Seeking City of Stirling storytellers for Backstories 2025

A Perth Festival event presented by Centre for Stories in the City of Stirling.

October 16, 2024

Perth Festival, in partnership with Centre for Stories and the City of Stirling, is excited to announce an opportunity for City of Stirling residents to share their stories. We want to hear about you – your experiences, and why you call the City of Stirling home. In February 2025, as part of Perth Festival, these stories will be shared with the wider community in a public setting, celebrating our neighbourhood.

Over November and December, selected participants will receive training to help craft and share their story, and in February, they will have the chance to present it at a public event along with others from our community.

Our workshops will provide the opportunity to stop, to reflect, and to share the journey that brings people here, to this place – the City of Stirling.

Scroll down to complete the application form below to become a storyteller for this project. If you are experiencing any technical issues, please apply by sending your answers directly to us via email at submissions@centreforstories.com.

How to Get Involved

Submit a short description of the story you would like to share (up to 100 words). Stories you share can be big, small, loud or quiet, but they must be true and have been experienced by you – we ask that you do not submit stories that were told to you by someone else or are someone else’s experiences.

Selected participants will join three storytelling workshops (each 3 hours) held in November and December, with a refresher in January 2025. These workshops will be facilitated by an experienced story trainer from Centre for Stories.

In the workshops, you will:

Learn fundamental storytelling and narrative techniques
Craft an engaging story
Improve your public speaking and confidence
Connect with other community members.

After completing the workshops, six storytellers will be chosen to present their stories at a Perth Festival public event on Saturday, 15 February 2025, at a venue in the City of Stirling. You will be compensated for your participation in this event.

With your consent, your story may also be recorded and shared online by Centre for Stories, Perth Festival and City of Stirling.

Still unsure of what we mean by ‘stories’? Check out examples of other stories we have helped people to craft and share here, here, and here.

We will be holding an Introductory Co-Design Workshop for this project on Saturday 23 November 2024.

Expectations of participants who are selected:

Attend the Introductory Co-Design Workshop (2-hours)
Attend the three storytelling workshops in full (2-hours each)
Participate in a two-hour refresher session.
Be willing to share your story publicly
Come to the workshops with an open mind and heart. Be ready to talk about your authentic and honest experiences.
Be respectful of your fellow participants.
Be available for any further one-on-one training after the workshops in preparation for speaking at events.

Who are we looking for?

We are seeking City of Stirling residents, of all ages, newly arrived or long-term. We also encourage expressions of interest from the diverse voices within our community that have historically been marginalised. If you identify as culturally and linguistically diverse, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, living with a disability, LGBTQIA+, and/or neurodivergent, we would especially love to hear from you.

The Public Event

The event is free and will last about three hours in the late afternoon on Saturday, February 15^th and will be held in open setting. Attendees can bring their own chairs, picnic blankets and BYO food and drinks. Local musicians will play music at the start, in between stories and at the end. After the stories are shared, we open to audience Q&A where the storytellers can answer further questions.

Let’s get started

Complete the application form below. Please share an idea based on the theme – “Living in the City of Stirling” – tell us about your journey, why you’ve stayed, and a specific experience you’d like to share. We also ask for a short bio. Don’t worry, the idea you submit doesn’t need to be the final version you craft in the workshops; it’s just to get to know you better.

If you have any questions about these workshops or events, contact Vuma from Centre for Stories at vuma@centreforstories.com.

Application Closing Date: Friday 15 November 2024 at 11:59pm AWST.

Feature images: Storytellers and attendees at Side Walks 2021. Photo credit: Sophie Minissale.

Fill in the form questions below to apply to become a storyteller.

Please note this information collected is confidential and stored privately by Centre for Stories for the purposes of selecting storytellers. Information will not be shared publicly.

If you are experiencing any technical issues, please apply by sending your answers directly to us via email at submissions@centreforstories.com.

Name *

First

Last

What are your pronouns?

Date of Birth *

Email *

Phone *

Post Code / Suburb of Residence *

You need to be a current resident of the City of Stirling to apply.

Please provide a short biography (50 – 100 words)

What story are you interested in sharing? (100 words or less) *

Remember that the story should be true, real things you have experienced. The idea(s) you submit here do not have to be the final story you craft in the workshop, but we encourage you to share what ideas come to mind in the context of the theme – “living in the City of Stirling”.

Do you identify as culturally and linguistically diverse, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, living with a disability, LGBTQIA+, and/or experiencing financial hardship and housing insecurity (or none of the above)? *

Please share as much as you like about your identity if you feel comfortable doing so. We encourage the diverse voices within our community, that have historically been marginalised and silenced, to speak up and share their experiences.

What do you hope to get out of these storytelling workshops?

Any new skills or experiences? We are looking forward to hearing your goals and creative ideas in more detail at the first co-design workshop.

Will you be available to attend the Introductory Co-Design Workshop on Saturday 23 November 2024? This will be held at a venue in the City of Stirling.

The workshops are currently scheduled on 30 November, 7 and 14 December at a venue in the City of Stirling. Please acknowledge if you can commit to attending these workshops below. *

By participating in these workshops, you express a willingness to potentially speak publicly and share your story

Is there anything we can do to make the workshops feel safer for you?

For example, please share any accessibility needs you may have or whether you have complex trauma and need additional support. This information is stored privately by Centre for Stories. If you prefer to call is to discuss your needs, please call Luisa on (08) 9328 1443.

Do you have any allergies or dietary requirements?

Help us do more

We’re on a mission to create a diverse, inclusive, and cohesive society through the art of storytelling. Join us in supporting emerging artists and sharing powerful stories from across our community.

Get Involved