Join or Renew Today!

In a recent vote, SAM members overwhelmingly approved a new membership dues rate and structure. As of Febrary 1, 2023, annual dues are $35. However, we continue to offer a pay-what-you-can option so you may set your annual contribution at less or more than $35, as your personal finances allow. The separate annual “activity fee” has been discontinued, and any paid member may submit a profile for inclusion in SAM’s directory of storytellers.

To make it easier to track current membership status, we no longer expire all memberships at the end of the year. Instead, your membership will run for a year from the date you pay your annual dues. Our volunteer membership manager will remind you when it’s time to renew.

Please visit the Join / Donate section of this website to learn more and to join or renew online. If you have questions about your membership status, please email us at storyartmn@gmail.com or use the Contact form.

Storytellers honored at Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration

Two couples who employ the art of storytelling to create positive change and community healing in the Twin Cities were honored at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service celebration sponsored by Sweet Potato Comfort Pie and the Breck School. At the event on Sunday, January 15, 2023, Larry Johnson and Elaine Wynne (left) and Nothando and Vusumuzi Zulu (right) posed before banners that highlight their contributions in “poetic profiles.” Their banners are among the new additions to the 25 banners in “Character Values: Upholding Beloved Community,” an exhibit initiated in 2021 by Sweet Potato Comfort Pie to celebrate community members whose lives reflect values underlying the nonprofit’s mission: to advance racial justice and equity, heal damage caused by race-based trauma, and elevate marginalized voices and experiences. Led by activist and storyteller Rose McGee, Sweet Potato Comfort Pie achieves its mission in part by convening story circles where participants share their thoughts and feelings about race. And, of course, by baking and sharing what Rose calls “the sacred dessert of Black people.”

Larry and Elaine, known as the Key of See Storytellers when working in tandem, spread a message of peace through storytelling. Elaine, an EMDR therapist, is a founder of the Veterans Resilence Project. Larry, himself a veteran, media literacy educator, and author, for many years organized the Twin Cities celebrations of World Storytelling Day.

Nothando and Vusumuzi Zulu founded the Black Storytellers Alliance and have sustained it for nearly four decades. They are dedicated to the preservation of the oral tradition of storytelling. In addition to sharing African and African American folklore, they also tell true stories of Black history. With a deep love for the community of North Minneapolis, they teach the next generations of tellers to carry on the Black griot tradition. Every year, they organize the Signifyin’ & Testifyin’ Black Master Storytellers Festival, bringing outstanding Black tellers from across the US and beyond to the Twin Cities to entertain and inspire.

Take a class in 2023!

Make a resolution to light the fire of inspiration to tell stories in the new year. Whether you’re a novice who’s eager to explore the art of storytelling, or an experienced teller looking to master new techniques or branch out into a different genre, you’ll find a wealth of learning opportunities both in person and online, taught by Minnesota storytellers, writers, and performers. Check out the information we’ve gathered for you on this site’s Classes and Coaching page.

Did we miss listing an upcoming class or workshop? Please drop us a note at storyartsmn@gmail.com so we can add it.

Dec 27: Story Circle Online Open Mic

Our final Story Circle of the year takes place on Tuesday, December 27, 7-8pm Central Time. Loren Niemi will host this month’s sharing of stories. There’s no theme, no judging — and no cost to join in. But you must register to get the Zoom link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sam-online-story-circle-tickets-378393604457. You’re welcome to tell a 7-minute or shorter story or just listen.

SAM’s board voted to continue Story Circles in 2023, so mark your calendar for the fourth Tuesday of each month, 7pm Central time. And invite your friends and fellow story lovers!

New Year's Eve Story Blowout!

SAM is taking part in the third annual Story Blowout! Minnesota tellers will step onto the virtual stage at 2pm Central Time (1pm Eastern). Read on for the full day’s schedule:

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Story Blowout III hosted by Artists Standing Strong Together & Partners – Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

STORY BLOWOUT III!

Story Blowout 2021-22 was extraordinary as ASST hosted it from the library of MacDowell in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and 2 partnering organizations assisted – Virginia Storytelling Alliance and Voices in the Glen.  People came and listened for a while, got up and did whatever was on their schedule, came back, brought friends and just enjoyed a day of story and community.  We had one British fellow who left to go celebrate the coming of the New Year with his family in UK, and then came back on before the USA New Year ended and shared a story!  It was a delightful success with people giving away prizes and also giving to ASST for further programming.  We featured many youth, shared some interesting videos and recognized those who died during the year.  

 But in stories – “Three” is the magic number so….WE ARE BACK AGAIN!

STORY BLOWOUT III will begin on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 11 am ET and end at 1 am ET on January 1, 2023.  The program is FREE, however registration is required:  https://tinyurl.com/StoryBlowoutIII2022

This year Artists Standing Strong Together (ASST) is hosting this day of story and community along with ELEVEN storyteller/artist organization partners who will feature their community of storytellers for 55 minutes and share about their organization.  ASST will feature USA storytellers from 11 am – 12 noon & from 11 – 11:45 pm.  These storytellers will be Charlotte Blake Alston (Pennsylvania), Darci Tucker (Virginia) and Regina Stoops and Claire Hennessey from Six Feet Apart Productions (California).

The storyteller/artist organizations are (all times are ET):

• Asian American Storytellers in Action (AASIA) at 12 noon

• Love of Dunbar (LOD) at 1 pm

• Voices in the Glen at 2 pm

• Story Arts of Minnesota (SAM) at 3 pm

• Illinois Storytelling at 4 pm

• Storytellers Association of California at 5 pm

• Storytellers of San Diego at 6 pm

• Southern Order of Storytellers at 7 pm

• West Virginia Storytelling Guild (WVSG) at 8 pm

• Patchwork Storytelling Guild at 9 pm

• Rocky Mountain Storytellers (RMS) at 10 pm

 Feel free to come and go from the program as you’d like; consider this event like an audio/video podcast to accompany you all day.  Throughout the day there will be ASST and partner highlights of 2022, along with a honoring of those who left us in body this past year, but remain in our hearts and ears.  Starting at 9 pm more adult-themed stories might be shared.  Our night ends with dancing and celebration from 11:55 pm to 1 am EST.  Bring your champagne and pop into the new year with us. 

Jan 8: New due date for StoryFest proposals

We’ve extended the deadline for workshop proposals and stories to be told at StoryFest 2023, our first in-person storytelling festival in five years! Reflecting the theme of “Shared Stories, Shared World,” we encourage you to share your amazing talents and knowledge with other story lovers and listeners. All the details and links to submission forms are here. Please submit your proposals by midnight January 8.

Got questions? Please contact us at storyartsmn@gmail.com.

Dec 18: StoryFest proposals due

We’re calling for workshop proposals and stories to be told at StoryFest 2023, our first in-person storytelling festival in five years! Find out all the details and links to submission forms here.

Nov 20: Online Tellabration!™ Open House - North Central Region, National Storytelling Network

It’s a National Storytelling Network North Central Region Tellabration!TM Open House!

Let’s share stories from across the North Central Region on Sunday, November 20, 2022 from 1:00-7:00 pm CST/2:00-8:00 pm EST.  This is an Open House, so feel free to drop in for any or all of it. Minnesota Tellers will be on from 3:00-4:00 pm CST, 4:00-5:00 pm EST. The Tellers will be Howard Lieberman, Laura Packer, Sue Searing, and Richard Rousseau with emcee Dorothy Cleveland.

Nebraska 1:00-2:00 pm CST, 2:00-3:00 pm EST

Indiana 2:00-3:00 pm CST, 3:00-4:00 pm EST

Minnesota 3:00-4:00 pm CST, 4:00-5:00 pm EST

Wisconsin 4:00-5:00 pm CST, 5:00-6:00 pm EST

Illinois 5:00-6:00 pm CST, 6:00-7:00 pm EST

Ohio 6:00-7:00 pm CST, 7:00-8:00 pm EST

This is a free Zoom event with a maximum of 100 people at any one time.  Audience members and tellers can come and go as long as there is room.  Everyone MUST register here:

http://tiny.cc/NCRegionTellabration

While this is a free event, we are asking those who are able to please make a voluntary donation to the National Storytelling Network.  

https://storynet.org/donate/

Have you never joined NSN, or has your membership lapsed? Check out our website, see what’s going on, think about joining or renewing:

https://storynet.org/

Nov 12: Twin Cities Tellabration!™

TELLABRATION!™ is a night of storytelling celebrated worldwide on or about the third Saturday in November. (The Twin Cities Tellabration!™ is occuring on the second Saturday of November in 2022.)

The National Storytelling Network originated and sponsors Tellabration!™. All around the globe, guilds and storytelling enthusiasts will share their storytelling talents in concerts held in cities and towns to celebrate the art of storytelling. Locally, Tellabration!™ will bring together some of our area’s most celebrated storytellers, to delight, captivate, and mesmerize the audience with their stories. Tellabration!™ creates a network of storytelling enthusiasts bonded together in spirit.

For more background, see https://storynet.org/events/tellabration/

Renowned tellers appearing in Winona, October 14-15

The Sandbar Storytelling Festival will take place in Winona, MN, on October 14-15, featuring award-winning storytellers from around the country:

Bil Lepp
Carolina Quiroga-Stultz
Rev. Robert Jones, Sr.
Alton Takiyama-Chung
Regi Carpenter

Find the schedule of events, learn about the tellers, and purchase tickets at https://sandbarstorytellingfestival.org/

Kevin Kling featured at National Storytelling Festival

Minneapolis-based storyteller Kevin Kling is among the featured tellers at the 50th National Storytelling Festival this year. The festival takes place in Jonesborough, Tennessee, October 7-9, and includes a virtual program too.

Find out more and purchase tickets at https://www.storytellingcenter.net/festival/main/

Monthly Online Story Circles Continuing Through December

It’s a fascinating time to be a storyteller! In-person venues are once again hosting live storytelling shows, slams, festivals, and open mics. At the same time, many online programs that evolved in response to COVID restrictions are still going strong.  Story Arts of Minnesota has opted to continue our monthly open mic Story Circles on Zoom at least through the end of 2022.  (A decision about 2023 programs will be made later.)

We invite you to join us on the fourth Tuesday of September, October, November, and December at 7-8pm Central US/Canda time.  With no theme and no judging, SAM's online Story Circles provide a relaxed environment for you to tell a 7-minute story or simply to enjoy listening to others' tales. Admission is always free, but we're wildly grateful for donations in any amount.

Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/story-circles-online-storytelling-open-mics-716329

Oct 15: Twin Cities Book Festival

Story Arts of Minnesota will have a table at the Twin Cities Book Festival on October 15, 10am-5pm, at the State Fairgrounds in St. Paul. We’ll be sharing information about SAM and opportunities to tell stories and learn the art of storytelling. We’ll also be raffling off new storytelling-related books and selling used books donated by our members. Stop by and say hi! If you’d able to staff the table for an hour or two, please pick a shift on the sign-up sheet.

Sept 22-24: Black Master Storytellers Festival

[PHOTO: Storyteller Len Cabral, one of the featured performers at the Black Master Storytellers Festival.]

The Black Storytellers Alliance presents its 32nd annual Black Master Storytellers Festival in Minneapolis on three nights in late September. The festival showcases renowned Black tellers Mama Koku, Joshua Cheo Gillespie (Asè), Charlotte Blake Alston, Mitch Gran’Daddy June Bug Capel, Dr. Amina Blackwood Meeks, Len Cabral, Dylan Pritchett, and Dr. Rita Cox. All events are free, family-friendly, and open to the public. Visit https://blackstorytellers.com/ for more information, including bios of the storytellers.

Schedule

Thursday, September 22, 2022
Opening Ceremony Storytelling Concert - 6:30 – 9:00 PM
Perpich Center for Arts Education

Friday, September 23, 2022
Liars Contest  6:30 – 9:30 PM
The Capri Theater

Saturday, September 24, 2022
Grand Finale Storytelling Concert - 6:30 – 9:30 PM
Studio 900

August 23: Story Circle online open mic

We gather on Zoom to tell stories and listen on the fourth Tuesday of every month. We welcome all sorts of stories, 7 minutes in length or shorter. There’s no theme and no judging. If you’re new to storytelling, you’ll find an appreciative and supportive audience. If you’re a seasoned storyteller, it’s a great place to try out a new tale. And if you just like listening to stories in a casual setting, the SAM Story Circle is for you too—because what could be more informal than your own home?

Tickets are free, though we request donations to support SAM’s programs. Please register through Eventbrite:. The next Story Circle is on

Tuesday, August 23, 7-8 pm Central time
Find full details and register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sam-online-story-circle-tickets-378356714117

July 30: NSN's "Connected, Part 1"

In lieu of a full in-person or virtual conference this year, the National Storytelling Network is holding a one-day gathering online. In the words of NSN board chair Loren Niemi, the highlights of the event will be “the Annual Membership Meeting to report on the state of the organization and the larger community, the Oracle Awards and Concert celebrating the life and vitality of storytelling and storytellers, and the Grand Slam, to cap off a year’s worth of 5-minute stories writ large and engaging.”

The NSN is a is a membership organization of individuals and organizations involved in storytelling. Its mission is to advance all forms of storytelling within the community through promotion, advocacy and education.

The entire event is $40 members/$50 non-members OR Pay-What-You-Can, with the Membership Meeting free to all.

Link to information and registration: https://storynet.org/events/conference/

June 28: Story Circle online open mic

Everyone's welcome at SAM's monthly storytelling open mic!  

We gather on Zoom to tell stories and listen on the fourth Tuesday of every month, 7-8pm Central US/Canada time. Whether you're a first-timer or a pro, we invite you to join us.  Whether your story is true or made up, or an old folk tale that's been handed down over many generations, we'd love to hear it.  There's no judging or feedback, just the joy of shared stories. 

Our next Story Circle is Tuesday, June 28.

You must register in advance to receive the Zoom link:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sam-online-story-circle-tickets-323613626067   After registering, if you want to sign up for a slot to tell a 7-minute story, please send an email to storyartsmn@gmail.com.  You can also sign up at the start of the program if time remains. 

SAM Story Circles are always free, though we'll make a brief plea for donations.

We hope to see you there!

June 13, 7pm: Annual Membership Meeting

All current, past, and potential members of Story Arts of Minnesota are invited to the annual membership meeting.

Monday, June 13
7pm
Zoom link - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84257198598

Agenda items will include the election of new board members. If you’re interested in serving, or curious about what board membership involves, drop us an email at storyartsmn@gmail.com. We’d be happy to talk with you!

May 24: Story Circle Online open Mic

Everyone's welcome at SAM's monthly storytelling open mic!  

We gather on Zoom to tell stories and listen on the fourth Tuesday of every month, 7-8pm Central US/Canada time. Whether you're a first-timer or a pro, we invite you to join us.  Whether your story is true or made up, or an old folk tale that's been handed down over many generations, we'd love to hear it.  There's no judging or feedback, just the joy of shared stories. 

Our next Story Circle is Tuesday, May 24.

You must register in advance to receive the Zoom link:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sam-online-story-circle-tickets-273687014227   After registering, if you want to sign up for a slot to tell a 7-minute story, please send an email to storyartsmn@gmail.com.  You can also sign up at the start of the program if time remains. 

SAM Story Circles are always free, though we'll make a brief plea for donations.

We hope to see you there!

April 26: Story Circle online open mic

Please join us at our free monthly online Story Circle. No theme, no scoring, just shared stories (7 minutes or shorter) and a fun time in good company. We welcome both new and experienced tellers and appreciate all types of stories (personal stories, traditional folk and fairy tales, stories from history, original tales, etc.) Register in advance to get the Zoom link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sam-online-story-circle-tickets-273684245947