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

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:

1. Photograph - 300 dpi jpeg/png - Color (required) 

2. Recent performances (Featured Teller)/Last workshop presented (workshop)

3. Evidence of your work; Video Links (Featured Teller: TWO preferred)

4. Biography (50 words or fewer)

5. At least three (3) references (One must be a storyteller)

6. Bibliography (1-page: published books, articles, recordings, etc.)

7. 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 WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2025, BETWEEN 7:30 PM – 10 PM (EST).

​

All applicants must submit the following:

1. Photograph - 300 dpi jpeg/png - Color (required) 

2. Recent performances (Featured Teller)/Last workshop presented (workshop)

3. Evidence of your work; Video Links (Featured Teller: TWO preferred)

4. Biography (50 words or fewer)

5. At least three (3) references (One must be a storyteller)

6. Bibliography (1-page: published books, articles, recordings, etc.)

7. 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 WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2025, BETWEEN 7:30 PM – 10 PM (EST).

​

Questions? Ask TAHIRA, Festival Director

​