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Festival and Conference

Featured Teller and Workshop Presenters, click here to apply.

Click here to register for the 2026 Festival.

No mailed-in registrations will be accepted.

Festival registration is only available online.

Hotel Registration

Our room block is loaded and ready for registrants to book their rooms.

You may also call the hotel directly and reference group code NAB to be booked in your block.

Click here to your hotel room(s).

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In the Tradition… Annual National Black Storytelling Festival and Conference is held in the fall of each year. In 2026 the Festival will be in its 44th year. The event includes performances, workshops, ceremonies, and awards from Thursday to Sunday. The event presents the creative work of 8 featured tellers, 6 special presenters, 6 Black Appalachian Storyteller Fellows, and 12 workshop presenters. Previous workshop titles have included Way Beyond Wikipedia: Crafting Folklife into Historical Tales, Aesop Remix: How to Craft Old School Fables into New School Tales, Steps to Self-Publishing and Stories in Verse: Crafting Poetic Tales. Click —> 2025 Souvenir Journal

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Affiliate members participate in Village Telling and story swaps are for all festival attendees. Award Ceremonies include The Zora Neale Hurston Award, Circle of Elders Award, the Linda Jenkins Brown Nia Service Award and the Baba Jamal Koram Youth Award. During the Festival, The Adopt-A-Teller Program (AATP), a week-long community initiative, hosts up to 40 services engaging up to 25 vetted roster artists. A free public community concert is presented, and other venues include schools, libraries, senior centers, museums, juvenile justice centers, community centers and churches. AATP audiences averages between 3500 and 4000 community members experiencing the creative artistry of the AATP Tellers each year. Other On-Going Activities Supporting Creative Writers and their Work.

Media Release Statement

For media inquiries, please contact: questions@nabsinc.org

By attending the 44th Annual National Black Storytelling Festival & Conference, all participants grant NABS and its authorized media partners permission to capture and use their image, voice, and likeness in photographs, video recordings, and promotional materials. These materials may be used in print, online, and broadcast formats to support the mission and visibility of the organization.

T-Shirt and Tour Statement

All T-shirt and tour purchases are final. No refunds will be issued.

A valid photo ID is required to pick up your T-shirt and/or board the tour bus.

All T-shirts must be picked up by 12:00 noon on Saturday. No exceptions. No refunds.

NABS 2024 Youth Concert

NABS 2024 Youth Concert

Past Journal Covers 1983 to Present

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NABS Past Festivals and Conferences

NABS Past Festivals and Conferences

NABS Past Festivals and Conferences

National Association of Black Storytellers Festival 2008

National Association of Black Storytellers Festival 2008

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National Association of Black Storytellers 2007

National Association of Black Storytellers 2007

08:54

Brother Blue

Brother Blue

05:50

Speakers

Engage in meaningful conversations about the preservation of African and African American history and explore the roles in the modern context.

Workshops

Engage in meaningful conversations about the preservation of African and African American history and explore the roles in the modern context.

Performances

Enjoy live performances showcasing the music, dance, and storytelling traditions that highlight African and African American heritage and its connections to society.

Youth Programs

Special activities for young attendees, including interactive workshops and educational sessions designed to inspire a new generation to learn about the their heritage.

“In the Tradition…"

44th Annual National Black Storytelling Festival and Conference

Unbreakable Spirit: Telling our Story, 250 years and Beyond

November 3-8, 2026

Crowne Plaza Hotel
801 Greenwich Avenue
Warwick, Rhode Island 02886
Phone: (401) 732-6000 ext. 7919

Deadline – No Later Than Midnight Sunday, April 12, 2026

Presenter Application

for Featured Tellers and Workshop Presenters

First name

Last name

Email

Initials

Address

Phone

Affiliate Membership (if applicable)

Please check all that apply:

Current NABS Member

Youth Member

I am applying for:

Featured Teller

Workshop Presenter

Recent Performances; (Featured Teller / Last workshop presented)

Video link to evidence of your work:

Video link to evidence of your work:

Bio: (50 words or less)

Reference #1:

Please provide name, relationship, and phone number. One must be a storyteller.

Reference #2:

Please provide name, relationship, and phone number. One must be a storyteller.

Reference #3:

Please provide name, relationship, and phone number. One must be a storyteller.

Bibliography: (one-page: published books, articles, recordings, etc.)

Photograph: (300 dpi jpeg/png - color)

Workshop Applicants: One-page workshop description with title, length, intended audience (i.e., beginning teller, teachers, youth), and technical needs. If previously presented, provide details such as the presenting venue/event and the audience.

Applicants seeking consideration as Featured Tellers are required to submit high-quality audio and video performance samples, a current résumé, and professional references from within the storytelling field. Selected applicants may also be invited to participate in a live virtual audition to further assess artistic presence, narrative clarity, cultural grounding, and audience engagement. All applicants must demonstrate the ability to deliver compelling performances that align with the 2028 festival theme, Unbreakable Spirit: Telling Our Story, 250 Years and Beyond, which centers on resilience, historical memory, and the ongoing evolution of Black storytelling traditions.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants interested in serving as Workshop Presenters or Featured Tellers at the National Association of Black Storytellers (NABS) Festival & Conference must meet the following criteria:

Relevant Experience:
- Workshop Presenters: Must demonstrate experience facilitating workshops, training sessions, or educational programs related to Black Storytelling, oral traditions, performance, cultural history, or related disciplines.
- Featured Tellers: Must demonstrate experience in storytelling performance, including public presentations of stories rooted in African Diaspora traditions, history, culture, or community narratives.
Alignment with the Tradition: Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to the preservation, promotion, and performance of Black Storytelling traditions and the mission of the NABS.
Application must align with Festival Theme: Unbreakable Spirit: Telling Our Story, 250 Years and Beyond

Applications are reviewed by a distinguished national panel composed of respected scholars, artists, and cultural leaders whose collective expertise spans performance studies, African American studies, community-based arts practice, and festival leadership. Panelists include:

Dr. Caroliese Frink Reed, (NABS Official Scholar & Historian) PhD in African American Studies (Temple University), nationally recognized scholar, cultural critic, and arts leader whose work centers Black cultural expression, critical analysis, and community engagement.
Emily Hooper Lansana, MA in Performance Studies (Northwestern University), poet, educator, and interdisciplinary artist whose scholarship and practice bridge performance, pedagogy, and cultural storytelling.
TAHIRA, (National Festival Director) nationally acclaimed teaching and performance artist, master storyteller, and cultural producer with decades of experience curating, presenting, and evaluating storytelling within educational, festival, and community contexts.
Valerie Tutson, (Local Festival Director) nationally acclaimed performing artist, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Black Storytellers, and founder of FUNDA FEST, a Rhode Island-based international storytelling festival dedicated to African and African Diasporic narratives.

Panelists utilize a standardized rubric that evaluates artistic excellence, narrative integrity, cultural authenticity, thematic alignment, and professional readiness. This process ensures that selections are made through informed consensus and grounded in both artistic merit and mission alignment.

Final selection notifications are issued on May 8, 2026, allowing artists adequate time for planning and preparation. Contracts for selected Featured Tellers and Workshop Presenters are distributed on June 3, 2026, with completed contracts due by June 12, 2026.

All applicants must submit the following:

Photograph - 300 dpi jpeg/png - Color (required)
Recent performances (Featured Teller)/Last workshop presented (workshop)
Evidence of your work; Video Links (Featured Teller: TWO preferred)
Biography (50 words or fewer)
At least three (3) references (One must be a storyteller)
Bibliography (1-page: published books, articles, recordings, etc.)
Workshops Applicants Only: One-page workshop description with title, length, intended audience (i.e., beginning teller, teachers, youth), and technical needs. If the workshop was presented previously, provide details such as the presenting venue/event and the audience.

* FEATURED TELLER & WORKSHOP PRESENTER APPLICANTS may be asked to provide additional information in a Zoom Meeting on SUNDAY, April 26, 2026, BETWEEN 7:30 PM – 10 PM (EST).

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