But in fact it’s so important to remember the live aspect of storytelling. News. More than 10,000 people already follow along with my adventures. A world of stories within the Festival City of Edinburgh. SISF for the majority takes place in and around Edinburgh. You can find the full programme online, which features both virtual and in-person events. The skies were still bright blue outside on the Royal Mile. I love taking photos and I’m glad there are posts like these, it’s so useful. It was deemed the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature in 2004; it holds the largest literary festival in the world; and it’s regarded by millions as the modern-day home of schoolboy magic, thanks to J.K. Rowling’s regular writing sessions in an Edinburgh cafe. More sculptures were revealed over the next five years – but although the project has now come to a close, the artist’s identity still remains a secret. • Storytellers David Campbell and Seoras Macpherson have performed in every Storytelling Festival since its conception. TRACS is based at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, which is a partnership project between the Storytelling Forum and The Church of Scotland (SC011353). Their movements were quiet. October 31st is the night of Samhuinn, an ancient pagan festival which welcomes the thinning of the veil between two worlds. • The Scottish International Storytelling Festival has been running since 1989; 2019 will be the 31st Festival. NB: This trip was in paid partnership with Edinburgh Festivals, who kindly invited me to the Scottish International Storytelling Festival so I could wax lyrical about stories for a weekend. I am absolutely delighted that the Festival will go ahead this year, as ambitious and thought-provoking as ever.”. The online events will showcase a mixture of firm festival favourites and new strands. Edinburgh International Book Festival Brings Story Nation to Sick Kids Hospital, Book Week Scotland 2020 Online Programme Launched, Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2020 Launches, Nanjing International Writers Residency - Mike Nicholson, UNESCO Cities of Literature Launch New Website at Annual Conference, Edinburgh Welcomes Back Six of its Local Libraries, David Whiteman and Prague's International Writers' Residency, Edinburgh Author Lucy Ellmann wins James Tait Black Prize for Fiction, Edinburgh City of Literature Trust Welcomes Three New Trustees, Cities of Literature Champion International Literacy Day, My Prague by Alan Spence, Edinburgh Makar, Edwin Morgan Poetry Award 2020 - Winner Announced, Alan Spence - Edinburgh Makarship Extended, Edinburgh International Book Festival Launches Online Programme 2020, World Literature Wednesday: Tartu City of Literature, UNESCO Cities of Literature During Lockdown, Supporting Edinburgh's Independent Bookshops, Coronavirus Update - Edinburgh City of Literature, Literature Talks: There are Three Suns in the Sky by Jenni Fagan, Literature Talks: On a Lifetime of Ticking Boxes by Chitra Ramaswamy. It was a chilly autumn morning in Edinburgh, and I was late for the Storytelling Festival. I had a few hours before attending my first performance of the storytelling festival, so I decided to visit a few of the more famous literary landmarks in the city. The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is one of the most celebrated and admired storytelling events in the world, and the largest of its kind – both from a programming and participation perspective - encompassing a wealth of cultures, traditions and styles. It takes place in October each year, as the seasons change with long nights drawing families and friends around the hearth, inspired by the Scottish ceilidh tradition and its sense of togetherness – a community gathering full of tales, anecdotes, music, songs and ballads. Your information may be shared with TRACS who remain compliant with data protection law at all times. It also meant I was fascinated to know more about how Robert’s First Nation ancestry influences his storytelling. The 'Guid Crack' evening story sessions are a long-standing favourite at the SISF, and this year promises to be no exception, as Orkney-based storyteller Fran Flett Hollinrake spins yarns of dark historical tales, while exuberant Glaswegian entertainer Michael Kerins takes a sideways look at life, art, and literature, with plenty of good humour for measure. I’ve been to a few literary festivals – the most memorable being Hay Book Festival in Wales and Gibraltar’s annual Literary Festival – but Edinburgh’s Storytelling Festival is the first I’ve heard of which explores the relationship between a storyteller and their audience. at Padlox Escape Rooms in Leith, which sees local storyteller Jan Bee Brown and musician Toby Hawks invite audiences to join them for some tall tales and spirited shanties, a heady blend of stories and songs of the sea that link Scotland and Scandinavia. He said that oral storytelling is becoming more like theatre, where the focus is on the ‘show’ instead of the rapport between speaker and listener. I had no idea what to expect, but from the moment their performance began I was utterly enthralled. This year, Baba the Storyteller, Peter Chand and Kamini Ramachandran, are amidst those performers. SISF for the majority takes place in and around Edinburgh. Hear storyteller Nicola Wright tell the tale of 'Scots in the Antarctic,' a family friendly recollection of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, 1902-1904 (young ones be advised: this story features penguins, and a dog named Russ). Complaints procedure; Contact Us; Advertising and subscriptions. I felt the audience twitch and stiffen: my immediate reaction was one of annoyance, and I began mentally preparing for the constant threat of disturbance. Scottish International Storytelling Festival. Although each event has a structure, there will always be an informal and improvised element, which is the beauty of live storytelling, echoing the old Traveller proverb that ‘a story is told eye to eye, mind to mind, heart to heart’. They clearly spend a lot of time at the centre: there was an easy camaraderie between them borne of years in each others company, and their enjoyment of each others’ stories was infectious. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. My self-guided literary tour of Edinburgh began at The Writers Museum where three of Scotland’s most famous writers are celebrated: Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. They uttered no words and were fully absorbed in their dance; becoming birds with beaks, then shaking wooden rain sticks and gripping animal hooves in their hands. Sign in / Join; About us. It also focused specifically on storytellers from First Nation Canada: something of a coincidence, seeing as I’d just spent a fortnight in Atlantic Canada with First Nation Mi’kmaq people learning about their traditions. The programme provides diverse events, for those completely new to storytelling through to guests wanting to develop their storytelling skill, ranging from nightly storytelling sessions for adults to professional development talks and workshops. So often I think about storytelling as being something static – something to be read either on the page or a device’s screen. I watched a dozen different people take centre stage: a girl from Poland, an elderly Irish man, a Belgian woman, a guy in a full Scottish kilt outfit, all of whom told spooky stories. Friday 16 - Saturday 31 October 2020 As autumn descends over Edinburgh, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival provides a providing cosy haven from the colder, darker weather outside, while often echoing it through spellbinding tales of darkness and light. “Storytelling performances are a big trend now,” Robert told me. The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is proud to be part of Festivals Edinburgh. I’d never heard of Edinburgh’s Storytelling Centre before this visit, but I’m so thankful I know about its existence now. © 2020 Edinburgh City of Literature Trust. A world of stories within the Festival City of Edinburgh. Through a mixture of live and pre-recorded events, available to view safely online, audiences can thrill to stories and music telling tale of Scotland's beautiful coastlines and waters as the festival focuses on the theme of staying 'In The Flow'. Just then the theatre doors were opened so I headed downstairs to the Netherbow Theatre, a small auditorium with just 99 seats, to watch as the Dancers of Damelahamid appeared onstage. I spent the majority of my day at the centre where a steady stream of impromptu storytellers stood (or sat) to share their words. “In our world there’s dogs running around, there’s kids jumping over you, the elders are talking…It’s not a performance. Be you a storyteller yourself, a listener, or someone new to the craft, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival offers a unique opportunity to be swept away by stories, both traditional and new, wild and moving, raucously funny and quietly educational. I rushed up the stairs of the Scottish Storytelling Centre and suddenly stood inside a warm cafe, where my glasses steamed up immediately. A crowd of excited attendees were already milling around the Storytelling Court when I stepped inside. Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Stirling & Forth Valley. I looked around and spotted a white-haired man with eagles outlined on his shirt: Robert Seven Crows Bourdon, the man I was supposed to meet. Scottish International Storytelling Festival. But for me (and for any other story-obsessed folk), this place is a dream location. The venue and its staff have a welcoming spirit, inclusive nature and talent and creative skill to boot. To find out more or to book, visit the website, www.sisf.org.uk and follow the hashtag #SISFInTheFlow on Twitter, Promoted by Scottish International Storytelling Festival, This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Discover more details about Scottish International Storytelling Festival in Edinburgh including contact details, dates and times as well as ticket information.