News and Events

Canadian Storytelling Day 2020 Online Concert: Lands of Legends- Stories we Share

November 21st, 2020

1pm PST / 2pm MST / 3pm CST / 4pm EST/ 5pm AST / 5:30 NST

Join us this Saturday, November 21st, for a cross-country concert of tellers for the 2020 Canadian Storytelling Day. This year’s theme is Lands of Legends- Stories We Share. We are proud to showcase artists from across the country- from BC to Newfoundland! The event will be hosted on Zoom. 

Click here to register for the concert here!

Admission is pay-what-you-can. Donations can be made through CanadaHelps.ca

Concert Artists

Anita Best - Norris Point, NL

Life in Placentia Bay, before Newfoundland's re-settlement program inspired a lifetime of documenting and interpreting the rich traditional culture that flourished there. Classroom teacher, oral historian, archivist, radio broadcaster, professional performer of ballads and stories, and university course instructor, Best has been recorded on a dozen albums and has three complete works to her credit, the award-winning “Color of Amber", with Pamela Morgan, "Some Songs" with guitarist Sandy Morris and the solo recording "Crosshanded". She has published several books and has received The Order of Canada, The Marius Barbeau Award and an Honorary doctorate from Memorial University.

Kathy Jessup - Edmonton AB

Kathy Jessup credits her Irish ancestry for giving her “the gift of Blarney.” Humour plays a large part in Kathy’s storytelling. She often draws upon childhood memories and real-life situations as the spark for creating new stories, and also enjoys telling world Folktales. She is especially fond of stories that make people laugh! A veteran of many storytelling tours, Canadian Children's Book Centre "Book Week" program, her story CD “Listen Up” was recognized by the Centre as atop choice for families. Kathy's most recent project, THE ALASKA HIGHWAY ROADSHOW, is a historical production which toured western Canada and Ottawa in2017. Website: http://www.kathyjessup.com

Danica Lorer - Saskatoon, SK

A professional storyteller for more than 20 years, Danica collects and imagines stories and pictures throughout Saskatchewan and beyond. She follows the highway as a ribbon tying her to the amazing sky, clear water, words on the wind, and beautiful people. She tells to audiences of all ages at festivals, libraries, schools, extended care homes, and more. Danica facilitates storytelling workshops inviting participants from 0-103 years to reach into their memories, imaginations, and surroundings. Visit her profile on our site.

Mafane – Chelsea, QC

Hailing from the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, Mafane initially got into storytelling as a remedy for homesickness. Mafane has captivated audiences, in three languages far and wide, including atthe National Arts Centre in Ottawa and at the Boca do Céu international storytelling festival in São Paulo. She won the Storytellers of Canada –Conteurs du Canada ‘s Emerging Storyteller Award from the in 2016.www.mafane.com www.facebook.com/mafane

Rob Malo - Winnipeg MB

Franco-Manitoban Métis, Rob Malo is a writer, performer, and community-builder who shares his passion for history and culture through traditional music, storytelling and song. Educational Programs Developer at the Manitoba Museum, Rob has been awarded multiple Certificates of Excellence from Interpretation Canada for both TiBertle Voyageur live presentations and digital educational tools. An accomplished spoken word artist and French language improv artist as well as musician, Malo bridges cultural divides to generate an awareness of shared concerns and pleasures. Website: www.tibertlevoyageur.com

Marylyn Peringer - Toronto,ON

Marylyn’s discovery of French-Canadian folk tales began her over 30-year storytelling career, which has taken her into thousands of schools, libraries and community centres across Canada. Besides her French-Canadian repertoire, Marylyn tells classical legends of Greece and Rome, world folklore of the stars and constellations, riddle stories and Maltese tales from her maternal heritage. She is Storytelling Toronto's co-Resident-Teacher and every July leads the four-day summer Intensive course open to both beginning and experienced storytellers. She recorded “ Pieces of my Heart: a 3 disc CD/MP3 with the Storytellers of Canada– Conteurs du Canada’s “StorySave” Project in 2017

Lee Porteous- Victoria, BC-will be hosting.

About Canadian Storytelling Day

Begun in Orillia, Ontario in 2012,Canadian Storytelling Day was celebrated in 2016 by more than a dozen events across the country, from Victoria to Halifax! Canadian Storytelling Day is held annually during the first week of November. Small grants are available from SC-CC to applicants organizing events for Canadian Storytelling Day. Hold a Canadian Storytelling Day in your community. Join a national event, and promote storytelling close to home.