The art of storytelling is like a glowing crystal, offering a different experience for each listener. The storyteller unleashes one’s creative powers, imagination, and the most surprising, unexpected abilities. While acquiring the knowledge, the listener immerses oneself into the magical world of storytelling, into a different reality full of fascinating heroes, a spectrum of colours, and a range of feelings. These experiences await at The International Storytelling Festival SEKAS 2020, organised by Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library on the first week of December.
The theme of the festival is dedicated to heroes and heroines that are near us and far away. As 2020 is the centenary of Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the heroine and inspiration for the festival is a proud feminist, a writer, a teacher, and a politician Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė, who was a chairwoman of the first meeting of The Constituent Assembly of Lithuania. That is why a special attention will be given to the stories, myths and fairy-tales about strong and brave women.
Stories will be shared by storytelling experts – writers, actors, librarians, lecturers and other specialists in the field. Participants will be able to attend virtual events hosted by Rose-Marie Lindfors (Sweden), Jan Blake (United Kingdom), Daiva Ivanauskaitė (United Kingdom), Milda Varnauskaitė (Netherlands) and other storytellers from Lithuania.
Although the majority of the events will be hosted in Lithuanian, English language speakers will be able to take part in a performance by Jan Blake on December 4th. Listeners will be captivated by the story delivered by one of the most prominent storytellers in the world, accompanied by the sounds of African drums.
SEKAS 2020 will take place in a virtual space. The organisers have prepared interesting workshops, educational activities for children, and trainings for specialists of memory institutions.
PROGRAMME
December 1st
10 a.m. Storytelling trainings for the specialists of memory institutions
Duration: 3 hrs
Lecturer Rose Marie Lindfors (Sweden)
2 p.m. Biographical performance-conversation “Supergalios” (eng. Superpowers) (dir. Karolina Žernytė)
Duration: 1 h 10 min
Performers: Irma Jokštytė, Ernesta Žemaitytė and Aistė Krušinskaitė
December 2nd
10 a.m. Storytelling workshop
Duration: 2 hrs
Host: Dr Gabrielė Labanauskaitė
2 p.m. Legends and fairy-tales about fairies
Duration: 20 min
Storyteller: Laimutis Vasilevičius
December 3rd
10 a.m. Storytelling trainings for the specialists of memory institutions
Duration: 3 hrs
Lecturer Rose Marie Lindfors (Sweden)
2 p.m. Folktales from Dovydas Butkus
Duration: 1 h
Storyteller: Dovydas Butkus
December 4th
2 p.m. Demo storytelling education “Veltos vilnų istorijos” (eng. The felted stories of wool)
Duration: 1 h
Lecturers: Inga Norkūnienė, Daiva Nakrošienė
7 p.m.”The Origin of Life and Death”, a storytelling performance by Jan Blake (UK)
Duration: 1 h 30 min
Performer: Jan Blake (UK), accompanied by African Drums
The event will be held in English.
December 5th
Entertaining educational programme PASAKOJIS for children and families
10 a.m. A tale about the Sun
Duration: 15 min
Storyteller Laimutis Vasilevičius
10.30 am Storytelling education “Mano herojus” (eng. My Hero)
Duration: 1 h
Host: Šarūnė Leikienė
12 p.m. Storytelling session “Slibinariumas”
Duration: 1 h
Storyteller: Daiva Ivanauskaitė (UK)
2 p.m. Biographical story “Klampynių kronikos” (eng. Swamp chronicles)
Duration: 1 h
Storyteller: Kristina Jakubauskaitė-Veršelienė
Closing event of the festival
3 p.m. Storytelling performance about selkie women, sirens and mermaids “Išnyrančios iš vandens: selkie moterys, sirenos ir undinės”
Duration: 1 h 30 min
Storyteller Milda Varnauskaitė (The Netherlands)
Performer Simona Zajančauskaitė (piano)
Unlock the Storytelling World!
Storytelling campaign “Mano herojų kasa” (eng. The braid of my heroes)
We invite everyone to take part in the storytelling campaign “Mano herojų kasa”, which will take place during the festival. Remember the people who inspired you, especially the strong and courageous women: literary heroes, authors, teachers, acquaintances, and those who are yet unknown. Fill in the name of your heroe or heroine and tell a short story about how that person has changed your life. At the end of the festival, the organisers will form a unified braid of the stories, which will be exhibited in an interactive display in springtime, and later will travel around the libraries of Panevėžys region.
The International Storytelling Festival SEKAS 2020 is funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, the trainings for specialists are funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania
