About Ottawastorytellers
Ottawa StoryTellers exists to promote the art of storytelling in our community, to nurture and inspire beginning and experienced storytellers, and to provide tellers and listeners of all ages with opportunities to come together to share and enjoy stories.
What is Storytelling?
Storytelling as a Performance Art
Storytelling is sharing a story in the most fundamental way possible - from the lips, mind, and heart of the teller to the ears, mind, and heart of the listener.
A storyteller is a performer who shares tales that are personal, historical, mythical, or drawn from lived or imagined experiences, tales that entertain, inspire, and connect with audiences. Using only words, voice, and gestures, weaving words into an art form to captivate listeners, the teller’s unique voice and perspective bring stories to life that create a world filled with characters, action, and scenery to engage listeners’ imaginations.
Our Vision
Ottawa StoryTellers exists to promote the art of storytelling in our community, to nurture and inspire beginning and experienced storytellers, and to provide tellers and listeners of all ages with opportunities to come together to share and enjoy stories.
We pursue these goals through several activities:
Signature Series: Our professional storytelling season at Arts Court
Monthly:
Open Mic - live or online
QUICKLINKS
MORE ABOUT US
A Brief History of OST
Since its earliest days, Ottawa StoryTellers has been organizing multiple events, including series and festivals with excellent storytellers from Ottawa and around the world, workshops for the public, and storytelling mentoring opportunities. Membership now includes professional and non-professional storytellers and a supportive audience base of listeners.
In the late 1970’s, seven storytellers introduced storytelling as an art form in Ottawa by holding story “swaps” and presenting performances in schools and museums. By 1983, membership in Ottawa StoryTellers was opened to the public. In 1988, the group produced its first storytelling festival. The organization was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization with charitable status in 1999.
For twenty years, OST collaborated with Billings Estate National Historic Site and had a long relationship with the Bytown Museum. OST also had a long-term performance series at the National Arts Centre, which continues today at Arts Court.
Ottawa StoryTellers’ four-decade long history of serving Ottawa is marked with many achievements and long-term civic, social, and artistic relationships that strengthen the social fabric of our community.
Our Vision
At Ottawa Storytellers, we celebrate the timeless art of storytelling as a powerful way to connect, inspire, and build community. As a non-profit organization, our mission is to promote storytelling in all its forms—nurturing new voices, supporting seasoned tellers, and creating inclusive spaces where people of all ages can gather to share and experience the magic of stories.