(You can also download this call in PDF by clicking here)

Dear Storytelling Organiser,

The FEST network received a European grant to set up a series of storytelling activities in Europe.

The general aim of our project is to increase the number and improve the quality of storytelling events and activities in Europe, to develop the professional competences of the actors and stakeholders involved, to broaden the application field of storytelling and to establish a European structure for sharing and cooperation.

In order to achieve this, we created a working plan for 4 years. This plan is approved by the European Commission and we are offered a grant of 80% of all costs to realise all plans. This grant comes on a yearly basis.

We are looking for organisations willing to cooperate with us and willing to organise storytelling events and activities that fit into the priorities and work plan of year 2 of our project (from the 1st of June 2018 till the 31st of May 2019). We have different activity strands (see below for explanation of the strands) and every year we have one or two priority themes.

The priority themes in year 2 are:

  • The European Year of Cultural heritage: we are looking for projects that link storytelling and heritage.
  • Digital storytelling & co-creative projects involving digital art and storytelling.

Sending in your ideas, plans and budget is only possible with this  FORM

Submission deadline: 15 April 2018.

FEST is able to support the selected initiatives in the form of e.g. helping them find storytellers, speakers or workshop leaders for their events, whose travel, accommodation and fee can be covered up to 80% max.

The following selection criteria will be applied:

  • The initiative takes place between the 1st of June 2018 and the 31st of May 2019
  • The initiative is in line with the priorities of year 2 (see explanation of the different strands below) e.g. targeting the right target group, taking place in a priority country, tackling the right topics.
  • The applying organisation is able to cover a part of the costs (10 ? 30%)
  • A reasonable fee for the artists/speaker/workshop leader etc. is included in the budget.
  • The initiative must be new in addition to your regular activities.
  • The initiative should have more than a local exposure/regional and national visibility (communication & dissemination plan attached).
  • The initiative should promote the creation of a sustainable storytelling structure in the area.
  • The initiative is a collaboration between at least two organisations (not necessarily FEST members). Initiatives with more partners are preferred.

The FEST project is divided into different ?strands? covering different objectives.

Strand 1: Structural development of the Storytelling sector

FEST is the only European network organization for the professional Storytelling sector. In its broad geographic coverage, the sector is rather divided because of language, (lack of) tradition, access to training and performing, ? Through the structural development of the network, FEST will allow the sector including storytellers, festival organisers, storytelling curators and other actors to get to know each other and their work. This way FEST will network all actors of the field and help them grow together through sharing and cooperation.

Aims of Strand 1: FEST wants to grow as a network, connecting more countries and diverse organisations. It wants to improve cooperation within the network and provide more services targeted to the needs of the sector. FEST wants to connect with related sectors.

Open action:

  • FEST can cover for 6 participants from new organisations to join the conference in Ljubljana. This year the Balkan countries will have priority for new guests.
  • FEST is looking for young Storytellers to join the Fest Conference in Ljubljana.
  • FEST is looking for initiatives to encourage cooperation structures and networking on a national level e.g.

Strand 2: Enhancing the visibility of Storytelling as a performing art

Aims of Strand 2:
FEST wants to enhance the visibility and the recognition of Storytelling as a performing art, by developing marketing tools, by appointing storytelling curators, by linking up with other performing arts networks and initiatives, and by promoting and further developing the World Storytelling Day.

Open action:

  • FEST can send (and pay for) up to 8 storytellers to perform in ?new venues? or at other events. So: we are looking for candidates exploring contacts with other artistic sectors or new venues where a storyteller can be added to the programme.
  • FEST wants to offer visibility to World Storytelling Day initiatives and can support up to 3 events around March 20th 2019 (theme: Myths, legends and epics).

Strand 3: Professional development of storytellers

Aims of Strand 3:

FEST wants to contribute to the professional development of storytellers through the analysis of training needs, the development of a curriculum for training, residencies and performance opportunities for young storytellers and continued professional development (CPD) for established storytelling artists.

Open action:

  • FEST will pay (travel & accommodation) for 6 young storytellers attending existing festivals.
    So: we are looking for Young Storytellers between 18 and 29 years old, with education/experience in Storytelling, who have a working knowledge of English.
  • FEST is looking for international Storytelling Festivals who want to accommodate and mentor Young Storytellers in a residency.

Strand 4: Linking up with other art forms and digital media

Aims of Strand 4: 

FEST wants to promote and support the synergy between oral Storytelling and new media artists, in a co-creation process, as a new production and distribution method. This involves the provision of training for storytellers to use new technologies and opportunities for testing their innovative work with audiences. This may as well result in attracting new (young) audiences.

Open action:

  • FEST can support national initiatives in this field by sending up to 5 experts for training on Digital Storytelling
    – We are looking for (trans)national initiatives and     experts in the field of digital storytelling and storytelling & digital arts.

Strand 5: Storytelling in other sectors in society (applied storytelling)

Aims of Strand 5:

FEST wants to promote and support the use of stories and storytelling techniques in different sectors of society: community work, the socio-cultural sector, tourism and heritage, and raise the quality of the storytelling activities in these sectors by introducing professional storytellers and their competences. This will allow the storytellers to enhance their chances on the labour market and help them find new and/or sustainable sources of revenue.

Open action:

  • FEST can send (and pay for) up to 5 experts/storytellers specialized in the use of storytelling techniques within cultural heritage, to give workshops to storytellers at a national/regional level.
    – We are looking for candidates to organize a conference or workshop on this topic.
    – We are also looking for storytellers/experts in this topic.

Strand 6: Raise the European dimension of Storytelling events and transnational cooperation in the sector

Aims of Strand 6: 

FEST wants to increase transnational cooperation in the sector. First of all FEST wants to increase international cooperation through European surveys, international conferences and training events. Secondly FEST wants to increase the number of international storytelling performances. FEST supports linking up existing international and national storytelling festivals, networks and events with existing EU initiatives such as the European year of Cultural Heritage in 2018.

Open actions:

  • FEST can send (and pay for) up to 6 storytellers for performances and workshops in the priority countries (underrepresented countries such as Romania, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Croatia,?.)
    – We are looking for candidates to organize a storytelling event in one of these countries.
  • Promotion and support of storytelling initiatives related to heritage (e.g. storytelling training of tourists guides, narrative approaches to heritage interpretation ?) and/or the European Year of Cultural Heritage.
    – We are looking for candidates to take initiatives linking storytelling and heritage.
  • Support of storytelling initiatives involving co-creation processes with other performing art forms.