UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Storytellers who enjoy sharing their folklore, myths, cultural narratives and personal stories are invited to register for the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development’s (CSED) Storytelling Festival.
Registration for the festival is now open and the Penn State community is encouraged to register to share their stories, folklore and culture with one another.
The festival will be held on March 26, from 1-4 p.m. in the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center at University Park. The festival will celebrate the diverse world of stories, allowing artists to share original works such as stories, poems and live performances. Performances should be limited to 15 minutes to allow all registrants to perform.
Register to participate in the festival using this form.
Collin Wildridge, CSED program coordinator, said the festival is meant to introduce the community to traditional communal storytelling to show how traditional narratives may help to build community.
“I am hoping that participants will gain a greater appreciation of traditional storytelling, the importance of sharing our narratives, and connect with one another over story as our ancestors did,” Wildridge said.
Anyone may submit personal and cultural stories. The festival will emphasize traditional narratives, folklore, mythology, poetry and fairy tales, according to Wildridge.
The CSED, which is a unit of Penn State Student Affairs, aims to foster a sense of learning and community at Penn State and believes that honoring traditional storytelling is a great way to build that community.
The vision of the center embraces these fundamental premises:
- To provide the University community with a safe, supportive space for religious/spiritual/cultural diversity and exploration.
- To encourage personal, ethical and character development, intellectual engagement, and the voluntary exercise of religious/spiritual beliefs.
- To promote inter-faith understanding and appreciation through educational and cultural programming and activities.