On Saturday 2nd April, the Scottish Storytelling Centre launches a new Training Programme for budding storytellers across Scotland.

The Traditions and Skills Training Programme of the Scottish Storytelling Centre will be launched on 2nd April , offering you a unique chance to discover your natural talents as a storyteller.

More and more of us want to combine a holiday with a learning experience that is stimulating and entertaining as well as offering the chance to develop new skills.  The 2005 Traditions and Skills Training Programme includes plenty of opportunities for this whether you want to dip your toe in the water at a beginners’ session in Edinburgh, or spend a residential weekend in the heart of Skye. You might want to use storytelling in your job, or to pick up a new skill and build your confidence, but whatever you’re looking for the training programme guarantees a unique cultural experience.

For this first time ever the Scottish Storytelling Centre is offering residential weekend events like the ‘Glendale Gathering’ (20-22 May), at which you can hear traditional stories of Scotland and Ireland on the windy, sea-swept cliffs of Glendale, where some of the stories were born. In Easter Ross, ‘The Tin Road’  is  a weekend exploration of the rich seam of Scottish Traveller stories and culture with special guests from across the travelling community. Or you can attend short workshops in Edinburgh on topics such as Story, Song, Rhyme and Raps for young kids; Celtic Lore and Legend, Storytelling and Dementia, and How to Create your own Storytelling CD. Workshops can also be held in any local area within Scotland upon request…  ‘Have storyteller, will travel’.

We’re talking about a revolution…
A revolution has been taking place in Scotland. Far from the stereotypical image of the Scot as the ‘strong silent type’, the Scottish Storytelling Centre is experiencing an explosion in the numbers of people wanting to share their stories and learn storytelling skills, from disenfranchised children to older people. Over 250,000 people took part in storytelling activities through the national storytelling network last year and on the back of the success of projects such as ‘StoryMakers’, which supports children as storytellers, the Centre is launching its 2005 Training Programme with a view to encouraging more people to become active storytellers in their local areas. The best thing you can do with a story is to pass it on – so why not give it a go?

For more information see the website at www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk or e-mail scottishstorytellingcentre@uk.uumail.com