tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285009.post7074663095106368716..comments2023-12-30T06:06:51.940-08:00Comments on Breaking the Eggs: Artists Unite in Denver, Storytellers Forget to AttendTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15432302620700328040noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285009.post-56528307876121912272008-06-20T20:15:00.000-07:002008-06-20T20:15:00.000-07:00We're moving to back of the "Old Tyme Country Rena...We're moving to back of the "Old Tyme Country Renaissance Faire" museum pieces. Sad. Eight people can only do so much. <BR/><BR/>Earlier this year, a person representing a major magazine contacted me. She wanted to know if I would help her find storytellers for their HUGE gated festival the magazine puts on once a year. <BR/><BR/>Where did they want storytellers? In the kiddie section, in a 10x10 booth, back near the nursing mothers booth. WAAAY off the beaten path. <BR/><BR/>I suggested to her that storytellers were a main stage presentation as or more interesting and viable as any of the local bands that were going to play. <BR/><BR/>She was stunned. "I never thought of that. But how can reading books from the stage be interesting to adults?"<BR/><BR/>I tried to explain. She never called me back. I am sure she booked a Mother-Goose-style Performer and paid that person $10 an hour. Old Tyme Country Faire. <BR/><BR/>Yesterday, I went to my local Arts Council meeting and had to explain even what "storytelling" was. I don't like "standard practices." but man, I think we need them. <BR/><BR/>Our storytelling institutions are less "robust" than they are just "rust."<BR/><BR/>Listen, can I be in charge of 500K per year? For one, I would pay a liaison to liaise all over, including the conference that started this rant. <BR/><BR/>That's right. I'd pay someone to actually talk to outsiders, "including administrators, artistic directors, development officers" and I would forbid that person to post on any of the major "echo chamber" lists. <BR/><BR/>That doesn't mean they wouldn't communicate.About Sean Buvalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15676753252592150679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285009.post-68671847341914570162008-06-20T11:33:00.000-07:002008-06-20T11:33:00.000-07:00You don't know the half of it, Scott.But yes, the ...You don't know the half of it, Scott.<BR/>But yes, the lack of robust institutions supporting the art form is <I>one</I> issue.<BR/><BR/>I can count the number of paid institutional representatives for storytelling on one hand and have fingers left over.<BR/><BR/>More in my next blog post.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432302620700328040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285009.post-2200553084578842702008-06-20T09:41:00.000-07:002008-06-20T09:41:00.000-07:00There weren't very many individual artists present...There weren't very many individual artists present, at least in theatre -- mostly administrators, artistic directors, development officers. In other words, institutional representatives. And therein might lie the problem with storytelling?Scott Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06465161646609405658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285009.post-76278945340559274192008-06-20T07:41:00.000-07:002008-06-20T07:41:00.000-07:00This is so discouraging. It would be interesting t...This is so discouraging. It would be interesting to discover that there were storytellers there, but that we weren't formally represented says way too much about the profile of storytelling as a performing art in the country.Liz Warrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494432666756787233noreply@blogger.com