The Society for Storytelling

What we do

The Society engages in activities that support and promote the art of storytelling. These include:

National Storytelling Week increases public awareness of the art, practice and value of oral storytelling, which is held during the first week in February. Since it was launced by Del Reid in 2000 it has grown significantly as more institutions become involved. Information and factsheets to help organise events are available via the National Storytelling Week page.

The Directory of Storytellers is a useful way for organisations and members of the public to find professional storytellers in their area. The SfS does not recommend individual storytellers; it does however offer advice on choosing a storyteller to suit your needs. Go to the Directory.

Storytelling event information. Information on storytelling events all over the country can be found on our website. Members benefit from having news and events information sent to them directly via email news bulletins.

The Gathering. To promote the exploration of storytelling in all its diverse forms and various applications, and to improve networking, we organise an Annual Conference, the Gathering, which is held in a different part of the country every Spring and is open to everyone. The weekend includes talks, discussions, workshops and story swaps, aiming to provide something for a wide variety of interests and expertise.

Publications. The Society publishes various factsheets and papers containing information on the nature and practice of storytelling. They include

• Factsheets - brief factual papers many of which are freely available in the Resources section of our website
• Artisan - booklets covering practical aspects of storytelling
• Oracle - booklets cover speeches from SfS conferences and reflective papers
• Papyrus - academic papers on the art of storytelling
• Writings in Celebration - compilations celebrating the lives of people who have made an outstanding contribution to storytelling.

These inexpensive booklets will be available from the Resources section of this website and in the meantime from the society either by post or at the bookstall the society runs at several festivals.

Storylines, the quarterly newsletter of the Society, contains news, articles and information for storytelling enthusiasts and professionals. It is free to members.

The SfS Library is housed at Mythstories Museum in Shropshire. It contains a growing collection of folktale books and information on storytelling.