You know Ex Fabula for its monthly StorySlams. But did you know that Ex Fabula is also out in the community facilitating storytelling activities through community partnerships? These outreach efforts help more people tell their stories, while helping the organizations involved further their mission. Here are some examples of recent partnerships:

Ex Fabula visited an English class at Beloit College to teach a storytelling workshop, which included the opportunity for students to practice their new, practical skills. The first hour of the class was instructional and the second hour was a StorySlam. For the StorySlam, every student told a story on the theme “dealbreaker.” Partnering with Ex Fabula was another way for Beloit to offer “education that is put into action.”

Discussing Ex Fabular partnershipsGreat Lakes Hemophilia Foundation was able to put on an engaging fundraiser by incorporating storytelling. Ex Fabula provided coaching that prepared people to tell their stories at the event. One of the stories at the fundraiser was told by a mother-daughter team, both diagnosed with bleeding disorders. The mother was not originally diagnosed, unlike her daughter, so their story compared how diagnosis made their lives different.  People at the fundraiser said the stories were at times emotional, and also funny and heartwarming.

Public Allies seeks to change the face of leadership by preparing diverse young adults for leadership through nonprofit apprenticeships and leadership training. Ex Fabula partnered with Public Allies and taught three workshops, reaching nearly one hundred up-coming leaders. Participants learned to use storytelling to communicate the importance of their nonprofits. After the workshop, one participant said, “I’m telling my story about homelessness in two weeks in a public forum. I’ll definitely use some of these concepts to craft a story.”

Postcard from Waukesha Reads eventWaukesha Reads recently kicked off The Big Read, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. As part of The Big Read, Waukesha residents can read the same book and participate in events centered on that single book and author, this year a book by Edgar Allen Poe. Ex Fabula was there to help kick off the event by providing two high school workshops, one public workshop and a StorySlam. The StorySlam was on the theme “losing my mind” and was full of stories in the true tradition of Poe to gear up for the city-wide reading celebration.

Ex Fabula is now able to partner with community organizations in a greater capacity than we have been able to in the past. We are truly excited to be able to provide outreach that helps more and more people tell their stories!  If you have a kick off, celebration, fundraiser, or any anything else that could incorporate storytelling, please contact Megan McGee. We would be thrilled to work with you through a community partnership!