The International Storytelling Center

Building a Better World
Through Stories.

- Boston Globe

"The small audience hangs on every word,
sound, and gesture of the storyteller on stage.
Under her spell, we wait, gasp, and exhale as one."

- Smithsonian

“From all over America,
people came to Jonesborough
just to hear stories. ”

- New York Times

“…where thousands of the faithful
gather to take part in one of
humankind's most satisfying rites. ”

- Los Angeles Times

“For what New Orleans is to jazz. . .
Jonesborough is to storytelling. ”

- The Boston Globe

“[Lepp] goes for the funny bone.
He stuffs his hands in his pockets
and leans back as he nonchalantly
lets drop the zinger to his tale. ”

- U.S. News and World Report

“The old-fashioned art of storytelling
has become a 21st century sensation. ”

"Building a Better World Through Stories."

We believe in a better world through the power of storytelling.

Learn More

Featured Event

Storytelling Online! 2021

June thru July 2021

Storytelling Online! is our new concert series that you can watch directly from your living room. Using the state-of-the-art platform we developed for the National Storytelling Festival, we’ve planned a summer series of evening concerts and one special children’s show beginning in June and running through the end of July.

Storytelling Online! tickets are $15 per household and available for sale through Friday at 4:30pm ET the week of the event — and they’ll remain available for four days afterward in case you miss the show or want to watch it again. You can also purchase a special season ticket right now that includes all 8 concerts for just $75. Prices include all fees.

Click here to learn more about about Storytelling Online! 2021

Featured Event

Freedom Stories: Culminating Event

Saturday, June 12 at 1pm ET

Join us on Saturday, June 12 from 1-3pm ET for the culminating discussion in our Freedom Stories initiative. We will hear one last time from expert panelists including master storytellers, historians, activists, and community leaders as we discuss how to keep the conversation going and the stories flowing. This special two-hour event will be the final public discussion in our Freedom Stories program. Continue to watch this space for updates!

As always, this event is free and open to the public, streaming live to our ISC Facebook timeline. We also invite you to explore recordings of past discussions available on our Freedom Stories Resources page. Don’t have Facebook? Don’t worry! You can still watch by clicking this ISC Facebook link, and selecting “Not now” when prompted to create an account.

Job Opportunity May 3, 2021

International Storytelling Center Seeks Curriculum Writers for Freedom Stories Initiative

The ISC seeks several educators to serve as Curriculum Writers for their Freedom...

Blog April 30, 2021

How I Learned to Love the Royals

By ISC President Kiran Singh Sirah As someone born and raised in...

News March 5, 2021

International Storytelling Center Hosts New Freedom Stories Toolkit, Discussion

(Jonesborough, Tenn.) – The International Storytelling Center (ISC), home to the world-renowned National...

Visit Us

The International Storytelling Center (ISC) is located in the heart of downtown Jonesborough. The ISC campus consists of the historic Chester Inn, the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall, the ISC gift shop, and the Jimmy Neil Smith Storytelling Park.

Our physical location is currently closed to the public due to Covid 19. The health and safety of our visitors and staff is our top priority. Though our Center is closed, our mission of improving lives through storytelling endures, and we are working on digital performances, educational content, and more! Please tune in and join us for our Storytelling Online! 2020 concert series — as we look forward to the day we are able to meet in person once again.

You can also visit our Stories page, listen to our StoryVault podcast, watch our You Tube videos from past festivals, and follow us on Facebook to stay engaged with our work as we navigate the safest ways to bring storytelling to you, our audience, wherever you may be.

Get Directions