A few years back I read an amazing novel, The Hakawati by Rabih Alameddine. Set in Beirut, it tells the story of the ancient Hakawati – master storytellers of the Middle East who would regale coffee house patrons for days on end with great stories. One Syrian Hakawati told a story in an Aleppo café that lasted over a year!!!
As a parent, I used to love reading to my daughter – assuming the roles and personas of the characters in her favourite books. But as she got older and started to read more independently she no longer needed her own ‘Hakawati’, and I lost the opportunity to tell stories.
Like my own storytelling endeavours, the Hakawati have almost disappeared now, as access to libraries, television, social media, podcasts and audiobooks steadily eroded their relevance in today’s society.
This got me thinking….
Would I, as an adult, go and listen to a storyteller? I’d go to a gig, the cinema or theatre, so why not a story ‘performed’ by a master storyteller?
As part of our ongoing project with Selby District Council, we are delivering a series of pilot activities. They’ve given us the autonomy to innovate with our delivery, based on a consultation we’ve been running with local residents. So we’re looking for someone who can come and deliver two story-telling sessions: one for kids, and one for adults.
We’ve got the support of Sherburn Community Library who will host the event, and a proposed date of Tuesday 22nd February to deliver it.
So…. are you a storyteller, actor or performer who could entertain a small audience for a couple of hours?
The boring (but important) bits –
- There is a budget for this, to cover your time, planning and any materials/travel costs.
- If successful, there could be an opportunity to work with us for the rest of 2022 at venues across North Yorkshire.
- This is a freelance opportunity, and you should have all necessary insurances and safeguarding measures in place.
- We will give you the probable demographics and you can choose the stories.
- It doesn’t have to be an individual, it could be a partnership or small collective
If you’re interested in this opportunity, please email joe@social-vision.org.uk asap for an informal chat.
