Festival of Family Storytelling
Posted on 21st July 2009
By Sunita Sharma
+44 (0)207 273 8299, sunita.sharma@mla.gov.uk
MLA is to fund a series of family storytelling events as part of the London 2012 Open Weekend from 24-26 July. The 32 events, taking place across England, will use museum, library and archive collections as inspiration and will help families have fun and learn together. The Open Weekend is an open invitation to get involved a national celebration marking the countdown to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Museums, libraries and archives services across England are set to take part in the Festival of Family Storytelling. The 32 family learning events, funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), have been granted the Inspire Mark – the badge of the London 2012 Programme.
The Festival of Family Storytelling events will enable families to have fun and learn together. Storytelling activities will use museum, library and archive collections as inspiration – working with professional storytellers and performers who will tell stories through prose, poetry, music, craft and dance.
Highlight events include Sunderland Library Service using children’s picture books and young people’s graphic novels with the theme of clowns, jesters and tricksters as inspiration for developing animation; The Potteries Museum in Stoke on Trent using plot elements and characters inspired by the collections; Greenwich Libraries will bring cartoons and illustrations to life through props and musical instruments; and The Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent will work with an African musician blending storytelling, riddles and song to engage young parents with the museum’s African collections.
Anthony Browne, the Children’s Laureate says: “Storytelling in all its many forms should be enjoyed by the whole family and the power that stories have to inspire, inform, teach and entertain should never be underestimated. I am thrilled to see The Festival of Family Storytelling celebrating the richness of our museum, library and archive collections, it’s a great opportunity to get together and have fun. I encourage everyone to visit one of these events and leave with a great tale to tell!”
The events will take place over the London 2012 Open Weekend from 24 – 26 July 2009. The London 2012 Open Weekend, supported by BP, is an open invitation to get involved in the three day national celebration marking the countdown to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Full listings of the Festival of Family Storytelling are at: www.london2012.com/openweekend
Seb Coe, Chair, London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games said: “The Festival of Family Storytelling is encouraging families to fulfil their potential. I am proud that with the help of such partners as MLA, we are delivering on our vision to use the power of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to boost participation in museums, libraries and archives.”
