Bolsover Stories - first ideas.....!!
I have spoken to Bernard Haigh about this and hope you find the project ideas interesting!
Hello my name is Amanda Smith. I am a professional storyteller living in Nottingham. I tell traditional stories in clubs, museums, festivals and schools as well as children's hospitals in Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds. I also run a storytelling club. My background is in community arts project management and in fact a few year ago I worked for Junction Arts for nine months so I know the area a little.
First Art have invited artists to tender for some funding to put together community based project around the theme of Bolsover Stories.
Here is a series of propositions for consideration and I'm looking to end up with a good outline idea plus a minimum of seven volunteers to actively participate in the main part of the project - the presentation and sharing of stories. Plus I'd welcome any support of the membership is able to give in general l to identify and pass details of interesting and relevant stories from Bolsover's past and help out at the celebration events.
I need to make the application by lunchtime next Wednesday June 17th - so expressions of interest are vital before then.
The idea is to create an opportunity for local people plus visitors to find out more about local stories. These tales will be told or presented in some form by willing volunteers who are members of Bolsover Civic Society.
These will be stories attached to specific places, characters, industries or periods of history - and we can stick to this.
However I have also dug up a few local folktales which could be added to the mix to give colour and flavour!
So lets imagine we have the stories and the volunteers. Next would be a series of workshops looking at ways to craft a story for an audience. People have to be free to attend these - probably one per week - a minimum of five. We won't write the stories in a literary way, this is not creative writing. There's some really nice ways to remember and present a story - this is part of the oral tradition of telling the story. I'll bring some storytelling tricks to help us engage people's imaginations plus some tips on presentation - considering being heard and being listened wherever we are is important.
But in this early stage we have to decide who the audience is and where will these stories be told. First Art are asking for 'non traditional' arts spaces i.e not in a theatre or on a formal stage in any way. Also note that there are some early October celebration event dates. Please also consider that whatever this project produces that the Civic Society could possibly support this and add to the initiative by having some sort of exhibition, craft activity, commemoration, celebration, member recruitment or competition.
From the First Art list on ' non traditional' (non theatre) arts venues I came up with these ideas:
(we could do both of these)
A storytelling supper: where after a paid for meal there is a storytelling performance.
Please note this is not designed to be just for entertainment (though it will be!), nor fanciful stories for young children, although people may choose to bring their children to events.
Members may come up with different ideas as well - however I need to have a sort of agreement - by Weds am latest!!! as to which is best.
I explained to Bernard that:
I see this project as a way of passing skills to people who may use them again in the future, skills and experiences that hopefully will enhance their current involvement or interest.
I am not looking for performers as they already have skills in this area. It's not about a 'performance'. What I am looking for is people who are passionate about their town and history and proud of it. People that really want to excite other people about all the hidden and lesser known stories and who lean towards sharing these stories. We could see it as something for the town or something for visitors or both. You may want to make a recording of these stories for your online archive (and make a booklet), something you could do as part of this project...and continue afterwards.
I don't see why more than seven people can't be involved in the workshops ( it looks like a few extra volunteers would be handy to support in other ways - like stewarding, as you can see) I'd welcome people who just want to do the workshops but not necessarily do the story sharing.
Though having more tellers would mean more a couple more activities could be programmed and the weight of the 'doing' could be shared. We can all learn different stories or a couple of people could learn the same story.
I want this to be as accessible as possible. Lets not make age a restriction, though as ever under 18s need to be accompanied. Also if you have any mobility needs (or other needs) we can work this into the mix.
It will need to have a sort of consistency of theme and I will facilitate, coach, coax and badger you to keep to a maximum of ten minutes per story, that sort of practice keeps an audience engaged, facilitates an understanding of the discipline of telling a story (you can get a bit caught up in it when you're telling)!!) and provides a quality experience for all.
So - how to go about it:
If you are interested can you give me a call on 0115 8599155 (please leave a message if I'm not available) to answer the following question - or email me.(I'll
What I'll need to know in the first instance is:
(I can send this in a Word doc if more convenient - email me on [email protected] days Sun/Mon for phonecalls)
Thanks for reading and hope to hear from you soon!!!
Very best wishes
Amanda
Amanda Smith
0115 8599155
[email protected]
I have spoken to Bernard Haigh about this and hope you find the project ideas interesting!
Hello my name is Amanda Smith. I am a professional storyteller living in Nottingham. I tell traditional stories in clubs, museums, festivals and schools as well as children's hospitals in Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds. I also run a storytelling club. My background is in community arts project management and in fact a few year ago I worked for Junction Arts for nine months so I know the area a little.
First Art have invited artists to tender for some funding to put together community based project around the theme of Bolsover Stories.
Here is a series of propositions for consideration and I'm looking to end up with a good outline idea plus a minimum of seven volunteers to actively participate in the main part of the project - the presentation and sharing of stories. Plus I'd welcome any support of the membership is able to give in general l to identify and pass details of interesting and relevant stories from Bolsover's past and help out at the celebration events.
I need to make the application by lunchtime next Wednesday June 17th - so expressions of interest are vital before then.
The idea is to create an opportunity for local people plus visitors to find out more about local stories. These tales will be told or presented in some form by willing volunteers who are members of Bolsover Civic Society.
These will be stories attached to specific places, characters, industries or periods of history - and we can stick to this.
However I have also dug up a few local folktales which could be added to the mix to give colour and flavour!
So lets imagine we have the stories and the volunteers. Next would be a series of workshops looking at ways to craft a story for an audience. People have to be free to attend these - probably one per week - a minimum of five. We won't write the stories in a literary way, this is not creative writing. There's some really nice ways to remember and present a story - this is part of the oral tradition of telling the story. I'll bring some storytelling tricks to help us engage people's imaginations plus some tips on presentation - considering being heard and being listened wherever we are is important.
But in this early stage we have to decide who the audience is and where will these stories be told. First Art are asking for 'non traditional' arts spaces i.e not in a theatre or on a formal stage in any way. Also note that there are some early October celebration event dates. Please also consider that whatever this project produces that the Civic Society could possibly support this and add to the initiative by having some sort of exhibition, craft activity, commemoration, celebration, member recruitment or competition.
From the First Art list on ' non traditional' (non theatre) arts venues I came up with these ideas:
- A one hour story sharing - in a pub or church.
- Storytelling in schools primary Yr 7 +, plus secondary round the classrooms or as part of as assembly
(we could do both of these)
- A one hour storywalk - this can have two formats: a) The tellers and the audience moves around - a group of members takes an audience group around the town from place to place
- b) just the audience moves around: A larger group of audience are divided into five groups and are each taken round from place to place where the 'in situ' storyteller tells the same story to each small group every 15 or 20 minutes..... and we end up in the pub or the tearoom or your own space to have a cuppa etc.
A storytelling supper: where after a paid for meal there is a storytelling performance.
Please note this is not designed to be just for entertainment (though it will be!), nor fanciful stories for young children, although people may choose to bring their children to events.
Members may come up with different ideas as well - however I need to have a sort of agreement - by Weds am latest!!! as to which is best.
I explained to Bernard that:
I see this project as a way of passing skills to people who may use them again in the future, skills and experiences that hopefully will enhance their current involvement or interest.
I am not looking for performers as they already have skills in this area. It's not about a 'performance'. What I am looking for is people who are passionate about their town and history and proud of it. People that really want to excite other people about all the hidden and lesser known stories and who lean towards sharing these stories. We could see it as something for the town or something for visitors or both. You may want to make a recording of these stories for your online archive (and make a booklet), something you could do as part of this project...and continue afterwards.
I don't see why more than seven people can't be involved in the workshops ( it looks like a few extra volunteers would be handy to support in other ways - like stewarding, as you can see) I'd welcome people who just want to do the workshops but not necessarily do the story sharing.
Though having more tellers would mean more a couple more activities could be programmed and the weight of the 'doing' could be shared. We can all learn different stories or a couple of people could learn the same story.
I want this to be as accessible as possible. Lets not make age a restriction, though as ever under 18s need to be accompanied. Also if you have any mobility needs (or other needs) we can work this into the mix.
It will need to have a sort of consistency of theme and I will facilitate, coach, coax and badger you to keep to a maximum of ten minutes per story, that sort of practice keeps an audience engaged, facilitates an understanding of the discipline of telling a story (you can get a bit caught up in it when you're telling)!!) and provides a quality experience for all.
So - how to go about it:
If you are interested can you give me a call on 0115 8599155 (please leave a message if I'm not available) to answer the following question - or email me.(I'll
What I'll need to know in the first instance is:
(I can send this in a Word doc if more convenient - email me on [email protected] days Sun/Mon for phonecalls)
- Your contact details
- Any additional support need is if applicable
- Can you commit to attending (all!) something like 5 x 1.5 hour workshops through September and be willing to do a minimum of two story sharing sessions, these will suit your diary.
- Are you available days or eves for the workshops and what's your preference?
- Do you have enough time to research and identify stories/practice the telling at home/explore locations for a walk if that's the chosen project-end?
- Please list the project ideas/your involvement as stated in order of preference
- A - one hour performance in pub/school/other
- B - storywalk
- C - storytelling supper
- D -recording
- E - booklet
- F - accompanying exhibition or activity
- G - stewarding or helping out behind the scenes
- Would you be willing to do A+ B rather than just one idea?
- Please also give any other ideas whether something new.
- Are you willing to have try something new, be a little brave, work as a team, have loads of fun and laugh a lot?!!!
- I would very much like to visit on Tuesday night to have a chat and meet folks in a pub or chosen venue -
- Is this a good idea/necessary?
- Can you make it/send someone in your place?
Thanks for reading and hope to hear from you soon!!!
Very best wishes
Amanda
Amanda Smith
0115 8599155
[email protected]