The Scottish Storytelling Centre is the home of the Scottish Storytelling Forum, the national body supporting the telling and sharing of stories across all ages and all sectors of society in particular those who, for reasons of poverty or disability, may be excluded from artistic experiences.

The Centre is a resource for all those interested in fostering their own storytelling skills, developing community projects, and organising storytelling events. The outreach team at the Centre, in partnership with the Forum, works regularly with partner organisations such as schools, libraries, local authorities, and environmental agencies, providing professional advice and initiating and developing storytelling-based projects.

Picture courtesy of East Renfrewshire Council

The Scottish Storytelling Forum

The Forum is a membership organisation and network open to anyone with an interest in storytelling, and provides training, information and resources from its base on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. This network not only exists in Scotland but has expanded to include members all over the world, providing links with storytelling communities from a myriad of traditions and cultures.

History of the Forum

The Scottish Storytelling Forum is Scotland's national charity for storytelling, founded in 1992. At first the Scottish Storytelling Forum was a volunteer run organisation but, with a steady growth in membership and increase of professional storytellers across Scotland, in 1997 it established a resource and training centre. This was named the Scottish Storytelling Centre and occupied the top floor of the Netherbow Arts Centre in Edinburgh. Today the organisation occupies an especially designed building on the same site.

The Forum:

• Trains and supports professional and voluntary storytellers who use storytelling in their professional or community lives
• Provides resources, information and advice on all aspects of storytelling
• Evolves and pilots new models of inclusion and capacity building
• Stimulates and supports local festivals, local storytelling clubs and community projects in association with voluntary groups and social inclusion partnerships
• Co-ordinates a seasonal programme of events including the annual Scottish International Storytelling Festival
• Studies storytelling traditions

To join the Scottish Storytelling Forum, click here

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