About National Storytelling Network
The National Storytelling Network is dedicated to advancing the art of storytelling – as a performing art, a literacy tool, a cultural transformation process, and more. NSN is a member-driven organization, with a Board of Directors most of whom are elected by members from seven regions across America. It offers direct services, publications and educational opportunities to several thousand individuals, local storytelling guilds and associations. These services are designed to improve storytelling everywhere -- in entertainment venues, in classrooms, organizations, medical fields, families, and wherever storytelling can make a contribution to quality of life.
Some history:
The American storytelling revival was jump-started in Jonesborough, Tennessee, by the first National Storytelling Festival in 1973. The success of that first festival led to the founding of the National Association for the Preservation and Perpetuation of Storytelling (NAPPS), which changed its name to the National Storytelling Association (NSA) in 1994.
In 1998, in an effort to serve the needs of the diverse storytelling community better, NSA divided into two separate organizations, the National Storytelling Network (NSN) and the International Storytelling Center (ISC). Both organizations are dedicated to advancing the art of storytelling, and both jointly own the annual National Storytelling Festival, although ISC alone produces the event. NSN produces the National Storytelling Conference and other events and presents storytelling’s annual Oracle Awards.
NSN connects its members in strong networks of communication across the country and provides benefits ranging from publications and grants to training and performance opportunities.