WORKSHOPS, exhibitions, and sessions with literary figures will take place during the Yorkshire Festival of Story (YFOS) which kicks off this weekend.
YFOS, organised by arts charity, Settle Stories, will take place from tomorrow (Friday) to Sunday, November 10, and will ask the question: "How can stories promote action towards a kinder, more sustainable, and inclusive future?"
While the event programme is mostly online, two in-person events are to take place at Barnsley Library: a session with Skellig author David Almond (which will be simultaneously streamed online), and a session with Adelle A'asante.
David Almond joins YFOS in the year that beloved children's novel Skellig turns a quarter of a century old.
He will discuss his inspirations, creative process, and how literature can energise young and old to understand and imagine a better world.
Adelle A'asante's session will offer participants the chance to contribute a cocoa bean to a collaborative artwork - inspired by a piece of grandmotherly wisdom translatable from the Twi as: "If you do not tell your story, be sure someone else will, and they might not tell it right."
A daily exhibition will also take place in-person at Settle’s Listening Gallery, titled Happy Ever After?, inviting people to reimagine the classic Cinderella story and explore how different choices can lead to different outcomes.
Other in-person events will take place at The Joinery, in Settle.
Among the contributing speakers is Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne and Elektra, who will discuss her latest book Hera.
The goddess, queen of the twelve Olympians in Greek mythology, has a reputation as a cruel and vengeful stepmother which Ms Saint’s retelling works to overturn.
Matt Coyne, comedic voice behind the blog ManVsBaby and author of the children's book My Dad and the Toot that Shook the World, will share his unique perspective on parenting and offer reflections on all that he has learned from his children.
Broadcaster and journalist Zeinab Badawi will present An African History of Africa, exploring how narratives can shape our understanding of the present.
Dominic Kelly will present MARA, a 'masterful blend of whodunnit intrigue' taking the audience through a dreamscape of Swedish folklore and examining the relationship between sleep and wakefulness.
Environmentalist and author John Francis - also known as the Planetwalker - will share his story of silent protest and environmental activism, demonstrating how individual actions can lead to global change.
A host of other speakers will also present sessions, with more than 50 events scheduled in total over the course of the festival.
A special schools programme will see Alia Alzougbi give a KS1-appropriate telling of the myth of the Trojan Horse, while an explosive Guy Fawkes-themed morning, appropriate for KS2, will take place on November 5.
Virtual hangout sessions will be on offer, and hypnotherapy and yoga nidra sessions will conclude each day in a peaceful way.
One of the participating figures is Jon Buckeridge, whose one-man show, The Forgotten Tales, a tour of British literature, was well-reviewed by Gill O’Donnell for this paper back in 2020.
As well as continuing his beloved “book at bedtime” podcast series for this year’s YFOS (Mr Buckeridge has composed an original tale for the purpose, to be spread across ten episodes), the storyteller and actor will host a workshop on ‘Adapting the Classics.’
The 60-minute online workshop will help people to conquer their fear of the canon, and to apply lessons from the classics to their own creative endeavours.
Reminiscing on his own storytelling role-models, Mr Buckeridge said: “When I was a kid, my dad used to read stories to us, especially if we were on holiday.
“He did all the voices.
“My dad was a huge inspiration to me."
Many years later, when his sister’s children wanted a story read to them one night, Mr Buckeridge and his father arranged to take it in turns reading chapters of The Hobbit to them.
Mr Buckeridge’s competitive side nevertheless came out, and he was determined to “wipe the floor” with his father in a contest of storytelling chops.
After the bedtime story was done, though, he was forced to conclude: “I’m convinced he’s still better than me.
“He does all the voices.”
Fresh episodes of Mr Buckeridge’s podcast will be available on the Watch Now page of the YFOS website each night.
Sita Brand, CEO of arts charity Settle Stories, which is hosting the festival, said: “The theme for YFOS 2024 challenges us to think deeply about the role stories play in shaping our world.
“Through the voices of our incredible lineup, we aim to inspire action towards a kinder, more sustainable, and inclusive future.
“We invite everyone to join us in this important conversation.”
For ticket information and the full event schedule, visit yorkshirefestivalofstory.com.
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