Lee Fox: Woodend Winter Arts Festival 10-13 June

More fun with kamishibai storytelling ...

Lee Fox – young children’s author is telling stories in Woodend.

In this fun and interactive session Lee uses a Japanese kamishibai (kah-mee-she-bai) storytelling theatre to tell the tale of Ten Little Hermit Crabs. Both young and old alike will marvel at this ancient and unique form of storytelling and delight in all the surprises along the way.

Lee will also read and talk about her new picture book Ella Kazoo Will Not Go To Sleep.

Storytelling Theatre – Ten Little Hermit Crabs

Woodend Library

Saturday 11 June, 10.30 - 11.30am

FREE EVENT

Children aged 3-8 years

Woodend Winter Arts Festival Inc. is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to bringing international and Australian artists in various fields to the community of Woodend each year. 2011 is the seventh Festival and each year the committee endeavours to bring new and exciting performers to the Macedon Ranges.

Sponsored by Friends of the Macedon Ranges Libraries.

Learn more about: Woodend Winter Arts Festival

Learn more about: Lee Fox

Bernard Caleo and kamishibai: Sergei's Pram

Storyteller, comic book maker, raconteur, editor of The Tango Collection 2009 ... Bernard Caleo is planning a series of anarchic nights of story and pictures for Readings Bookshop.

The series is called What It Is? and Bernard includes other comic book creators in lively debate and demonstration.The first What It Is? featured the mind and artwork of the amazing Michael Camilleri.

Pictured is Bernard in action telling the story of Sergei's Pram. The tale of the pram that was seen bouncing down the steps in Eisenstein's film The Battleship Potemkin.

These strong drawings, framed in the kamishibai and along with Bernard's storytelling are spellbinding.

Keep an eye on the Readings calendar of events. There is much to interest the curious mind.

The next What It Is? : June 27

Learn more about Bernard and other comic book makers in Melbourne: Cardigan Comics

Rocket Clock story slam: 2011 Trades Hall

There will be two Rocket Clock Story Slams in April, during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival!

Wednesday April 6, 2011.
Rocket Clock Story Slam: “Lesson Learnt”

We’re looking for stories of learning the hard way: when leaps of faith fall short, cunning plans backfire, and best intentions go awry. That hangover from hell. That lasting legacy. That thing you will never, ever, ever, do again.

Wednesday April 13, 2011
Rocket Clock Story Slam: “Secrets”

We’re looking for stories of secret passageways, secret shames and secret weapons. Magic ingredients. Painful confessions. Covert operations. Buried treasure. Skeletons in the closet. Don’t worry – we won’t tell anyone.

For both nights:

Pre-register your intent to tell by emailing rocketclockss@gmail.com, or register on the night. Everyone is welcome to come along and listen, laugh, drink, cheer & weep.

When and where:

Bella Union
Level 1, Trades Hall
Corner of Victoria & Lygon Streets
Carlton South

Bar open from 8pm. Slam starts 9pm.
Free entry!

What is Rocket Clock?

Rocket Clock is a monthly story slam competition. Ten people each have five minutes to tell a story around a particular theme. Judges in the audience rate each story on both content and performance. Everyone has a great time.

Who is the force behind Rocket Clock?

Chloe Boulton click through and learn more about Chloe and her taste in ice cream.

Ballarat Storytellers at the Annual Harvest Festival 27 March

Annual Harvest Festival

The Ballarat Storytellers invite you to celebrate the Harvest.

Wood-Fired Pizzas

Harvest Produce

Trash & Treasure

Book Stall, Plants

Music and Storytelling

Information about gardens and gardening

Fun for Everyone!

When: Sunday 27 March 11 – 4pm

Where: Cnr: Dyte Parade & Queen Street

For further details call 0417 347 395

Or visit the website at www.ballaratcommunitygarden.org.au

Australian Bush Dance meets Kamishibai: Newport Fiddle and Folk Club

Autumn is a wonderful time of year in Melbourne. The wind drops out and the heat fades. Festivals spring up in the regional towns and in the city.

At this time every year, in Newport, only 12 kilometres from the CBD, the local Fiddle and Folk Club host a classic event - the Aussie Bush Dance. The setting is an old blue stone quarry that has been carefully revegetated with indigenous plants. Now full of wildlife, wild flowers and tall eucalypts, Newport Lakes Park is a small piece of bushland nestled in suburbia.

This year over 300 people turned up for the dancing, singing, storytelling and bush ballads.

Vic Guild Storyteller, Jackie Kerin entertained the crowds with her Kamishibai (paper theatre) , made by folk club friend Ted Smith. Mounted onto the back of her bike, she was able, like the Kamishibai storytellers of old, to ride to the park and work from her portable elevated stage.

Jackie is enjoying planning her festival appearances for 2011 where she will be performing and speaking about the art of traditional oral storytelling and her work as a writer for children.

Williamtown Literary Festival

Torquay Froth and Bubble

Aireys Inlet Festival of Words

Learn more about: Jackie

Venues, festivals and opportunities in Victoria

Interstate and overseas storytellers frequently ask us for suggestions for storytelling venues and events where they can perform or participate. While we can’t do the legwork, we have come up with a list of links for storytellers to explore. This is an evolving and ever-changing list. As we receive feedback we’ll add or subtract suggestions. You’ll find asterisks by the links that we know have been receptive to storytelling.

If you know of any other possibilities or if you discover any of the links are no longer working please let us know: jackie@jackiekerin.com.au

ART GALLERIES

* National Gallery Victoria NGV The Gallery has two campuses in the CBD: International and Australian (The Ian Potter Centre).

* Mornington Regional Art Gallery This small and dynamic gallery supports storytelling. It’s out of town and a little difficult to get to if you don’t have a car

MUSEUMS

Museum Victoria NB there are 3 campuses: Melbourne, Scienceworks, Immigration

LIBRARIES

* State Library Victoria

* List of suburban public libraries in Melbourne

Libraries are generally near public transport. Story time for children happens throughout the metropolitan area.

FOLK CLUBS

* Newport Fiddle and Folk Club

FOLK FESTIVALS

Some of these are in Country towns. Hard to get to in some cases. Most spoken word seems to be poetry and Australiana. Trying to broaden tastes but some festivals are set in their ways. But have a look just for fun. Times are a changin’!

* Maldon

* Port Fairy

* Newport Folk Festival

* Yackandandah

* PAVE

LITERARY, WRITER’S AND OTHER FESTIVALS

Melbourne Writers Festival

*Williamstown Literary Festival

White Hat list of Literary Festivals This is really worth trawling! White hat also list some of the most beautiful historic homes in Melbourne and surrounds. Many of these can be used as venues.

* Midsumma Festival

Australian Festivals (list of festivals around Australia)

VENUES FOR HIRE

Gemco Situated in the Hills accessble by public transport

Trades Hall Situated in the CBD

Mechanics Institute Williamstown

The Theatrette Glen Eira

OTHER

Dromkeen The home of Australian Children's Book Illustration

Newport Substation

Footscray Community Arts

NEW FORUM IN CYBERSPACE

**** Re-enchantment – a new transmedia documentary project exploring the hidden meanings of fairy tales

Explore the enchanted forest with its six different story spaces (Red Riding Hood, Hansel & Gretel, Bluebeard, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Snow White); the Gallery where you can scroll through artists' interpretations of fairy tales and, if you like, upload your own artwork; and the Forum where you can have discussions with people from all around the world.

Julie Perrin wins the Pat Glover Award: Port Fairy Folk Festival 2011

The Pat Glover Memorial Storytelling Award has been part of the Port Fairy Folk Festival for many years. Named after a local storyteller, the aim of the award is to celebrate and preserve the art of oral storytelling. Over the years it has been won by both amateur and professional storytellers and reciters.

The event is hosted by the indefatigable Jim Haynes from NSW. Jim performs, hosts and organises a packed program of spoken word events for the Folk Festival every year.

This year the award attracted a stella lineup of tellers from the country and the city performing polished tales in verse and prose. However the judges were unanimous when it came to Julie Perrin's story, The Lost Dog is Home.

The standard of this event is ever growing and Julie did well against such old hands at the Pat Glover like Rob England, Mick Coventry and Terry Rooney.

Thankyou to Jim Haynes, to Rosemary and David Stewart who Stage Manage the Pat Glover every year, to Jamie Mckew (Festival Director) and of course to Pat, without whom there would be no award.

Julie ... the Storytelling Guild Vic are proud of you!

Learn more about Julie Perrin.

pic: Julie with Margaret (Pat's daughter) and Rob England