebrate the 1000th tailor and many more. Storysacks storytellers Michael Kerins and anniversary of the Battle of will also be available for families to Donald Nelson go East in search Argyll, engaging you in an evening Clontarf, where Orkney’s Jarl use for free. Please contact 01738 of tales while young Glaswegian Once Upon a Place Saturday of distinctive rhythms of the South Sigurd fell, bearing the enchanted 828 268 to reserve a place. tellers from St. Benedict’s Primary H M Frigate Unicorn, Pacific. Please contact the library Raven Banner. Rapidly gaining 25 October School perform their micro-stories. Victoria Dock, Dundee, DD1 3BP to reserve a seat. 01436 658 833. a reputation for being a small Hosted by Dominic Kerins. Live Storytelling festival with a very big heart, every Greenock 7pm (2hrs) | £5 Monday Glasgow year locals and visitors alike have Traditions in Place Dundee Join us aboard the historic HM enjoyed the wonderful storytelling The Beacon, Custom House Quay, 27 October Once Upon a Place – Frigate Unicorn for an evening of From the Pacific on offer. Contact: orkneystof@ Greenock, PA15 1HJ A Story Adventure stories and songs with storytelling to the Clyde hotmail.co.uk or visit group, Blether Tay-gither and Networking Day Fife The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery The Glad Café, 1006A Pollokshaws www.orkneystorytellingfestival.co.uk guest storyteller Stina Fagertun 10.30am (6hrs) and Museum, Albert Square, Road, Glasgow, G41 2HG Sup wi’ a Fifer! from Norway. Tickets available on A networking day for all those Meadowside, Dundee, DD1 1DA Live Storytelling Café by the Park, 5 Chalmers St, the door. Reserve in advance by interested in the traditional arts Live Storytelling 7.30pm (2hrs) Dunfermline, Fife KY12 8AT phoning Sheila Kinninmonth on and living heritage of Inverclyde. Walks start: 10.30am, £8 (£6) | Adults Live Storytelling 01334 474 836. Is storytelling, music, song and 7pm (2hrs) 12pm and 1.30pm Join storytellers from Glasgow dance flourishing in Inverclyde? 12+ | £6 incl. coffee, tea, juice Free. No booking necessary. and the Pacific to celebrate the How are they being supported & cake Bring the family and join the Helensburgh Commonwealth in this Year and connected? Come together to Local storytellers celebrate the Blether Tay-gither storytellers for Rhythms from of Homecoming. Stories and stories and songs of Fife with a journey through the McManus New Zealand music flow like the rivers and the mighty ocean currents that unite Canadian guest storyteller Dawne Gallery in Dundee, and hear their Helensburgh Library, West King people worldwide. With Dawne McFarlane with her stories of stories inspired by the exhibitions. Street, Helensburgh, G84 8EB McFarlane (Canada), Naomi place. Book early for limited places Suitable for all ages. Live Storytelling O’Kelly, Lesley O’Brien and in this atmospheric venue at the 7.30pm accompanying musical interludes. gates of Pittencrieff Park (only 3 Free, pre-booking required To book please phone 0141 636 minutes from the bus station). Performing poets and storytellers 6119. In association with The Village For information and to book via Grace Taylor and Tusiata Avia Grace Taylor Storytelling Centre and Glad Café. PayPal contact Judy Paterson set out from Aotearoa to reach [email protected]
22. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 23. Aberdeen Lochgilphead author, crowned “Tusitala” – Tales from the the Storyteller – by the Samoans. Friday Saturday Stories and Their Stories Rhythms from Arctic People Please contact the library to 31 October 1 November Resonate Arts House Unit A3, Linklater Rooms New Zealand reserve a seat. 01369 708 682. North Castle Street, Alloa, (adjacent to Elphinstone Hall), Lochgilphead Library, Manse Brae, FK10 1EU University of Aberdeen Oban Alloa Lochgilphead, PA31 8QZ Campbeltown Storytelling Workshop Live Storytelling Live Storytelling Robert Louis Stevenson – Northern Lights - 2pm 7.30pm (2hrs) | Free | All ages Rhythms from 7.30pm The Life Journey Stories and More Free | All ages Join two of Scotland’s most New Zealand Free, pre-booking required Oban Library, 77 Albany Street, GR McFarlane Art Gallery, Our guest storyteller Stina celebrated storytellers, Tom Muir Campbeltown Library, Performing poets and storytellers Oban, PA34 4AL 41 Mill Street, Alloa, FK10 1DW Fagertun, will take you in spirit (Orkney) and Lawrence Tulloch Aqualibrium, Kinloch Park, Kinloch Grace Taylor and Tusiata Avia Live Storytelling Live Storytelling to the shores of the Arctic Ocean (Shetland), in a night of exceptional Road, Campbeltown, PA28 6EG set out from Aotearoa to reach 7pm 11am to join the Sami reindeer herders stories from the Northern Isles. Live Storytelling Argyll, engaging you in an evening Free, pre-booking required Free | All ages for fantastical stories, spiced with Tom and Lawrence will not only tell 7.30pm of distinctive rhythms of the South Fiddler Judy Turner and guitarist/ Join storyteller and singer/ Arctic folksongs and traditional tales, but will also share the ‘stories Free, pre-booking required Pacific. Please contact the library singer Neil Adam travel all the way songwriter Stina Fagertun to ‘joiks’. To book call 01259 928 behind the stories’ by talking about Performing poets and storytellers to reserve a seat. 01546 602 072. from Australia to recall the story celebrate in spoken word the 014 or visit www.facebook.com/ the sources and the people from Grace Taylor and Tusiata Avia of the life, loves, adventures and people and magical landscape of Resonatetogether whom they learned them. This is a set out from Aotearoa to reach sorrows of Scotland’s best loved her native Norway – the land of the rare visit by Tom and Lawrence to Argyll, engaging you in an evening author, crowned “Tusitala” – the Northern Lights and Midnight Sun. tell stories in Aberdeen, so be sure Thursday of distinctive rhythms of the Storyteller – by the Samoans. To book call 01259 723 303 or not to miss them! 30 October South Pacific. Please contact Please contact the library to email [email protected] the library to reserve a seat. reserve a seat. 01631 571 444. Please note access to the venue is Dunoon 01586 555 435. via stairs.
Wednesday Robert Louis Stevenson – 29 October The Life Journey Dunoon Library, 248 Argyll Street, Thursday 30 Isle of Bute Dunoon, PA23 7LT October – Sunday Live Storytelling 2 November Robert Louis Stevenson – 7.30pm The Life Journey Free, pre-booking required Portskerra International Rothesay Library, Moat Centre, Fiddler Judy Turner and guitarist/ Storytelling Festival Stuart Street, Rothesay, Isle of singer Neil Adam travel all the way The third North Coast storytelling Bute, PA20 0BX from Australia to recall the story festival focuses on place and Live Storytelling of the life, loves, adventures and intergenerational community, 7pm sorrows of Scotland’s best loved Free, pre-booking required with stories from Regina Sommer Fiddler Judy Turner and (Germany), Christine Stone guitarist/singer Neil Adam (Hebrides), Sandra Train (Strath travel all the way from Halladale), North Coast storyteller Australia to recall the story Alexandria Patience and piper of the life, loves, adventures James MacDonald Reid. Featuring and sorrows of Scotland’s a traditional Ceilidh called by best loved author, crowned Clapshot, plus a Hallows Eve Silent “Tusitala” – the Storyteller Movie night amongst the highlights, – by the Samoans. Please enjoy the warm welcome at this contact the library to reserve intimate festival, edged by glorious a seat. 01700 503 266. fishing and surfing beaches. For programme and bookings see www.portskerrastorytellingfestival. weeble.com Judy Turner
24. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 25. Ana Sofia Paiva Ana Sofia Paiva is a Portuguese actress and storyteller, merging About Guest theatre, storytelling and music. She teaches workshops focusing on the power of voice, oral performance and musicality. She is also an oral tradition researcher, member of Neil Adam Stina Fagerturn Storytellers Institute for Studies of Traditional Literature (Lisbon), and part of the collective Memória Imaterial, an organisation dedicated to Neil Adam and Judy Turner sites in Rome – and she is also the ancestry of Norwegian, Kven and the intangible Portuguese Neil Adam (sort of Scottish expat) organiser of Il Circolo dei Narratori Coastal Sami. With a background cultural heritage. and Judy Turner (Australian born (The Circle of Storytellers) – a in theatre, she has been a cultural and bred) are a husband and wife monthly storytelling cafe event at ambassador for more than 30 years, Judy Turner Rafe Fitzpatrick Regina Sommer team whose passion has always the Hula Hoop Club in Rome. alongside creating and collecting Regina Sommer is a pioneer of been storytelling. As fiddler (her) ancient, unique fairy tales from the German storytelling scene and guitarist-singer (him), they Daniela Corradini the Coastal Sami, Kven and Arctic and was a guest at the Scottish have been key contributors to Daniela Corradini is an art historian storytelling traditions. She won International Storytelling Festival the folk revival down under – and and tour guide who co-founded Best Storytellers at the Norwegian in 2012, delighting audiences with the massive growth of interest Strolling Stories in 2010 with Storyteller Festival in 2010. German folktales and Brothers in Scottish fiddling – as well as Giovanna Conforto. She graduated Grimm retellings. She established winners of numerous awards for in history of art at the DAMS of Rafe Fitzpatrick Tusiata Avia Dawne McFarlane a house of stories and tales in their playing and teaching. Bologna, is a licensed tourist guide Rafe Fitzpatrick was born and her hometown of Aachen in 1996 of the Province of Rome and has raised in rural Wales. Growing up to engage a German-speaking Tusiata Avia worked as an educator in schools under the beautiful grey skies of storyteller network and bring Tusiata Avia is a published poet, on issues of sustainable tourism Ceredigion, absorbing the language storytelling back into people’s performer and children’s writer and promoting heritage. She also and changing rural culture. It made memory. Regina also organises born to a Samoan father and Palagi looks after the tarotitalytours blog an indelible mark and some days International Storytelling Festival mother. She was the recipient of about art and symbolism. the hiraeth is strong. He has always Zwischen-Zeiten. Giovanna Conforto Ana Sofia Paiva the Janet Frame Literary Trust played music and the landscape Award (2013) and is regularly Monica Fabbri and culture of his upbringing are Grace Taylor printed in literary journals, as well Monica Fabbri is an artist, reflected in the way he plays. Grace Taylor was born and raised as appearing at writers festivals illustrator and performer. Since in South Auckland, Aotearoa around the globe. Fellow Samoan 2011, she has dedicated herself to Dawne McFarlane New Zealand with English and writer Sia Figiel has stated Avia’s theatre and worked in Chille de la Dawne McFarlane is a storyteller, Samoan descent. She has been poetry is revolutionary as it Balanza as a storyteller, with special Waldorf teacher, dancer and writer writing poetry for over 10 years ‘redefines the face of New Zealand interest in fairy tales. Among her with over 30 years’ experience. and performing for seven. Grace Daniela Corradini Regina Sommer literature’. creations are illustrations The She is affiliated with the Storytelling co-directs Niu Navigations and is Story of Signorino BC and Lettera Toronto community and Chair of co-founder of the Rising Voices Giovanna Conforto ad una professoressa (Letter to a the Storytelling Department at Youth Poetry Movement and South Giovanna Conforto graduated from Professor), and she has written the Rudolf Steiner Centre Toronto. Auckland Poets Collective. Her first the National Academy of Dramatic and performed two plays – Her first memory of storytelling collection of poetry, Afakasi Speaks, Arts in Rome and first encountered Favolando (Fables/Fabling) is sitting around a campfire, her was published in 2013 and she has storytelling in 2003, through a and Ophelia Ophelie. Grandfather illuminated by firelight won the Auckland Readers Writers series of children’s workshops she and silhouetted by stars as he Monica Fabbri Grace Taylor Festival Poetry Idol. conducted in Bethlehem. She co- Stina Fagertun enchanted with a Gaelic brawl founded Strolling Stories – stories Stina Fagertun was born and raised rolling through his powerful voice. For further information on Scottish storytellers related to artistic and historical in the “Capital of the Arctic” - please visit our Directory on Tromsø, Norway – through a rich www.tracscotland.org/tracs/storytelling
26. Box office: 0131 556 9579 www.tracscotland.org/festivals 27. Venue details
Central Library National Library of Scotland The Studio at the Festival Theatre 7-9 George IV Bridge, EH1 1EG George IV Bridge, EH1 1EW 22 Potterrow, EH8 9BL 0131 242 8100 - enquiries only 0131 623 3734 - enquiries only 0131 529 6000 (book online) www.nls.uk/events/booking [email protected] www.edinburghreads.eventbrite.co.uk www.edtheatres.com National Museum of Scotland Gladstones Land Chambers Street, EH1 1JF 477B Lawnmarket, EH1 2NT 0300 123 6789 0131 226 5856 - enquiries only www.nms.ac.uk www.nts.org.uk Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh The Scottish Storytelling Centre is the Gorgie City Farm Entrances on Inverleith Row (EH3 5LP) national body for the support and 51 Gorgie Road, EH11 2LA and Arboretum Place (EH3 5NZ) development of the storytelling artform, 0131 337 4202 - enquiries only 0131 248 2909 - enquiries only and presents the annual Scottish www.gorgiecityfarm.org.uk www.rbge.org.uk International Storytelling Festival as part of this work. The organisation is a partnership Mercat Tours Ltd Scottish National Portrait Gallery between the Scottish Storytelling Forum SCO M e r c a t H o u s e , 2 8 B l a i r S t r e e t , E H 1 1 Q R 1 Queen Street, 20891 and the Church of Scotland SCO 11353, Please note: Tour begins at the Mercat Edinburgh, EH2 1JD and is supported by Creative Scotland, the Cross at Parliament Square next to 0131 624 6560 City of Edinburgh Council and a wide range St Giles Kirk [email protected] of charitable donations. 0131 225 5445 www.nationalgalleries.org [email protected] www.mercattours.com
Museum of Edinburgh 142-146 Canongate, EH8 8DD 0131 529 4143 - enquiries only www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk
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