StoryFest 2025
Call for Stories & Workshops
Story Arts of Minnesota’s next all-day StoryFest will take place on Saturday, April 5, in Bloomington, MN. This is our third year of partnering with the Bloomington Center for the Arts in their beautiful space, and we seek storytellers, workshop leaders, and volunteers to help create our best gathering ever! Your voices and expertise will make StoryFest 2025 a full day of exceptional listening, learning, and interactive fun. Please submit proposals by midnight January 8th through the online form call for stories: https://forms.gle/59XaAp263fAqRjuN7 or call for workshops:https://forms.gle/acoJf4PzeJAuKVsf9
StoryFest 2025 will be a gathering of voices from across Minnesota. We don’t have a particular theme, but we are looking for a wide diversity of stories. Fire up your imagination and propose a story to tell or workshop to present – the possibilities are endless. We’ve made a few suggestions below, but we’re eager to hear your own ideas too. All plans are subject to change, depending on the submissions we receive.
Workshop Leaders needed for StoryFest 2025
Fire up your imagination and propose a workshop. We’re planning for a 90 minute workshop in the morning and for up to 4 (55-minute) workshops in the afternoon. Leaders will be paid $125 per workshop. (If a workshop has more than one leader, the co-leaders will decide for themselves how to divide up the payment.)
All workshops will be in-person, we do not have plans for any hybrid programming on-line at this time.
The planning committee particularly welcomes workshop proposals on the following topics:
* Storytelling and poetry * Youth and family (intergenerational) workshop * Improvisation and storytelling
* New to storytelling workshop * Storytelling in business/non-profits * Storytelling techniques
*A workshop on any compelling topic related to storytelling techniques, story sources, or the uses of storytelling in our communities
*Turning your story into a picture book
* Have another idea? Please submit it.
All plans are subject to change, depending on the submissions we receive.
PLEASE NOTE: If you would like to submit more than one workshop idea, please submit an additional form for each proposal.
Storytellers needed for StoryFest 2025
We plan to hold up to 3 Performances in the afternoon, each 55 minutes long with 4 tellers and discussion time. Tellers will be paid $50 for a 10-minute story.
We plan to hold a morning Youth and Family Concert featuring 5 tellers. Tellers will be paid $75 for a 10-minute story.
We plan to hold an evening Adult Concert featuring 6 tellers. Tellers will be paid $100 for a 15-minute story.
The StoryFest 2025 planning committee particularly welcomes stories, whether true or traditional, that touch on concepts such as bridging divides, social justice, alternative worlds, connection, interdependence, hope, reconciliation, resolution, and/or working together. Stories from across the globe, your own life, or history are welcome.
All plans are subject to change, depending on the submissions we receive.
Submit your story proposals by midnight on January 9 through the online form. You may submit up to three stories for consideration. If you are interested in being considered for the Youth and Family concert or the Evening concert please submit a link to a video of you performing your story AND any password or other access info needed. This information will help the selection committee choose the best mix of tellers for each performance. NOTE: If you have not uploaded a video to the internet before, you can do so for free with youtube, vimeo, or google drive. Make sure to check the permissions on the file. We recommend making them either public or accessible to anyone with the link.
Showcases for StoryFest 2025
Following the success of community showcases during our online StoryFest 2021, we plan on 3, 55-minute sessions for organizations or projects in Minnesota that use storytelling to foster social justice. This is an opportunity to demonstrate and discuss how sharing stories can help build a better world. The organizations or projects showcased will each receive $125. If you would like to recommend an organization or project for a showcase, please send us a message at storyartsmn@gmail.com, with “StoryFest showcase” in the subject line.
Important information for all submissions:
Priority will be given to tellers/presenters who are members of Story Arts of Minnesota (click here to join: https://www.storyartsmn.org/support-sam ).
We particularly welcome applications from under-represented voices. Please read our Commitment to Racial Justice at https://www.storyartsmn.org/ Please indicate on your application if you identify as BIPOC or other under-represented voice.
Any questions?
Please reach out to us at storyartsmn@gmail.com