Community Storytelling Project
In 2022, the PCAA was fortunate to obtain funding from MuseumsGalleriesScotland Year of Stories 2022 (#YS2022) to run a series of storytelling training workshops and to start up a storytelling club at our Penicuik Arts Centre.
With professional storytellers taking the lead, workshop participants have a chance to practice their new storytelling skills at club nights, in a very informal setting with wee friendly audiences. Anyone is welcome to come along to tell a story, sing a song, give us a tune… or simply sit back and listen… we need listeners as well as tellers!
At the end of 2022, we obtained funding from TRACS and TASGADH to run more clubs and workshops in 2023.
We are delighted to report that we’ve been successful in securing funding from the National Lottery “Awards For All” to run more clubs and workshops during the 2023-2024 season.
Club nights take place at the Arts Centre, 4 West Street, Penicuik, EH26 9HY
Tickets are £5 (£3 for low income) and will be available online and from the Arts Centre café two weeks before each club meeting.
Next club night
Friday 26th April 2024 7:30pm tickets available now online (https://www.penicuikarts.org/shop/) and from the West Street Arts Centre café.
Join us in our cosy venue with a real coal fire and our special guest Liz Weir. The host will be Ruth Kirkpatrick. Bring a song, story or tune, or just bring your ears and be part of our fantastic audience. All welcome.
Please click here for tickets. (£5/£3)
Next workshop with Liz Weir
Saturday 27th April 2024 10am – 2:45pm (latest) – run by Ruth Kirkpatrick.
£30/£10 (pay less)
Places strictly limited. Please email penicuikarts.org@gmail.com to enquire. And do let us know if you’d like to attend but would struggle to pay the fee. We can help.
NEW! Story Swap
A peer-support group for storytellers of all levels of experience. Limited numbers – so pre-booking is essential. Please email penicuikarts.org@gmail.com or text 0781 505 2929!
Our next meeting is yet to be confirmed.
Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 (#YS2022) is a celebration of stories inspired by, written, or created in Scotland. Stories are a vital part of Scotland’s culture and every community has a different tale to tell. In 2022, a whole host of events will be held across Scotland – by community groups, museums, culture and heritage organisations and visitor attractions – showcasing our rich storytelling and literary heritage.
The PCAA project “Oor Toon” has run free story-telling workshops at West Street Arts Centre during summer, led by our own local professional story-teller Ruth Kirkpatrick. In these workshops, Ruth has shown participants how to recognise and develop their own stories and is now giving individual mentoring to help individuals with their delivery.
Ruth says “ I am thrilled to be taking part in this project. I’ve lived in this area for over 20 years and know it well. I look forward to helping people to uncover historical, personal and traditional stories, then relish the process of seeing them flourish as storytellers. We are all storytellers, but the art is in crafting the story and practice makes perfect! A community of storytellers can support and inspire each other, growing and sustaining a local network into the future.”
(You can read more about Ruth’s work here).
Ruth Kirkpatrick
Find out more about Year of Stories 2022 here: https://visitscotland.com/about/themed-years/stories
This event has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.
