presenters, performers, conveners, participants, organizations, exhibitors, vendors, & more:

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We invite you to submit to the second annual Appalachian Literary Arts & Storytelling Festival to be held on the square in Nelsonville, Ohio, on October 4 & 5, 2025. The art of storytelling in all of its forms has allowed Appalachians to share crises of race, poverty, addiction, gender identity, gender roles, ecology, big coal, identity, cultural understanding, and more. Taking that into consideration, your proposal may take the form of creative performance (literary or musical), panel discussion, roundtable discussion, interactive workshop, presentation, or display, educational table or booth—any form that celebrates your love of and appreciation for Appalachian storytelling culture. We hope to build a community of Appalachian learners and performers with the mutual goal of cultivating, nurturing, and preserving Appalachia’s storytelling traditions for all ages.

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Those submitting should be available for scheduling at any time during the entire festival on either day. We cannot guarantee any session or participation for a particular day or time on the program. 

Proposals are due by May 15, 2025.

Proposal notifications will be emailed by June 30.

 

 

How to Submit: 

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Proposals should be submitted to alasfestival1024@gmail.com and include the following clearly labeled information:
   1) Topic of proposal,
   2) Form of storytelling (i.e. literature, photography, performance, organization, etc.) 
include as many as are applicable
   3) Abstract or summary,
   4) Total number of participants (including names, contact information, a short biography (50-75 words) and affiliation for each participant), and
   5) Any special equipment or space requests (separated into required/optional).

 

Criteria:

- establish a clear connection to the value of Appalachian storytelling, and
- contribute to the vision of a broad variety of perspectives, and
- delineate intended arguments, goals, recommendations, or desired outcomes/effects on audiences, and
- specify how these goals will be supported or achieved.

 

Imagined Topics/Audiences:

 

• Authors

• Poets

• Illustrators

• Readers

• Writers

• Journalists

• Artists

• Educators

• Students

• Herbalists

• Musicians

• Historians

• Organizations 

• Folklorists

• other (and more!)