The 2023 Scottish International Storytelling Festival centres around the Right To Be Human, marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Scotland’s consultation on a new Human Rights Bill, bringing together storytellers, musicians and artists in venues across the country to tell tales of human courage and creativity, spoken in powerful words.
Among the subjects covered are the impacts of war, gender inequality, censorship, ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious prejudices and other threats challenging our human rights as a global nation; and among the new features this year is the Festival’s first podcast series Another Story, and Art of the Storyteller – a series of in-person weekend workshops led by Festival Director Donald Smith.
He has said, ‘All over the world human and environmental rights are under threat. But against that there is an activist and creative tide building towards a different future. The Storytelling Festival is part of that wave.’ – a view supported by Minister for Culture Christina McKelvie, who has said, ‘Right to be Human is inspired by the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and could not be more timely. During the coming parliamentary year, the Scottish Government will introduce an ambitious new Human Rights Bill for Scotland. This will be a significant milestone in Scotland’s human rights journey, building on past work to embed a human rights culture across Scotland.’
Gauri Raje’s Tales of Exile and Sanctuary kicks off the Festival on Fri 13th Oct, followed by a host of new commissions throughout the Festival, hosted by myriad storytellers, with something for all ages and tastes in a full programme of events (see website, left). A downloadable brochure has the full list of events.
The Festival has received support from the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland, and maximum ticket prices have been kept to a maximum of £10, while a Festival Pass is available, offering discounts to many events and at the Storytelling Centre’s bookshop and Haggis Box Café.
Tying-in with this year’s Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (4th – 22nd Oct), this year’s Festival includes an exhibition, Talk, by Edinburgh photographer Graham Williams, which sheds light on the work and characters behind men’s mental health organisations such as Men Matter Scotland, Andy’s Man Club and Edinburgh Blue Balls.
