New Storytelling Laureate named

Monday October 31, 2011

Katrice Horsley takes over the Storytelling Laureateship in 2012 for a two year honorary term

Following a meeting of the guardians and patrons of the Laureateship, Katrice Horsley has been named as the next Storytelling Laureate, taking over from the first Laureate Taffy Thomas MBE on 28 January 2012.

The guardians and patrons of the Storytelling Laureateship are the poets Michael Rosen, Brian Patten and Adrian Johnson also the Bloodaxe poetry book publisher MD, Simon Thirsk, storytellers Peter Chand and Del Reid and the Children’s librarian Patsy Heap. Presented with a long list of tellers from across the UK, nominated by enthusiasts and supporters of the nation’s oldest art form, guardians selected Horsley.

The poet Brian Patten commented, “I am absolutely delighted for Katrice and convinced she will add a cutting edge to the oral storytelling tradition.”

The storyteller Peter Chand said. “I think Katrice will be a great ambassador for the storytelling world and know she has terrific energy and dynamism, which reflects the vibrancy of storytelling today. Her recent output has been impressive, and she has recently created and performed her own shows: Hair and fur, skin and scale, Tales of Mercia with Simon Heywood, and The Crow, the maiden and the devil. All three shows have been very well received by storytelling audiences across the UK.” 

Katrice Horsley has worked widely as a storyteller and educator and is a director of the Midlands-based Traditional Arts Foundation. On receiving the news and accepting her appointment as the nation’s second ever Storytelling Laureate, Katrice Horsley said, "My toes are curled up to the sky with joy and I look forward to making my contribution."

The first Storytelling Laureate, Taffy Thomas, MBE, completes his first, ground breaking and energetic two years as the very first storytelling laureate on 27 January 2012 and Katrice will make her first, official, laureate appearances at venues across the UK during national storytelling week, Saturday 28 January – Saturday 4 February, 2012. See: kindandgenerous.weebly.com/storytelling-laureate.html for full dates.

As Laureate for Storytelling, Katrice will also receive seven wonderful objects as a gift, including: 1kg bag of dried beans, a simple compass, a packet of love hearts, a clear glass bottle, a tall white candle, a silver, lucky charm bracelet and a whistle.

The Storytelling Laureate is produced and co-ordinated in Smethwick by Adrian Johnson of kindandgenerous productions.