Storytelling 360: New Heights, New Horizons
ISC’s mission is to use storytelling to build a better world. One way we do that is by inviting world-class artists to share stories on stage. Another is by helping regular people see that stories are an essential tool in their own daily lives. Stories help us build happy, healthy habitats and develop creative solutions to the problems we encounter day to day. And stories cultivate hope and empathy in difficult situations, including for at-risk youth, burned out health care workers, or anyone else who’s having a hard time.
This year, ISC is deepening the organization’s digital curricula and educational resources to make them more accessible — especially for underserved populations. We’re offering more free and subsidized concert tickets, tailored educational programs, storytelling-based trainings, and materials for our online learning library. We’re putting these powerful tools in the hands of the people who need them most, helping the next generation build a love for the arts that will nurture spirits and enrich lives for decades to come.
Learn More About What Your Gifts Support
Education and Youth Outreach
Some of ISC's most powerful programs serve young people. We use stories as educational tools, structured interventions, and cultural experiences to ignite and inspire, and to help young people who are struggling articulate who they are. ISC initiatives like Kids Storytelling Institute support learning and jumpstart what we hope will be a lifelong relationship with the arts.
Building Vibrant Communities
There are so many problems in the world today that threaten the health of our hometowns. We know that storytelling can help communities work through problems, solve conflicts, and strengthen relationships. ISC is committed to local and regional community building, as well as offering tools to help other communities replicate our work across the country.
Access for All
Everyone has a story to tell. It's our job at the International Storytelling Center to help people find those stories — and share them. To better serve rural and isolated populations, at-risk groups, and other underserved and overlooked people across our region and around the world, we're expanding our free and subsidized ticket programs to in-person and virtual concerts and workshops.
The ISC Learning Library
We invite you to learn more about storytelling at your own pace. ISC's online Learning Library is a rich resource that is always growing — and it is free and easy for anyone to access. This is where you can find tailored leadership tools, curriculum-based educational supports, and archival footage from decades of programming. We guarantee there's something for everyone!
Freedom Stories
Freedom Stories: Unearthing the Black Heritage of Appalachia, aims to offer a deeper public appreciation of the roles that African American Appalachians and stories have played in struggles for freedom, equality, and justice in the Central Appalachian region and the wider narrative of the US. The toolkit, story map, and video playlist is free to access and includes public discussions led by African American scholars, artists, musicians, storytellers, and activists.
ISC’s inclusive approach values everyone’s story across cultures. Our shared storytelling heritage includes multicultural traditions, marginalized voices, international perspectives, and emerging artists. We know that, together, we can build a more connected, peaceful, and productive world.
Your donation helps us to build a better world through the power of storytelling.
