Anna Jarrett

The Travelling Storyteller

Based at Batemans Bay on the South Coast NSW, Australia

"Connecting people & places through stories"

STORY NEWS

An occasional newsletter of storytelling events, reviews, profiles and thoughts

Issue 3

This year my storytelling work took off with a full plate of new shows and workshops, a new collaboration for Harmony Week with African drummer, Desiree Sheldrake, and some storytelling tours to new places out west.

With this new work comes a rush of new insights, research and huge creative growth. I’ve thrown myself into the world of early intervention, middle years initiatives, strengths perspectives and accelerated literacy. Its always stimulating to discover new ways of seeing, planning and presenting my storytelling work as I continue to search to find and define contemporary contexts for storytelling in practices.

I look forward to meeting you somewhere on the road.

Harmony Day, Anna & Desiree

WORKSHOPS & SEMINARS

The Family and Community Strengths Conference in Newcastle (April) was an enlightening and inspiring event for me to present a short seminar on “Connecting Communities Through Storytelling”. Part of the challenge for me as  a presenter was to step outside my work in the context of the arts and to place my work into a community development framework. My regional tours out west this year have given me an abundance of insights into how storytelling with young children and families helps to connect people and communities. Storytelling is  a powerful tool for helping communities to address the issues in their town, and to find locally based solutions. The focus of my work in these regional tours, is on literacy, education, violence prevention, community safety, health and family wellbeing.

More information on the conference can be found at the website www.parentscope.com.au

I’m still writing up something for their conference papers on the web so stay tuned!

The Storytellers Approach to Oral History seminar at the State Library of NSW, was a great success. This seminar is part of an annual series which is presented by the Oral History Association of Australia (NSW). I enjoyed presenting my insights and ideas into oral history facilitation and production. The questions and discussions were very lively and inspiring. Thank you all who attended.

More information on this workshop can be found on my oral history & life stories page.

NEW PROGRAMS

I’m loving the diversity of my work as a contemporary storyteller, because I get to research and craft new stories for all sorts of new programs. One of my regular gigs at the National Museum of Australia, has sadly ended, with the closing down of the storytelling program. However, one door closes and another opens. I’m enjoying researching and writing lots of new material for the upcoming Glistening Waters Storytelling Festival in New Zealand . It’s a great feeling to be shaping u years of research into some tellable tales ready for the stage.

Check out the festival’s website: www.glisteningwaters.co.nz

Seniors Week this year was an abundant program of events throughout NSW. I presented a special workshop called “Snapshot Stories” for parents and grandchildren, at Parramatta Heritage Centre. This intergenerational workshop was a fun way for families to share their stories and to learn to craft a short, snappy story behind a specific photo. I really enjoy bringing families together to share their stories, reminding us that we all have stories to tell.

Accelerated Literacy

Term 2 was a busy time for me at Batemans Bay school. I was part of a new literacy training program for teachers in Accelerated Literacy. The methods are very empowering and the focus is on helping students to learn to read like writers. Very exciting!

Fairy Tales

I’m also enjoying being involved in my daughter Jasmine’s Year 1 class. They’re studying fairy tales, so every Friday I’ve been coming in with my magic basket and story hat, bringing fairy tales to life. Oh I do love them – Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Little Mermaid. These stories are full of the magic and wisdom which so many traditional tales hold. I encourage everyone to keep these stories alive by retelling them. They’re great for dramatic play and also make perfect bedtime stories.

PROJECTS

Writers Roadshow

I’m developing a writers and performance project with the South Coast Writer’s Centre and the Eurobodalla/Braidwood Learning Community cluster of south coast schools. We’re currently seeking funds to run a three year young writers program which will include series of writing/storytelling workshops for students in the middle years (years 5 – 8). The aim is to create a supportive network for young writers, to facilitate opportunities for young writers to develop and present their work at public events and to help young writers find avenues for publishing their writing.

The first event is two days of writing workshops on September  23 & 24 with author /poet, Harry Laing, and international storyteller, Anna Jarrett (me!)

More information will be posted soon on my Storytelling & Drama in Schools page

Early Intervention Work – Programs for Children & Families

Regional Tours : workshops & shows

After the success of my tour through the Dubbo region for Children’s Week  2007, I’m excited to be invited to visit a number of other regional communities around NSW including Cobar, Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Coonamble, Gilgandra  Brewarrina, Forbes and Bourke. I really enjoy this combination of modelling storytelling and music through shows, then facilitating storytelling in the community through workshops with carers, parents and educators.

It is refreshing to find that so many communities are looking for their own solutions to community issues and exploring creative ways to address the complex task of raising healthy, happy children and families. Here’s to a world where storytelling and story sharing is an important part of our daily life and living skills.

Parenting Programs

I’m enjoying developing new partnerships with parenting program providers. Some of my work relates to the principles of Triple P, The Positive Parenting Program - see website www.triplep.net 

I am also working with Parentscope and Wollongong City Council on a special program for Child Protection Week September 8 – 12. More information will be posted on my website calendar soon. You can read about Parentscope’s wonderful programs at www.parentscope.com.au

COLLABORATIONS

Once Upon A Song

Ann Lehmann and I are enjoying a roll of folk festival shows and we were particularly excited to be featured at the National Folk Festival last year. What an amazing event! I recommend this festival to everyone as there are so many stages and styles and a space for every type of person under the sun. Pure folk fun.

This year we’ve already been featured at the Illawarra Folk Festival in January and Cobargo Folk festival in February. We love seeing all our old friends at these festivals and making lots of new friends. At the Illawarra Folk Festival, we were joined on stage by two beautiful children performers – Jasmine, my daughter, and  Ashley, a three year old starlet. They both took to the mic and hit the harmonies with confidence and charm. It’s beautiful to be inspiring young children to sing, dance and enjoy music and stories with their friends and families.

To stay tuned for more festivals, check out my CDS For Kids page.

That’s all for now!

Happy stories.

 Anna "Betushka", SPARK Festival 2007

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