September 18, 2020

Please note that in light of the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in Ottawa, we are removing the in-person ticket option for our October and November Signature Series shows. If you have already purchased an in-person ticket for either of these shows, you will receive a link via e-mail to the live virtual show.

If you have any additional questions regarding our health and safety practices please e-mail us at info@ottawastorytellers.ca or call our office at (613) 322-8336.

September 10, 2020

This season, in light of COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions, OST is offering a hybrid of live in-person performances and online broadcasts for each show. (All ticket purchasers will receive an e-mail link to the online broadcast regardless of whether or not they select an online or in-person ticket.) At this time, we plan to limit the capacity of our venue, the Blackbox Studio at Arts Court, to less than half its regular capacity. Audience members will be seated individually in seats spaced up to 2 metres apart, or can sit with people in their “bubble” at a shared cocktail table. The space will be sanitized prior to doors opening, and all audience members will be required to wear a mask at all times while in the building. In the event that physical distancing restrictions prevent us from offering a show with a reduced in-person audience, the show will still be broadcast live to enjoy from the comfort of your own home. We will update our performance plans as we approach the first show on October 22, and as necessary throughout the season.

May 20, 2020

The City of Ottawa is extending the suspension of large City-permitted special events, festivals and other cultural programs, with an estimated attendance of 500 or more people, that were scheduled to take place on or before August 31, 2020. Organizers must still adhere to provincial requirements. The current provincial order limits gatherings to a maximum of five people.

In compliance with the province and City’s physical distancing measures, Ottawa StoryTellers’ suspension of in-person gatherings will continue through August 31, 2020. Our current online programming offerings of Story Swap on ZOOM and (un)told on Twitter will carry on. We will continue to update our audiences over the summer with regards to our 2020-2021 season. At present, our regularly scheduled programs are currently slated to start back up in September. Please continue to check this page regularly, subscribe to our newsletter, and add us on social media (Facebook and Twitter) to receive updates. Stay well!

April 6, 2020

Get into storytelling with Story Swap! This monthly event is free and open to all. In light of COVID-19 and physical distancing measures, OST is now holding a weekly online Story Swap event on ZOOM.

Until we are able to resume our regular live storytelling events, join us on ZOOM every Tuesday evening from 7:30-8:30PM, hosted by Dean Verger, Ruth Stewart-Verger, Lynda Joyce and Anne Schmitz.

ZOOM is free to use, and can be downloaded for use onto either a personal computer or smartphone. Attendees are invited to listen or to tell a story 5-10 minutes in length. Those interested in attending can e-mail deanverger@gmail.com to receive an invitation.

Participants are asked to please mute their audio upon entry to the ZOOM meeting, as well as turn off their video to best experience this social storytelling experience. The chat function can be used to comment or ask questions. Connect through story with Story Swap!

April 1, 2020

We hope this message finds you well. In response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic Ottawa StoryTellers' Board of Directors, in consultation with staff, have made the following decisions:

All In-Person Ottawa StoryTellers events will be postponed until further notice. This includes: the remainder of the 2019-2020 Signature Series, Stories & Tea, West End Story Stage, Downtown and West End Story Swap, (un)told, and all workshops through August 31, 2020. OST's Annual General Meeting is also postponed at this time. OST will make every effort to re-schedule upcoming events to next season wherever possible. If you are a storyteller impacted by this postponement, please contact your Program Coordinator directly to re-schedule your performance.

All tickets for cancelled events will be exchanged, refunded, or accepted with deep thanks as a donation to Ottawa StoryTellers. (Tax receipts may be provided on request.) Please note that it may not be possible to re-schedule all performances and events. Thank you for your patience as our part-time staff assist you with this process. Please e-mail info@ottawastorytellers.ca or call (613) 322-8336 should you have any questions.

We will continue to be in touch via our monthly newsletter to let you know of any upcoming online storytelling initiatives in the community, and encourage you to share such activities on our Facebook and Twitter pages and tag Ottawa StoryTellers. We continue to follow all guidelines set out by Ottawa Public Health and the City of Ottawa regarding public gatherings as we work together to prevent further spread of the disease. We wish everyone a safe and healthy Spring! Stay home, stay healthy.

Sincerely,

Ottawa StoryTellers' Board & Staff