Deadline: November 20, 2017 05:00 GMT
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Eligibility: You are a first, second, or third generation migrant. You or your family will have moved from somewhere, at some point.
Location: London, The United Kingdom

Tell Yours 2018

Tell Yours is a development programme for emerging storytellers from places other than here.

Do you enjoy telling stories and have some experience of performance? Are you a 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation migrant?

Do you want to reimagine and perform myths, folklore and fairy tales but also ghost stories, epics, fantasy and sci-fi narratives from around the world with the help of a world-leading storyteller, theatre director and two arts producers?

Join #Tellyours2018, a free programme for emerging storytellers

The programme aims to create a new generation of storytellers that is diverse, curious, talented and trained to the highest standards by the best industry professionals across the performing arts.

Over the course of 6 months you will work with 8 storytellers through a mix of workshops, discussions, mentoring and showcasing opportunities.

Kindly supported by Arts Council England, #TellYours2018 is led by Filotico Arts in partnership with Words of Colour, Renaissance One, Counterpoints Arts, Battersea Arts Centre and The Albany.

This year’s theme: Otherness and Hospitality

All that you touch you change. All that you change changes you. The only lasting truth is change – Octavia Butler

This year’s theme is Otherness and Hospitality. What happens when gods in disguise come knocking on your door? Can encounters between the fairy kingdom and the human world end well? Should gods fall in love with mortals?

Since the dawn of time, mythology and folklore from around the world have explored what happens when different worlds meet and acknowledged that our nature, as humans, is to move, transform and adapt. In this year’s programme, storytellers are invited to explore this theme.

Who can apply?

You may be the person reading Kindred for the tenth time, or the one leaving offerings at the crossroads. You may be the one believing that things you see with the corner of your eye are things worth paying attention to, or the one who’s always
loved myth, mystery, folk, sci-fi, fantasy and wants to perform them live on stage.

1. You like the idea of standing up in front of an audience and performing a story.
2. You have some experience of performing on stage. It can be theatre, live literature, spoken word, comedy, storytelling or any other type of performance art.
3. You are a first, second, or third generation migrant. You or your family will have moved from somewhere, at some point.

What do you get?

Thanks to Arts Council England, this training opportunity is free of charge. The programme runs over a 6-month period between January 2018 – June 2018 and includes:

1. A full day group introduction involving taster workshops, voice work, interactive games, round table discussions and an explanation of the programme. Storytellers will also be told what to expect and what is expected of them.
2. Four full-day workshops with a world-leading storyteller. Among other things, storytellers will explore traditional tales structure, use of imagery and dialogue, and learn how to adapt antiquated texts so that they speak to a contemporary audience.
3. A full-day workshop with a theatre director. The workshop will focus on the performance aspect of storytelling. You will explore how to use your body and physicality to enhance your storytelling skills and performance craft. By adding simple theatre making techniques, including the use of music, sound and/or simple costume and props, this workshop will help you to discover the theatrical potential of your storytelling performances.
4. A one-to-one mentoring session with mentor and producer, Melanie Abrahams, either in person or on Skype. In this session you’ll be able to discuss your artistic direction, your future as a storyteller, or anything else you might need guidance on.

How to apply?

Please submit the following information to tellyours@filoticoarts.com

1. 250 words on your experience as a performer
2. 250 words on why you are applying to this programme
3. 250 words on your experience of storytelling as an art form. If you have none, tell us what attracts you about the idea of performance storytelling.
4. A 3 – 5 minute video of yourself performing a story. If you are having problems submitting a video, get in touch by email and they will help you through it
5. 100 words or less on your experience in ‘the business of being an artist’. This can encompass anything from social media through forging partnerships and the art of negotiation
6. A reference from someone you have worked with/studied within the last 5 years.

Interviews will take place at Free Word, London on December 4th 2017. Shortlisted candidates will receive a schedule before the end of the year. The programme kicks off in January 2018.

For more opportunities, check our opportunities sections and subscribe to our weekly newsletters.