The Campfireball Returns!

A narrative arts space featuring storytelling and the exploration of the human condition through multi-disciplinary, community-driven programming

In This Newsletter
The Campfireball - Tomorrow! | Thursday, January 11
Asheville Asian Culture Festival | January 12-21
Classes | Fictional Memoir, Enneagram for Creatives, + Restoring Connection
Youth Programs | Scribbler’s Studio, Improv, + Bilingual Birdies
More Upcoming Events | Full Calendar

We’re delighted to be welcoming The Campfireball to the fold of our regular monthly programming, kicking off our 2024 calendar this Thursday! A storytelling show about *you* —the audience—The Campfireball is created spontaneously out of whatever stories and lives happen to be gathered together at that moment in time.

The January Campfireball theme is the 'First Timers Club', a night to celebrate all the various firsts in our lives—for better or worse—these moments shaped who we were to become, and are still becoming; first loves, first heartbreaks, first tries, first failures, first time you ever shared a story at The Campfireball, it’s all fair game in this fast paced ridiculous yet authentic experiment in collective storytelling.

Come on out for a night of storytelling you will literally never be able to experience again

TICKETS (PAY WHAT YOU CAN)

The Asheville Asian Culture Festival

From AVL Today:

“The Asheville Asian Culture Festival was born, in part, from stories. Back in July, Shunyu Huang was in the midst of her month-long artist residency at Story Parlor, exploring sensory memories with audiences of all different cultures and backgrounds. “I [saw] the people collected there,” says Huang, “And, you know, it look[ed] like a festival.”

That idea blossomed fairly quickly, and now the inaugural festival will be taking place in venues all over the city from Friday, Jan. 12 through Sunday, Jan. 21. Helmed by Huang, Heena Patel, and Mike Talyad and with the support of other community members, the WNC Asian American Pacific Islander (WNC AAPI) has planned 10 days of 15 events — from ceremony to film, cooking to conversations, performances to panels — that celebrate the wide array of cultures under the broad umbrella of ‘Asian.’”

We’re honored to host to the inaugural festival at our space and hope you’ll come out to bear witness to these empowering stories and storytellers!

Details, Tickets, and Line-up

UPCOMING CLASSES + WORKSHOPS

Fictional Memoir|Wednesdays, February 7-March 20, from 6:15-8:45pm

(Only a few spots left!) A seven-week deep-dive into the power of personal story as a basis for strong, authentic fiction. With fiction as cover, the writer is free to explore the truth without consequences. Led by Inward & Artward Facilitator R. Lyon Bergh.

Belonging in a Divided World: Restoring Connection to Your Self and Your Life | Saturday, February 24 & Sunday, February 25 from 9am-5pm

(NEW!) This highly-experiential two-day workshop addresses the epidemic disconnection from our true selves, from other people, and from the natural world—major causes of personal unhappiness and planetary crisis—and gives participants tools for mending the separation, an fundamental step toward healing and wholeness. Led by Inward & Artward Facilitator, Amy Arnold.

Creativity and the Enneagram
Mondays, Feb. 26- March 25, from 6:00-8:30pm

Accompanied by the development of an idea or project, this workshop will utilize the archetypal framework of the Enneagram to help identify pathways forward to work through common creative blocks, along with creating positive habits for growth and investigating the ways our personal narratives intersect with our creative work. Offered through the Great Smokies Writing Program. Led by Erin Hallagan Clare.

Story Lab
Tuesdays, March 5-April 23, from 6:30-8:30pm

A seven-week investigation of how our personal narrative and lived experiences can inform our creative projects. Appropriate for anyone exploring autobiographical material in a creative setting. Led by Erin Hallagan Clare.

Only three spots left!

CLASSES

Class space is LIMITED to ensure an intimate experience.
Sign-up early to guarantee your spot!

YOUTH CLASSES + WORKSHOPS

Scribblers Studio: An Imaginative Writers Lab for Tweens | Wednesdays, Feb. 21-March 27 from 4:15-5:30pm

In this 6-week series, participants ages 11-13 will unleash their imaginations, exploring the endless limits of their voice, creativity, and confidence. Students will learn about what a story includes, find inspiration in the world around them, and unleash their voices onto the page!

Bilingual Birdies Asheville | Spanish & French Language and Music Classes

Spanish: 8 Week Series (Ages 0-5)
Starts January 22 | Dates/Times Vary

French: 6 Week Series (Ages 0-5)
Starts January 23 |Dates/Times Vary

More Details + Registration

Misfit Improv & Acting School | Kids Improv (Ages 5-9) | Saturdays, Mar 16, 2024 – May 4, from 10-11am

This class is a blend of engaging theater games and skill-building activities that nurture young imaginations, where kids will have a chance to explore body movement, vocal exercises, and unleash their creativity through interactive improv games.

Registration + Details

Misfit Improv & Acting School | Kids Improv (Ages 5-9) | Saturdays, March 16th-May 4th from 11am-12:30pm

Tailored for tweens ages 10 and up, this class focuses on developing teamwork and fostering connections with fellow participants. Through group games and collaborative play, students will not only enhance their acting skills, but also build strong bonds with their peers while exploring self-expression, connection and comedy.

Registration + Details

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR THE
2024 CREATIVE FACILITATOR TRAINING

Held this summer, Story Parlor and Inward & Artward present an interactive 18-week program on how to create and facilitate unique offerings rooted in the intersection of the creative process, personal stories, and the human condition. Along with developing creativity-based facilitation strategies and tools, participants will tend to their individual creative practices, as well as building self awareness, personal presence, and confidence with delivering content to groups. Tailored for folks interested in starting a new and fulfilling career path, or simply wanting to deepen and/or refresh their approach to holistic creative facilitation.

“The Creative Facilitator Training at Story Parlor changed my life. It was truly one of the best things I have ever done. It has enriched my professional and personal life in more ways than I could have ever expected. I don't say this lightly, or heap this kind of praise on everything I do. I just really feel that I experienced an incredible teacher with a powerful curriculum and a gift for sharing her deep insight and practice in a way that teaches participants how to bring out the creative talent that lives in themselves and others. It's magical!”
- Torin K.

More details here

MORE UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday, January 21 | Great Smokies Writing Program: Writers at Home
To kick off their 2024 spring classes, Great Smokies Writing Program presents a Faculty & Staff “Writers at Home” Reading. The reading will be followed by a chance for guests and readers to mingle.

Thursday, January 25 | Listen to This: Stories and More on Stage
Hosted by Tom Chalmers, Listen to This, Stories and More presents an evening of true-to-life stories (and more!).

Thursday, February 1 | ALL ARTS OPEN MIC
Held on First Thursdays, join this all-arts open mic presented by Story Parlor and Speakeasy Improv. Prepare a five minute original piece in whatever medium you so choose — storytelling, music, poetry, literature, comedy, dance — or simply come to enjoy and support the local arts community.

Thursday, February 22 | Jazz Hybrid Presents (Just announced!)
Join this evening of poetry and music featuring Richard Chess, Katherine Soniat, and Adam Lion.

We are dedicated to delivering a space that serves the creative community of Asheville. From rehearsal space, workshops, table reads, film screenings, performances, and other intimate events, we have a fully flexible layout at Story Parlor, designed with the artist in mind.

Learn more about our Space Rental and Event Proposal opportunities.