History of the Belleville Festival of Stories
In 2008, BASIC Initiative in Belleville, Illinois decided to spearhead a new storytelling festival. Since the heart of BASIC is highlighting and honoring character, founding a festival of stories was a natural fit - truths dressed in story! A committee of community leaders and storytelling artists came together to discuss ideas for the 2009 festival and for its future. Through the generosity of numerous community and arts foundations (see below), the core program became a reality. On March 27, 2009...The Belleville's A Festival of Stories premiered.
History of 2009: There were two separate parts to this first, one-day festival - a day and evening event at Lindenwood University, Belleville Campus. During the day, 2000 Belleville students from 4-6th grades came to listen to stories by nationally-known storytellers and to participate in a workshop given by regional storytellers from throughout Illinois and the St. Louis area. The workshops combined storytelling and character education. Each teller masterfully presented his/her own story and workshop idea based on one or more of the pillars of character. The evening event was a fundraiser to secure funds for future festivals and to provide funds for other BASIC Initiative projects (see a pic of the Belleville character banquet) that promote character education in our youth.
Future festivals hope to offer schools the opportunity to bring storytellers to their schools for K-3 grades and to expand the festival to two days with storytelling at local sites - museums, libraries, coffee houses, hospitals, etc. Another goal is to keep storytelling going throughout the year by offering adult-hearted stories to coffee houses and to have storytellers at existing Belleville events - Art on the Square, Gingerbread Walk, and other special occasions.
2010: The one-day festival will played host to over 2500 students. At Lindenwood University fourth and fifth graders saw master storyteller and mime, Antonio Rocha and participated in workshops given by St. Louis area storytellers. Other storytellers will travel to local schools in the Belleville area to give performances to grades PreK to 8th. In the evening, Antonio Rocha gave a public performance ($10.00/ticket or $20.00/Family). All proceeds went to BASIC Initiative to help with their many youth programs.
Two spoken word coffee houses were held to promote storytelling: The Abbey and Oregon Trail Roasting Co. An evening of Ghost Stories at the Belleville Halloween Walk was cancelled due to rain.
2011: Kevin Locke - a Lakota Storyteller and Native Hoop Dancer was the performer in 2011. There was a fairly good crowd of people for the Public Performance.
2012: Due to the economy, the festival decided to feature regional tellers for the performance portion of the day - Mike Anderson, the Dulcimer Guy and Anne Shimojima.
2013: This year Kunama Mjtendaji, African drummer and storyteller from St. Louis was the featured teller. Due to many conflicts and scheduling, only the morning session was held at Lindenwood. The 19 storytellers went to area schools in the afternoon - Scott School near Mascoutah, St. Clare and Moye in O'Fallon, Franklin, Cathedral, Blessed Sacrament in Belleville.
