2023-575-E-Arts Commission-Julia F. Green -2023-24 Arts Grants

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Artist Experience My fundamental belief as an instructor and a human is that everyone has a story to tell and a unique and authentic voice that longs to be heard. I’ve been teaching for over 15 years, helping people of all ages and backgrounds tell their stories. The first storytelling class I taught at the Carrboro ArtsCenter (in 2019) began as 13 strangers. Six weeks later, we had an 18th birthday party for one of the participants, who had signed up for the class because he felt painfully shy at school. In class, Liam was funny, engaging, heartfelt, and deeply likable–skills, he told us after he blew out the candles on the cake Nancy baked, that he developed in class. There were other shy folks in that room who found their voice. A woman in her 60s recalled shopping with her mother for her first bra. Another used sound and movement to recount a sacred ceremony honoring nature. W e heard stories about the pains of parenting–one about taking a child to college, another about taking one to rehab. There were also lighter stories about the wonders of watching a garden grow and disagreements with family about a birthday party. I expected the class to be fun and connective, but the results were transformative. In subsequent storytelling classes, I have enjoyed the same results: bringing together strangers, offering them tools to develop and deliver a personal story with confidence and style, and giving them the chance to listen to and appreciate one another. In each class, participants are astounded by what they learn about each other–and how much they relate to each other’s stories, which may have different details but include the same emotions we all experience. As a student in my most recent storytelling class said, “Although speaking about personal stuff can feel a bit stressful, it also feels like a tremendous learning experience — a very enjoyable one. You are an EXCELLENT teacher. I don’t have all the words to articulate how fortunate I feel to have landed in your classroom, but I wanted to convey my gratitude.” In addition to teaching storytelling, I co-founded the Durham Art Party, a gathering where artists shared work in various genres. This event, which happened quarterly from July 2018 to March 2020, was incredibly nourishing, creating friendships and community. In the spring of 2020, the Art Party took the form of a relay, where each participant made a piece of art using the previous artist’s work as their inspiration. W e gathered on Zoom to share what we made, appreciate others' creations, and celebrate the perseverance of the creative spirit. The power of creative community cannot be overstated–it encourages the artist that lives within all of us to make beautiful and moving experiences and to celebrate the artistic essence we each contain. I see Story Connection as another branch on the tree of creativity in Orange County, one that will create new connections and uplift its members by nourishing their creative spirits. How do you plan to market your project? Advertising to attract a broad audience will include posting printed flyers, direct promotion to local businesses and organizations, and social media promotion via the ArtsCenter, partner organizations, and my own accounts (~1000 Twitter followers, ~500 Instagram followers, ~400 newsletter subscribers). A local designer is offering an in-kind donation of their time to design printed material. DocuSign Envelope ID: 24CC88AA-C1EB-41FC-80CE-48099EAA0DB4