StoryBank | Nick Szuberla
About
The StoryBank at Elsewhere is a platform for collecting and sharing stories on themes related to Elsewhere's mission, programming, and the work of resident artists and community partners.
StoryBank Elsewhere
Elsewhere investigates and asks questions about the nature and possibility of collaboration, play, location, art production and our relationships with things. By collecting and sharing stories on these themes we extend this inquiry, draw diverse audiences and perspectives into conversation, as well as hold a place for the issues, experiences, and understandings that shape our community and our place in the community.
Check this website and the events calendar regularly to stay up to date on current story prompts. You can submit both spoken and written stories on site at the storyteller machine or virtually at: teller.goelsewhere.org. Your story will be collected by Elsewhere and sent to you by email to keep.
Stories collected by Elsewhere are curated by staff and presented here under the “Vault” tab. We select stories for the website that allow us to present a theme from a variety of angles, that nuance a discussion, and that are well told. If you don’t see your story in the vault immediately, don’t fret. It takes time to put together an interesting collection for presentation and we’re likely still working on that.
StoryBank Everywhere
The StoryTeller Machine is a beautifully crafted art-object, playful, and unique. It is also designed to travel and provide story collecting and digital archiving support for community groups and local social justice campaigns. Collecting stories from people about their lived experiences is a great way to assess what’s important for a group of people, to explore an issue, to engage an audience by giving them a person to identify with and to make difficult and complex social mechanisms more visible. To bring the storyteller machine to your community event and to learn more about how Elsewhere can support your effort, contact production@goelsewhere.org.
Submit a Story
Submit a story on site at Elsewhere by visiting the Teller Machine or bank online at: teller.goelsewhere.org
Featured Prompts
Currently we are collecting stories around that respond to these prompts:
Are there identities that fail to define you? Expectations that others have for you that confound challenge, or bore you? Tell us about the boxes you don’t do. / Tag: “No Boxes.”
Whether you’ve been here for a lifetime, grown up here and left, recently moved in, or are just passing through... what does living in the “South” mean to you? / Tag: “South”
Always collecting
Stories you want to tell about the things that matter to you. For self-prompted stories use the tag “Wild Card.”
Past Prompts
March, April 2013
“I come From a Place where….” Tell us about the places you dream , dance, play, sleep, cry, love, and feel safe in. In other words, tell us about the place you come from. Tag: Place.
Bank On-Line
StoryBank anywhere, StoryBank any time. Enjoy the freedom and convenience of banking online.
Here’s how:
Go to teller.goelsewhere.org
Enter your name, email address and tag your story with either the current prompt tag to participate in the current collecting effort or “wildcard” for a self selected prompt.
Choose audio or text.
If it’s a text story, enter your story in the box provided and press ‘submit.’ Congratulations you’ve submitted your story.
If it’s an audio story, select the amount of time you think you’ll need. 2 minutes should be enough for most stories.
Practice your story with a friend or by yourself.
Press the red circle ‘record’ button and speak into the mic on your computer.
Press the black square ‘stop’ button to end your recording.
You can review your story by pressing the green arrow button.
To deposit your story, press the ‘save’ button.
To record again, press the ‘record again’ button below the green arrow.
Look for your story in your email inbox and online at www.goelsewhere.org
Support the Bank
Support the StoryBank
The StoryBank is funded in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts Southern Constellations Fellowship, and the United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro.
As part of his residency in March 2013 Southern Constellations fellow, Nick Szuberla of the Appalshop media collective worked with Elsewhere’s artists to formulate models for using storytelling and collection to build community visioning on social issues and provided staff with training on story collection, maintaining and activating the StoryBank, and using stories to support social justice campaigns.
Donate to the StoryBank
We’re seeking individuals, companies, and foundations to support the growth and continuation of the StoryBank. Support Elsewhere and the StoryBank through a tax-deductible donation. For donations contact Stephanie Sherman, Development Director, at minigolf@goelsewhere.org
You can also support the StoryBank through museum membership. Elsewhere members experience an endlessly changing spectrum of living art–participating in a family of local and global Elsewhere supporters building a more collaborative culture. Memberships and sponsorships provide tax-deductible support that helps Elsewhere go and grow, with countless benefits for participants. Join today!
