Story Crossroads: The Newsletter Volume 11, Issue 46
Welcome to a short & direct newsletter * Week 1: Story of the Month - links with membership * Week 2: Upcoming
Events * Week 3: Cap's Off to You! - people/organization profiles * Week 4: Past & Future News
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Meeting NEA Chair Mary Anne
Carter
Story Crossroads was contacted by National Endowment for the Arts Public Affairs in advance of NEA Chair Mary Anne Carter’s scheduled visit to Utah, inquiring about the organization’s NEA-supported America250 storytelling work. While her prior commitments prevented her from attending the Summit & Festival, she expressed interest in the programming and was saddened that the timing did not align with her Utah trip. Although she was unable to attend the festival, Story Crossroads did connect with Chairman Carter in person at the Culture Connects Conference on May 13, 2026. Rachel Hedman was able
to briefly speak with her before her keynote interview, where the conversation centered on the role of storytelling and the arts in healing, education, and community connection. During her keynote interview at the conference, Carter shared reflections on how the arts have shaped her understanding of learning and care. She spoke about her daughter’s experience with dyslexia and how arts-integrated education supported her success, as well as her father’s time in memory care, where structured creative activities and music provided comfort, engagement, and dignity. Carter also emphasized the importance of clearly communicating the impact of the arts to policymakers, particularly in education, veterans’ services, and health. Her remarks reinforced a shared perspective on the arts as both a
measurable and human-centered force for well-being—closely aligned with the work of Story Crossroads.
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Our project, Storytelling Pairings: A Blended Celebration of American Legacy, honors twelve influential
Americans whose lives and contributions helped shape our nation. Through paired presentations, we spotlight both Black and Caucasian leaders whose stories reflect courage, creativity, justice, innovation, and lasting cultural impact. We are honored to be one of only 50 organizations nationwide selected to receive an America250 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is presented in collaboration with the Utah Storytelling Guild and the Nubian Storytellers of Utah. All events will take place at the Salt Lake Art Museum on the second and third Thursdays of each month from 5:30–7:00 p.m. Programs will also be professionally filmed and made available for free public viewing, expanding access to audiences near and far. Mark your calendars and join us as we celebrate the stories, voices, and legacies that continue to shape
America. October 8, 2026 October 15, 2026 November 12, 2026
November 19, 2026
December 10, 2026
December 17, 2026
Photo Credit: Brother Valdez Photography
Summit & Festival
Reflections
The 2026 Story Crossroads Summit & Festival reached 1,827 in-person
participants across workshops, schools, libraries, parks, and a detention center, with continued access to recordings available through June 15, 2026 via an unlisted YouTube playlist. The Summit opened with three virtual workshops—Kristin Pedemonti, Chetter Galloway, and Randel McGee—grounding the week in hands-on storytelling practice. School outreach reached 923 students and educators across Ascent Academies of Lehi (420) and McMillan Elementary in Murray (503), with strong interest from school leadership in expanding storytelling into annual programming and festival models. Library events reflected strong engagement: Murray City Library welcomed attendees in a standing-room session, while Pleasant Grove and American Fork drew
audiences that stayed engaged despite distractions and unexpected entry points. At Murray City Park, three sessions brought together 616 total attendees, demonstrating storytelling’s ability to hold large, shifting outdoor audiences. A standout moment came from a youth teller who performed confidently in front of peers unaware of her role, creating a powerful moment of visibility and pride for educators and classmates. Across all events, an unlisted YouTube playlist continues extending access beyond the live festival, with 200+ views already recorded and availability through June 15. People are still engaging with the 11th Annual Story Crossroads Summit & Festival through these recordings. A Summit Pass ($65) provides live access to the three workshops plus on-demand recordings and eight additional performance recordings (library, park, and virtual premieres). Summit Pass (All 3 Workshops) - $65 – Live access to all 3 workshops + on-demand recordings + 8 additional performance recordings (3 from libraries, 3 from park, 2 virtual
premieres)
Thanks to funding from the National Endowment for the Arts; Zoo, Arts & Parks of
Salt Lake County; Creative West; Utah Division of Arts & Museums; City of Murray; Salt Lake City Arts Council; Utah Storytelling Guild; Murray City Library; Pleasant Grove Library; American Fork Library; and supporters like you, these stories can be shared far and wide. Sign up for Summit Pass today! Explore the Festival webpage.
Photo Credit: Brother Valdez Photography
The Story Beast e-publication is seeking your stories, articles, and art for our next issue,
Cascading Colors—submissions close August 15, 2026. Have you ever
stumbled into a story born from a happy accident, an unexpected encounter, or a wild idea that appeared out of nowhere—like a color spilling beyond its edges? Maybe “Cascading Colors” itself brushed past you and left a trail of unexpected inspiration. Whether your work flows seamlessly with the theme or wanders into delightfully unexpected hues, we invite you to let your imagination unfurl in vibrant, cascading waves. Separate from Story Crossroads, The Story Beast is a free, worldwide e-publication—an incredible platform to share your work with a global audience. Submit by August 15 and let your story
sparkle. Learn more at storybeast.org.
With so many activities and sessions packed into the Summit & Festival, we didn't follow our usual schedule of house concerts and workshops.
Instead, let's celebrate the three outstanding workshops presented during the Summit & Festival—recordings are still available if you missed them! On
May 2, 2026, Kristin Pedemonti, Chetter Galloway, and Randel McGee inspired participants through their workshops. For Kristin Pedemonti's workshop, participants to recognize the "wonderfulness" in themselves and others, with Alicia Dongjoo Bang describing the experience as "one of my own sparkling moments." Many left eager to apply the strategies in their storytelling, teaching, and daily interactions to foster greater compassion, confidence, and connection. Participants appreciated Chetter Galloway’s practical storytelling techniques for making stories more engaging and meaningful. As Charlotte Sullivan shared, it was “one of
the most interesting classes on storytelling and techniques for making the story more engaging for the listener,” and many attendees left eager to use these tools to strengthen their storytelling through voice, movement, audience interaction, and expressive performance. Finally, participants enjoyed Randel McGee’s creative, hands-on approach to storytelling, especially his demonstrations of puppets, props, and visual storytelling tools. One participant reflected that the workshop reinforced the idea that “storytelling is a living art,” and many attendees left inspired to use props, movement, and visual
elements to create more engaging, imaginative, and memorable storytelling experiences. For individual workshop recording
options: http://storycrossroads.org/AllThingsStory For full Summit Pass with 11 films including these 3 workshops: http://storycrossroads.org/Festival
As for future events, we have several coming up. Our next virtual workshop will be Ilene Evans (June 6). Our 102nd house concert will feature Steffani Raff (June 20).
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Enjoy this interview with Ilene Evans, MA on the upcoming historical storytelling workshop on June 6. See more videos at our YouTube
Channel.
If you or someone you know has a story video that you want us to see, then let us know by emailing [email protected]. |
Story Crossroads - 501(c)(3) - To foster creative and compassionate communities through the art of storytelling.
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