Anne E Stewart
Anne E Stewart is an acclaimed storyteller with an international reputation. A versatile performer Anne has the energy and voice to engage any audience. Her focus is on the shared stories of Australia honouring Indigenous, Celtic, Asian and World stories. Anne has told stories in some of Australia’s major cultural institutions, art galleries and libraries as well as on ABC radio and TV. She has been invited guest at Storytelling festivals throughout Australia, the UK and in Mexico and Colombia. Anne is a consummate MC with the ability to create shows tailored to audience needs.
“Storytelling…not just a clever sharing of mind alone but rather a sharing of heart and spirit.”
Ruth Sawyer ~The Way of the Storyteller
Over thirty five years ago these words, inspired children’s librarian Anne to embark on her storyteller’s journey. Her aim was to develop a love of language and literature in her young audience. With many years experience since then, Anne has expanded her repertoire and now works with any age group and audience to tell the shared stories of Australia, promote cultural understanding, raise issues of social justice and increasingly, to help others give voice to their own unique stories.
Anne knows that everyone loves listening to stories and acknowledges that more than ever, people are using stories to educate, engage and build a sense of community. With her lengthy commitment to storytelling in Australia, Anne has also gained a reputation overseas as one of Australia’s foremost storytellers. Anne was the first Australian storyteller to be invited to Mexico and South America by Dream On Productions and has also represented Australia at the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s annual festival. Graham Langley, Director of the Traditional Arts Team in the UK had this to say about her.
“Anne is an acclaimed storyteller with an international reputation. Her telling is a unique cultural experience.”
In 2013 Anne was a Guest of the 16th International Storytelling Festival in Tabriz in Iran and has travelled throughout East Timor Along the way
Anne has developed her writing skills and has contributed numerous articles and interviews about storytelling and storytellers to various publications. She has been commissioned to write stories for various cultural institutions including the National Museum of Australia, the Art Gallery of Ballarat, the University of Ballarat, the Dromkeen Gallery Art Collection and the Melbourne City Council. She has researched, written and produced stories for ABC radio and has appeared on several television programs including the groundbreaking children’s program Lift Off . 
AUDIENCES
• General Public
• Parents
• Primary
• Secondary
• Senior Secondary
• Teachers
STORYTELLING SESSIONS:
Women in Story
Be captivated as Anne share stories of brave and bold women, extraordinary deeds, life at the crossroads and the shape shifting woman of legend. From Indigenous to Celtic, to World and Contemporary stories.
Topics:
• Australian History
• Myths and legends
• Females in folklore and
• Contemporary stories of a range of women
Under the Southern Cross
Anne has collected stories from under the Southern Cross, heartbreaking tales of mothers and stolen generations, onto the Goldfields, the Eureka Uprising and its parade of characters (Listen to Anne’s ABC Eureka ABC series. ). As well there’s original stories that tell Australia's history, immigrants aboard to the Ghost Fever ship The Glen Huntly, Grace Bussell and Sam Isaac Yebbles who together saved passengers from The Georgette, floundering off the coast of WA.
She asks what stories the true history of Australia
General Session For Pre-Schools
Anne’s early training was with pre-schoolers and she has a range of nursery tales and rhymes, string tricks, action stories and folktales from around the world.
General Sessions for Primary Schools
Anne has a great collection of folktales, myths and legends, ghost stories and australiana to share with this age group. Anne tells stories from Australia and around the world to celebrate our diverse culture.
Scheherazade: Queen of the Storytellers?
Primary and Lower Secondary)
Anne was a guest 16th International Storytelling Festival in Tabriz, Iran, along with her work at the Perisa, Love and Devotion exhibition at the State Library of Victoria in 2012 Anne shares stories from along the Silk Road. Topics: Storytelling Scheherazade: and the 1001 nights The Magic Horse The Carpet of Dreams The Silk Road, dragons and more
Scheherazade: Queen of the Storytellers?
(Senior Secondary/ Teachers)
Anne was a guest of the 16th International Storytelling Festival in Tabriz, Iran. She observed a deep reverence for the art of storytelling and its role as a major tool for teaching and learning. She looks at the parallels with her own catholic upbringing and a sense of “Spiritual” Australia, developed over 30 years of storytelling
• Cross Cultural Storytelling Are we really all that different?
• Scheherazade: Her story Who makes up Australia
• Aren’t we all really boat people
• The Art of The Storyteller
• Celebrating Nowruz: Persian New Year
WORKSHOPS
Anne offers a range of workshops on different aspects of storytelling, including:
Storytelling For Beginners
More and more people are using story to engage their listeners. With over 35 years experience Anne will guide you on your storytelling journey by facilitating; goal setting, story selection, the development of performance skills as well as sharing many of ‘tricks of the trade’ she has gleaned over the years. Working with myths, legends and folktales the participants will start to develop their own repertoire
Storytelling Master class
Masterclasses are designed around participants needs in length and content. Anne has a talent for nurturing performers, listening to their story and helping them to identify and clarify their storytelling path. You will be re-energised and come away with renewed purpose
Crafting a shared Australian Story
Anne has a wealth of stories and sessions for children, teenagers and adult audiences. Anne has long talked of Australia’s ‘layers of identity’ and works with participants on protocols for using indigenous material, the Anglo-Celtic settlement of Australia and it’s convict, colonist and, gold seeking path and multicultural storytelling with stories from across the globe, including Scotland, Ireland, Africa, Mexico, Italy, China, Japan, and East Timor.
Master Of Ceremonies
As Master of Ceremonies I can host any event, from conferences to dinners to workshop days.Tailored to suit your specific event
Keynote Address
Here are some examples of two Keynote addresses Anne has presented:
- International Museums Theatre Alliance:
Middle class White girl shares indigenous culture
- School Library Association of Victoria:
Art, literature and stories: exploring sharing across cultures
Testimonials
We would like to thank Anne E. Stewart for her wonderful storytelling incursion this morning. Our grade 2 students were absolutely enthralled by her stories, especially the string stories. Following her session, we had a fantastic discussion back in the classroom about different ways of telling stories, and I know my students are going to take many of her ideas as a springboard for their own learning.
Caulfield South Primary School - November 2019We had great feedback regarding Anne’s visit.She kept the 5 year olds entertained, involved and interested throughout her two sessions with them.
Similarly, the Early Learning and Junior School staff found her Professional Learning sessions captivating and thought provoking. Our Head of Early Learning commented that “she was able to engage the staff and take them back to the thrill of being entranced by a story.” We found Anne’s sessions a compelling reminder of just how wonderful it is to be engrossed in a story, whether by listening to one, or indeed, by sharing one with others.
It is always challenging to find a presenter who can engage with such diverse sessions but I think Anne did just that!
Beaconhills College - June 2017The Years Prep/1 and 2 loved Anne. She was fun and kept them engaged and involved.
(I) would definitely recommend Anne. She told funny, interesting stories. Used action rhymes and got the children involved. They loved her and the teachers were very impressed and commented on how good she was.
St. Bernadette's Primary School - August 2017We just had Anne E Stewart visit for our grade 3s and 4s at Eltham North Primary School. She was absolutely fantastic! The children and staff alike were mesmerised by her story telling and richness of stories.
Please pass on our greatest thanks to her for such an inspiring and wonderful gift.
Eltham North Primary School - August 2016Anne E Stewart did an amazing job today at the Library. Both the teacher and students really enjoyed her storytelling and were on the edge of their seats. Anne was perfect for Harmony Day celebrations.
Moorabool Shire Library Services - March 2013
An Introduction to Storytelling
South of the Sun
Queensland
Speaker type
- Author
- Poet
- Storyteller / Performer
- Non-fiction
- Motivational
- Virtual visits
Links
