29/06/2026
A glorious Stockholm for late midsummer and the Federation for European Storytelling Conference - a truly wonderful few days of workshops, exchanges, food and drink, midsummer celebrations, and of course stories.
From workshops on Swedish herding calls (cows and goats, and they respond, as a dialogue rather than a one-way communication) and folkflute, to workshops creating performances in 10 minutes.
I find this challenges me, as a storyteller who isn't particularly performative - expressive and subtle, and emphasising connection yes, but performative not really - and this is what I like and appreciate, hard though it may be. It pushes my practice, and it's good to see so many styles of storytelling, as well as contexts and purposes.
The sun shone, the buildings were grand, hares played at dusk in the meadow with the scent of lady's bedstraw (it was a highlight walking here twice daily), and I met some truly wonderful people.
The children from the school that we were hosted in made a special exhibition for us based on Swedish illustrator John Bauer - trolls and folklore galore! A lovely touch - a huge thank you to the children.
And a huge thank you to the FEST organisers and all the brilliant volunteers who did a phenomenal job. 🙏
See you all next year in Dublin! 💚
Federation for European Storytelling Berätter Festival - Allians för Läkande Berättande i Norden Etnografiska museet Fladvad Colin Urwin Raccontamiunastoria - Festival Internazionale di Storytelling Junghans .se
