You're all INVITED: Launch of Words on the Wind. 24 July 2014

Storytelling Australia Victoria  invites you to the launch of

Words on the Wind

image: Anne E Stewart courtesy Penguin Books

When:   Thursday July 24th 

Where:  The Library at the Dock, directions  HERE

Time:     5.00 pm drinks and nibbles and Launch 

              6.00 pm Show Starts

Who:     Jan “Yarn” Wositzky telling 

             William Buckley: The Go- Between   

 Words on the Wind is a series of free storytelling shows coming to the new Library at the Dock, running from July through to December 2014. Nine storytellers from Storytelling Australia Victoria have crafted six compelling tales to reflect their relationship to this part of Melbourne’s Docklands. They will explore the history and environment of Victoria Harbor, a corner of Melbourne steeped in tales of mystery and intrigue, not to mention major engineering works! 

 PLEASE RSVP:

Anne E Stewart on 0408 550 945 or email anne@anneestewart.com.au

For more information go to http://www.storytellingvic.org.au/

or Like us on Facebook

* I'll be there celebrating the launch with my storytelling mates. NB drinks and nibbles!

Newport Folk Festival 2014

OK I'm a festival tragic, I admit. But this one is my favourite. This is my local and with my community we plan this party for months. My friend Gerry Nelson took these exquisitely expressive photos at the storytelling event that I host for Storytelling Australia Victoria every year. I added a little video and friend Bruce Williams gave me permission to add an instrumental piece form his CD 'Me and the Walls'. It all started 7 years ago with the Newport Fiddle and Folk Club.

Monash Fairy Salon: 2014 Symposium

As part of the Glen Eira Storytelling Festival, hosted by Monash Fairy Tale Salon these Symposiums are a coming together of the academic, literary, oral story teller and musician – in our turn we all had a chance to read, tell, sing, ask questions and generally enjoy the moosh of ideas that spin on the notion of Fairy Tale. The delight is the palpable joy the attendees express as ideas fly around the room and creative and intellectual dots are joined. This year there was a strong theme on the connection of the European folk tale tradition and how it informed the postcolonial Australian tale spinners, what happens when a story emigrates, or when the affection of a genre is transported into a new landscape? I had a wonderful time airing two of my Australian Tellable Tales from a set of stories that rarely get to breathe.

Pic: Front L-R: Belida Calderone, Dr Danielle Wood. Centre: Roslyn Quin, Jackie Kerin, Louisa John-Krol Suzann Sandow. Back: Toby Eccles, Anna McCormack

Learn more about Monash Fairy Tale salon HERE

Opening of The Library at the Dock 2014

Was my pleasure to tell stories at the opening of this gorgeous new library, 5 mins on the no 48 tram from Southern Cross Station.

Situated in Melbourne Docklands, a comfortable 3 story building with one of the highest green ratings in Australia. This library has everything!

Here I am telling stories from a set of tales I have been working on that I call Flyway.

The Yarra River didn't always do a clean right swing passed the city; rather it looped to the north and what we now call the Docklands was a swamp full of wildlife, especially birds. There would have been all sorts and many migratory birds - now there is food for thought (ie stories).

Storytelling Australia Victoria is working on a series of 6 storytelling shows titled Words on the Wind to be performed in this wonderful new venue. Curated by Anne E Stewart, 9 storytellers will explore, the location, history, environment ... of The Dock.

Details to come but in the meantime check out the lbrary HERE

And thank you to the Docklands News for allowing me to use this lovely photo.

Words on the Winds kicks of on July 24 with Jan Wositzky's show Buckley: The Go-between. check it out HERE.

Here's a little video I made at the opening. The Jindi Woraback Dance Group. Enjoy!

Stories for the very young as part of the Newport Folk Festival 5 July 2014

Dharma and I have been telling stories to the very young at the Festival since it began. This is my local Festival, A weekend when all else is set aside for the celebration of music, dance and stories for all ages of all kinds.

Newport Folk  Festival program HERE

Australian Fairy Tale Society Inaugural Conference 2014

Just returned from chairing the inaugural Australian Fairy Tale Society Conference. I managed to keep the day on time which was a huge relief. Time management is not a skill I boast about! This Society is a wonderful initiative. The best I can do to share the day with you, is this slide show. Here you can see the presenters and glean an idea of the strength of the papers.The AFTS is a not-for-profit society focused on collecting, preserving, discussig, sharing and creating Australian fairy tales.

I urge you to visit the new website: http://ausfairytalesociety.com.au/

Williamstown Literary Festival 2014

This Festival is an amazing achievemnet. Every year, a bunch of hard working volunteers bend over backwards to create a festival of words that everyone can enjoy.

Some time ago, I was approached by a Book Club to meet and share stories. But this was no ordinary Book Club, Chapter Five is five young people from the Mornington Peninsula. I asked the programmer of the Williamstown Literary Festival if we could be included in the weekend and maybe inspire other young people to set up a Book Club. Lorraine didn't pause for breathe - the answer was 'Yes'. So this was the deal: Chapter Five hosted a session on how to set up a Book Club and led a discussion on Wonder by RJ Palacio and I reciprocated with a set of traditional folk tales.

Chapter Five were inspirational! Fingers and toes crossed that there was someone in the audience who will pick up the baton and offer a Book Club discussion next year. If not, we'll just have to ask them back!