SAS has embarked on a project to bring the joy of storytelling to the community. The benefits of oral storytelling are tremendous. This ancient means of communication uses language to paint pictures, evoke emotion and develop empathy. Children who love stories gain new knowledge, learn new vocabulary as well as nurture their imagination.
This project will bring the benefits of storytelling to different parts of Singapore. It is also an opportunity for community building among storytellers and honing our skills as storytellers. It is an opportunity for SAS members, whether new to the art form or experienced, to benefit from participating in this event!
398.2 Storytelling Festival 2019
SAS is collaborating with Story Connection to carry out the 398.2 Storytelling Festival 2019. The number 398.2 is the Dewey Decimal System section of folktales, fairy-tales, and fables section of the library. The directors of Story Connection, Roger Jenkins and Sheila Wee, are established storytellers in Singapore. Story Connection has been running the festival for the past 4 years supported by the National Library and with some of our SAS members volunteering to tell stories or to help in managing the logistics.
This year, the 5th year of the Festival, SAS is collaborating to plan the artistic programme not just for the one-day Festival but for a month-long Festival Fringe happening one month before the Festival day. While the one-day Festival is held at the National Library, the Festival Fringe is held at many locations across the island of Singapore, at libraries and at locations where there are large gatherings of children. It is indeed a mammoth project with about 121 stories to be told!
These are the volunteer opportunities:
(A) storytellers,
(B) workshop leaders, or
(C) in administrative duties or handling logistics.
Below is the tentative schedule on December 1st 2019 at the National Library with the various themes for each hourly slot. Stories told should be for 3 audience types namely
(1) family (at the programme zone),
(2) preschool children (at the VBR or Visitor’s Briefing Room) and
(3) adults (at the Multi-Purpose Room)
There will be craft activities as well as WWF Environmental tales for the family at The Treehouse.
For the Festival Fringe happening in the month of November, they will be at several locations across the island of Singapore. This information will be released at a later date.
A. Volunteer Position: Storyteller
We encourage our SAS members to come forward to prepare to tell stories at the Festival Fringe or at the Festival.
If you are new to storytelling or have little experience in storytelling, we recommend that you prepare to tell ONE story at the Fringe in November. Although the dates and venues of the Fringe are not out yet, you can start to look for a suitable children’s story to prepare. Each story should be 10 minutes or less. Practise it and come and tell at the Preview Meeting (held either on 10th October 6 – 9 pm or 12th October 9am – 12pm) where the Preview Committee will give you feedback regarding the suitability of the story according to theme and audience type.
If you have more than a year of experience telling stories to children, you could tell at the Festival Fringe as well as at the Festival itself. Each story should be about 10 minutes. Practise your stories and come and tell at the Preview Meeting (held either on 10th October 6 – 9 pm or 12th October 9am – 12pm) where the Preview Committee will give you feedback regarding the suitability of the stories according to theme and audience type.
If you have experience telling stories to adults, you could also tell stories to adults at the Festival. Each story should be about 10 minutes. Practise your stories and come and tell at the Preview Meeting (held either on 10th October 6 – 9 pm or 12th October 9am – 12pm) where the Preview Committee will give you feedback regarding the suitability of the stories according to theme and audience type.
Volunteers who tell 5 or more stories in different storytelling slots (both at Fringe and at the Festival) may qualify for an honorarium from the National Library.
All volunteer storytellers will need to
- Read through Guidelines For Storytellers,
- Take note of Expectations And Commitments,
- Submit story synopsis by July 5th 2019 (an email will be sent to you regarding the submission)
- Attend the Preview Meeting (held either on 10th October 6 – 9 pm or 12th October 9am – 12pm) to tell their chosen stories to a committee.
Download the document containing the Guidelines and Expectations HERE
B. Volunteer Position: Workshop Leader
If you wish to conduct a 45-minute workshop for adults at the Multi-Purpose Room on the Festival Day, you will need to submit a workshop proposal by June 30th 2019. This workshop should be a workshop that you have done before. An email will be sent to you regarding how to make the submission when you fill up the form to volunteer as a storyteller.
C. Volunteer Position: Administrative Duties
If you do not wish to tell stories but want to contribute nevertheless by helping out with the logistics, we welcome you to sign up as a volunteer in administrative duties. We also welcome family members who want to participate in the spirit of volunteerism.
An online form has been created for you to sign up where you can indicate your area of interest.
The deadline for submission is June 15th 2019.
Click here to volunteer as a storyteller
Click here to volunteer in administrative duties
We invite you to be part of this meaningful project!
There seems to be a lot of reading for you and details to take note because this is a big community event. Nevertheless, with your enthusiasm and commitment towards the good cause, we know we will be able to carry out the whole event smoothly with your support.
If you have queries, please email Swee Yean at president@storytellingsingapore.com
Or Nandini at vicepresident@storytellingsingapore.com.
All volunteer storytellers will need to