Overview
Values & Beliefs
NSN believes that the age-old art of storytelling is as crucial in modern society as it ever has been in history, and that its practice should therefore be revived, expanded and widely supported.
NSN further believes that storytelling is a unique and powerful performing art. Utilizing both humor and pathos, it engages the emotions, the imagination and the intellect of people of all ages.
Storytellers serve as agents of positive change in the world.
NSN holds storytelling to be:
Relevant
- Storytelling is essential to education: neuroscience is demonstrating that the human brain organizes, retains, and accesses information most effectively in narrative form
- Storytelling plays constructive roles in the workplace, in organizations, corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and small businesses
- Because telling and listening to stories can have powerful healing effects, storytelling is essential in the work of therapists, clergy, and health care practitioners of all kinds.
Inspiring
- Because storytelling expresses, teaches, and preserves values and beliefs, it is of primary importance for all individuals and the communities to which they belong.
- Stories provide a community with the common historical knowledge and shared vision needed to inspire collective action.
Transformative
- Listening to stories is essential to the development of human imagination, creativity, and abstract thought processes.
- Diverse and even antagonistic communities come to understand and respect one another through listening to each other’s stories, and therefore storytelling is an essential tool for peacemaking.
NSN Strategic Plan: Core Program Strategies
a) Provide more effective public outreach and advocacy for the diverse art and applications of storytelling.
As a traditional folk art, storytelling is well known. As a performing art, however, storytelling is little recognized in the USA and often misunderstood. It is important for NSN to publicize the distinctive qualities of storytelling and work to gain peer status for storytellers within arts communities on the national, state, and local levels. NSN needs to expand public understanding of storytelling -- to promote storytelling as a top-notch performance art, and to broadcast the benefits of storytelling applications in education, healing, and other areas so that new employment and funding opportunities for those using stories will be created.
b) Increase the diversity of storytellers and performance styles within NSN.
One of the greatest gifts of storytelling is its ability to illuminate human experience over a wide array of cultures in a kaleidoscope of presentation styles. Supporting and advocating for diverse expression and practice of story will confirm, enhance, and strengthen the art form. For NSN to become a more effective national storytelling network, we must reach beyond the current membership and seek to include, serve, and represent a more diverse range of individuals and cultural groups. NSN must also reach out to a wider range of practitioners and artists who use story in their art, work, and daily lives, whether or not they call themselves “storytellers.” This outreach will broaden NSN’s membership base, help to develop public awareness of storytelling, and encourage artistic exchange and the development of individual performing styles.
c) Increase the participation of younger and novice storytellers in NSN, and provide and encourage programs to develop their artistic skills.
For the past 40 years storytelling has enjoyed a renaissance in the United States. However, the demographics of NSN reveal a deficiency of younger members. If we want the storytelling renaissance to continue strong, we must encourage future generations and novices to become storytellers, story listeners and story users, and support them with opportunities for professional development. Bringing more novice tellers into NSN will help to ensure that storytelling continues to grow, is revitalized with their energy and enthusiasm, and is molded by more divergent viewpoints. NSN also needs to encourage people who do not see themselves as “storytellers” to use storytelling in their professional and personal lives in such roles as teachers, librarians, naturalists, managers, attorneys, health care providers, counselors, social workers, clergy, or parents.
d) Make NSN a more effective national network for storytellers and story lovers by improving linkages with members and with regional and national storytelling organizations.
Every storytelling organization has much of value to bring to the table. In addition, most share common goals, including a call to widen employment and performance opportunities for storytellers, a commitment to encourage novice tellers, and a passion to increase recognition, respect, and support for the storytelling art. NSN can provide communication linkages among organizations, foster collaborative program development, and initiate a national conversation about the advancement of storytelling. Strengthening the network will help organizations eliminate unnecessary duplication of work, help avert competition for support and audiences, and provide many opportunities for information-sharing and fruitful collaboration that will advance all of our common interests.
The Financials
NSN, like other non-profits and households everywhere, has had to take a hard look at finances and see where we can do the most good with a limited amount of resources. The Board has worked hard to align NSN’s strategic goals with available funds, implemented a renewed fundraising campaign, and moved the organization decisively toward a brighter future. These reports are provided in PDF format.
2009 - Income and Expense Report
2008 - Income and Expense Report
