Story Blaze
Once or twice a year, we organise a "Story Blaze" event: a joyful, creative evening, an opportunity for local storytellers to share their stories in a public performance. Priority for performance spots is given to those attending Katy's workshops (see below), but please get in touch if you're interested in taking part, whether or not you can make the workshops!
Once or twice a year, we organise a "Story Blaze" event: a joyful, creative evening, an opportunity for local storytellers to share their stories in a public performance. Priority for performance spots is given to those attending Katy's workshops (see below), but please get in touch if you're interested in taking part, whether or not you can make the workshops!
Images from previous Story Blaze events
“I was thrilled to be a part of the Story Blaze event. I'm relatively new to storytelling but Katy did her absolute best to ensure we were supported from start to finish. She gave useful tips and plenty of rehearsal time, she created a really calm, inviting mood on the night and even encouraged us to reflect together as storytellers after the event. Now, I feel like I have been welcomed into a new local creative community, it has been a very motivating project for me creatively and I am excited to continue with more storytelling in the future. A joyful thing to be a part of in these strange dark times."
Images from previous Story Blaze events
“I was thrilled to be a part of the Story Blaze event. I'm relatively new to storytelling but Katy did her absolute best to ensure we were supported from start to finish. She gave useful tips and plenty of rehearsal time, she created a really calm, inviting mood on the night and even encouraged us to reflect together as storytellers after the event. Now, I feel like I have been welcomed into a new local creative community, it has been a very motivating project for me creatively and I am excited to continue with more storytelling in the future. A joyful thing to be a part of in these strange dark times."
The first three were in Topsham, hosted by the Bridge Inn and the Library. The one in 2021 had to be online, kindly funded by Exeter City of Literature: the audio is available here. In January 2022 a group told the story of The King and the Corpse at The Hall in Exeter: an extraordinary set of tales handed down through Indian oral tradition for hundreds of years, each one with a riddle or moral dilemma at its heart and we invited the audience, to explore these with us. In 2022, we also had three full moon fires at Okehampton Community Garden plus a promenade performance at St Nicholas Priory. In 2023, MakeTank kindly made us welcome and curious Paris Street passers-by flocked in and were blown away by a fabulous line-up of tellers. In 2024, we took to the stage at Exeter Phoenix in February and at Barnfield in November, a special edition, all-women line-up for Reclaim Festival.
Next up: on Kalevala Day (28 Feb 2025) we return to the atmospheric St Nicholas Priory with a special group retelling of the magical Finnish epic Kalevala.
The first three were in Topsham, hosted by the Bridge Inn and the Library. The one in 2021 had to be online, kindly funded by Exeter City of Literature: the audio is available here. In January 2022 a group told the story of The King and the Corpse at The Hall in Exeter: an extraordinary set of tales handed down through Indian oral tradition for hundreds of years, each one with a riddle or moral dilemma at its heart and we invited the audience, to explore these with us. In 2022, we also had three full moon fires at Okehampton Community Garden plus a promenade performance at St Nicholas Priory. In 2023, MakeTank kindly made us welcome and curious Paris Street passers-by flocked in and were blown away by a fabulous line-up of tellers. In 2024, we took to the stage at Exeter Phoenix in February and at Barnfield in November, a special edition, all-women line-up for Reclaim Festival.
Next up: on Kalevala Day (28 Feb 2025) we return to the atmospheric St Nicholas Priory with a special group retelling of the magical Finnish epic Kalevala.
Workshops
Regular workshops are run by Katy Cawkwell, drawing on her 25 years experience of performance storytelling and helping others develop their own style and skills. Occasionally we have a guest tutor, as when the wonderful Nell Phoenix came to run the Archetypes in Storytelling workshop, as part of Quay Words or Lucy Lill had us experimenting with different kinds of audience.
The next beginners' workshop is April 1st 2025 (beginners also welcome to take a plunge in the deep end and join my monthly group - you will be so welcome!)
There is a small, friendly group of people with a whole range of experience (from a little to many years) who meet monthly Sept-Dec and May-Jun on Friday mornings in Clyst St George EX3 - but no committment required, you can come to as many or few as you like. Sept-Dec, everyone brings the story they want to work on, Katy runs a series of exercises (individual/pair work/group work) for 2 hours and everyone works at their own pace, sharing snippets of the stories in performance. There is then 30 mins at the end for two people to share a story with group feedback. May-Jun, we work as a group on epic material. More information here. NB there is a separate email list for workshops - email katycawkwell@gmail.com to join.
One-to-one coaching, in person or online, at a time to suit you, is also available.
Regular workshops are run by Katy Cawkwell, drawing on her 25 years experience of performance storytelling and helping others develop their own style and skills. Occasionally we have a guest tutor, as when the wonderful Nell Phoenix came to run the Archetypes in Storytelling workshop, as part of Quay Words or Lucy Lill had us experimenting with different kinds of audience.
The next beginners' workshop is April 1st 2025 (beginners also welcome to take a plunge in the deep end and join my monthly group - you will be so welcome!)
There is a small, friendly group of people with a whole range of experience (from a little to many years) who meet monthly Sept-Dec and May-Jun on Friday mornings in Clyst St George EX3 - but no committment required, you can come to as many or few as you like. Sept-Dec, everyone brings the story they want to work on, Katy runs a series of exercises (individual/pair work/group work) for 2 hours and everyone works at their own pace, sharing snippets of the stories in performance. There is then 30 mins at the end for two people to share a story with group feedback. May-Jun, we work as a group on epic material. More information here. NB there is a separate email list for workshops - email katycawkwell@gmail.com to join.
One-to-one coaching, in person or online, at a time to suit you, is also available.
Feedback from a recent beginners' workshop:
"A wonderful, creative experience, confidence-giving and fun"
"Such a skillfully held session. Really helped me feel more confident about storytelling and I think this will also help me feel more confident in other areas of my life. Thank you."
"Beautifully supportive and accessible workshop - got me ready to tell a story! Thank you!"
"A wonderful day. I finally gave birth to a story that has been inside my head for 60 years. A story my mother told me. A true story that needed to be heard. Thank you for the support that made this possible."
"An inspiring workshop. So lovely to hear people speaking myth and legend and wise words especially with all the bad news around us at the moment. Soul food."
Feedback from a recent beginners' workshop:
"A wonderful, creative experience, confidence-giving and fun"
"Such a skillfully held session. Really helped me feel more confident about storytelling and I think this will also help me feel more confident in other areas of my life. Thank you."
"Beautifully supportive and accessible workshop - got me ready to tell a story! Thank you!"
"A wonderful day. I finally gave birth to a story that has been inside my head for 60 years. A story my mother told me. A true story that needed to be heard. Thank you for the support that made this possible."
"An inspiring workshop. So lovely to hear people speaking myth and legend and wise words especially with all the bad news around us at the moment. Soul food."