13th Annual Storytelling Festival: Art of the Story

For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 09, 2017

Washington County, Oregon: The Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) hosts the 13th Annual Storytelling Festival — Art of the Story April 1 - 8. This year the festival will feature four professional storytellers: Kevin Locke (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, South Dakota), Ingrid Nixon (Olympic Peninsula, Washington), Norm Brecke (Portland, Oregon), Brianna Barrett (Portland, Oregon) and four Story Slam contestants: David Alexander, Brian Belefant, Maura Doherty and Janis Collins.

Admission is free and all festival performances are designed for the enjoyment of adults. Several shows, where noted, will also welcome children ages 6, 10 or 12 and up. The week-long storytelling extravaganza features thirteen storytelling performances and one workshop at the WCCLS member libraries, the Glenn & Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center, Sherwood Center for the Arts and North Plains Elementary.

On Saturday, April 1st the festival kicks-off with the 3rd annual festival Story Slam Contest hosted by the Beaverton City Library. Audience members will be invited to cast their vote to determine which Slam teller proceeds to tell at the Festival Finale Showcase of storytellers.

Saturday, April 8th Kevin Locke, a world famous Native American hoop dancer and storyteller leads a FREE Indigenous Flute Workshop hosted by the Garden Home Library. Registration is required – contact the Garden Home Library 503-245-9932. Space is limited. Locke provides instruction on creating a flute, breathing techniques and songs. Participants will craft their own indigenous flute to take home.

The Finale, on the evening of Saturday, April 8th, will be held at the Beaverton Arts & Communication Magnet Academy auditorium. The showcase will feature performances by Locke, Nixon, Brecke, Barrett, plus the winner of the Story Slam Contest. A reception precedes the showcase performance offering complimentary beverages and hors d’oeuvres. Doors open at 6:15 p.m.

The 13th annual WCCLS Art of the Story Festival is supported in part by grants from the Regional Arts and Culture Council, each of the local Friends of the WCCLS member libraries hosting a festival event, Recology and the Portland Storytellers’ Guild. Generous in-kind services have been provided by Pamplin Media Group, Courtyard by Marriott, the Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center and the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District.

Directions to the performance venues and additional festival details are available on the festival webpage or pick up a festival newsletter at a local WCCLS member library.

2017 Storytelling Festival Events

A high resolution picture and biography for each storyteller is available by request: [email protected]

Saturday, April 1
Beaverton Library: 7 - 9 p.m.
Story Slam Contest (Adult program)
David Alexander, Brian Belefant, Maura Doherty and Janis Collins.

Sunday, April 2
Hillsboro Brookwood Library: 2 p.m.
Norm Brecke l The Lighter Side of Lincoln (Adult program)

Monday, April 3
Tigard Library: 7 p.m.
Norm Brecke l The Rough Edge of the Ocean (Adult program)

Monday, April 3
Walters Cultural Arts Center: 7 p.m. (co-hosted by Hillsboro Library)
Brianna Barrett l True Love and Other Non-communicable Diseases (Adult program)

Tuesday, April 4
Cedar Mill Library: 6:30 p.m.
Norm Breck l Spaghetti Squids & Zombie Arms (Adult program & ages 6+)

Tuesday, April 4
Forest Grove Library: 6:30 p.m.
Brianna Barrett l Can My Imaginary Friends Come Too? (Adult program)

Wednesday, April 5
Elsie Stuhr Center: 2 p.m. (co-hosted by Beaverton Library)
Norm Brecke l Sweethearts, Swings and Misses (Adult program)

Wednesday, April 5
Sherwood Library: 7 p.m. at Sherwood Center for the Arts
Kevin Locke l Story of Standing Rock (Adult program)

Thursday, April 6
Banks Library: 7 p.m. at Banks City Hall
Ingrid Nixon l Starry, Starry Night (Adult program & ages 12+)

Thursday, April 6
Garden Home Library: 7 p.m. co-hosted by West Slope Library
at THPRD Garden Home Rec Center
Kevin Locke l Mni Wiconi (Water is Life) (Adult program)

Friday, April 7
North Plains Library: 6:30 p.m. at North Plains Elementary
Kevin Locke l Love Stories (Adult Program & ages 6+)

Friday, April 7
Aloha Library: 7 p.m.
Ingrid Nixon l Adventure Calls! (Adult Program & ages 6+)

Saturday, April 8
Indigenous Flute Workshop with Kevin Locke*: 1 - 2:30 p.m.
*Advance Registration Required – call 503-245-9932. Spaced is limited.
Hosted by Garden Home Library at THPRD Rec Center.
(Adult program & ages 10+)

Saturday, April 8
Festival Finale Showcase Concert: 6:15 - 9 p.m.
at the Arts & Communication Magnet Academy auditorium in Beaverton
(Adult program & ages 12+)

Reception: 6:15 - 6:45 p.m. with complimentary beverages and hors d’oeuvres.

Showcase Concert: 7 – 9 p.m.
Story Slam Contest Winner
Brianna Barrett l Fixated
Norm Brecke l I am a Singing Cowboy…Really?
Ingrid Nixon l Never a Dull Moment
Kevin Locke l Hoop of Life

Call 503-846-3222 no less than 3 business days prior to a festival event to schedule assistive listening devices or sign language interpreters.

The Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) includes: Banks Public Library, Beaverton City Library, Beaverton City Library @ Murray Scholls, Cedar Mill Community Library, Cedar Mill Community Library @ Bethany, Cornelius Public Library, Forest Grove City Library, Garden Home Community Library, Hillsboro Public Libraries (Main and Shute Park), North Plains Public Library, Sherwood Public Library, Tigard Public Library, Tualatin Public Library, and West Slope Community Library. Two specialty libraries are also a part of the Cooperatives library card service — the Oregon College of Art & Craft and the Tuality Health Education Resource Center.

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