The Sydney International Storytelling Conference Cancelled

The decision was made back in March to postpone the 2020 Conference due to the Covid-19 virus. We had hoped that the world would return back to normal and that the conference would go ahead in June 2021. However, since March much has changed globally and we have been challenged and invited to re-imagine a process for a virtual program. In doing so, it was decided by the organising committee that we could not just transfer the conference program with multiple workshops, performances and poster sessions to a digital event.

Ah, the best laid schemes of mice and men and the Australian Storytelling Guild, NSW. In an alternate, covid free universe, we are gathered around supping on soup, basking in the glory of another successful Sydney International Storytelling Conference at our AGM. Instead we find ourselves, alone at home, on Zoom. Yet still we remain connected by our mutual love of story and the internet.

Australian Storytellers NSW have members from all over this great sunburnt country and, as we could not come together at our conference, we thought it would be good to get to know one another here, and find out how other storytellers are using story to enrich their lives and the lives of others.

It is with great delight we introduce you to Simona Galimberti.

“Once upon a time, there was a girl by candlelight. It was deep in the centre of the Australian desert. Ok, that’s a tad romantic, but the desert is vastly enchanting.

Alice Springs, Arrante Country, Central Australia, NT. As she was home on her own, only her and the flickering candlelight, she wrote a vision in a notebook; to showcase community art works, stories and written pieces that spoke from their voice, those who express from their own voice within.

The weather is cool but we have some storytelling to warm you up from the inside. Below we have listed what's on offer over the next few weeks and stay tuned for some exciting online storytelling webinars and courses.
Membership renewals went out last week to those who are due, so check your spam and promotions folders if you haven't seen it.

Blue Mountains Storytelling Circle Sunday 21st June 2pm
Feast Online Thursday 25th June
Tangerine Elephant, Central Coast Sunday 28th June 12pm
The Online Stone Gnome Story Slam Thursday 9th July 7.30pm

Australian Storytellers: Voices from Down Under

Storytellers NSW were invited by The National Storytelling Network USA, to host a program of storytelling performances for their Virtual Storytelling Conference: Connected. Christine Carlton did a brilliant job relaying and clarifying the information coming from U.S, organising the storytellers, and being our Mistress of Ceremonies.

This June long weekend should have been our Sydney International Storytelling Conference where we would have welcomed and shared stories with storytellers from all over Australia and the World. After much consideration we decided to postpone the Conference till 2021, and we are delighted that most of our presenters have already committed to attend.

Other conferences and festivals have gone ahead or are going ahead online. Storytellers Nsw has been invited to host an online event with Australian Storytellers by the U.S. National Storytelling Network, for their online Conference and Festival. Jo Henwood and the Fairy Tale Society have been busy organising their online Conference for the long weekend and you can catch Lilli Rodriguez-Pang's storytelling festival, Southern Skies Festival on Youtube.

We hope everyone is staying well in these challenging times. While we can't meet in person yet, there has been an explosion of storytelling online. Many of our members are now embracing Zoom, Facebook Live and Youtube to share their stories. It is a very different experience telling a story to a screen rather than a live audience, perhaps it is then that we truly realise just how integral the audience response is to the art of oral storytelling.

Until we can share stories eye to eye, mind to mind and heart to heart, here are links to various online storytelling events

John Hockney grew up in the industrial town of Bradford in Northern England.

He was one of five children in a creative household, led by his iconoclastic father Kenneth, was a conscientious objector who always told his children to 'never worry what the neighbours think'.

During the war, there were many shortages. As child, John's brother David would creep downstairs in the morning and draw on whatever paper was available.

He drew figures, streets, houses, landscapes and cartoons on the white edge of the newspaper, his mother's magazines, or whatever comics arrived that day.

When David got his first sketchbook at the age of 10, his parents realised his drawing was much more than compulsive doodling.

You might already know the old Scottish saying:" A story should be told eye to eye, mind to mind and heart to heart", but these difficult days call for an addition to the saying "computer to computer". We would love be meeting and swapping stories in person, holding workshops and of course, hosting our International Conference but alas it is not possible, so we have decided to go online with our storytelling.