What direct, practical impacts did COVID-19 have on you as an artist? What visions do you have for how things could be different post-pandemic? What statement would you like to make about values in this challenging time in history?
The Vermont Folklife Center believes that truth lies less in any individual voice than in the intermingling of many voices simultaneously speaking together. Listening in Place, our response to the Covid-19 crisis, is a project that crowdsources stories and documentation of this critical time of change.
One way we’re listening is through Virtual Story Circles—spaces where Vermonters can gather to share stories and gain insights into lived experience. Story Circles are a powerful medium because they bring people together to bear witness to the experience of others. We have adapted our Story Circles to be hosted through a video conferencing platform that allows us to interact from our homes.
In partnership with Big Heavy World, we are offering Virtual Story Circles to connect musicians during the Covid-19 crisis. Vermont’s musicians have a special aptitude for sharing their human experience with nuance and transparency. If you are a Vermont-based musician we invite you to join us and share your story. For more information about what a story might sound like, visit our webpage for examples. There is no need to prepare, just bring a willingness to share your thoughts and listen in return.
HOW A VIRTUAL STORY CIRCLE WORKS:
We will email you a link to join an online video conference using the WebEx platform. You don’t need to download anything.
VFC staff will provide a brief introduction and overview of the story circle process
Everyone in the circle will introduce themselves.
Everyone will have time to share a story or response related to the prompt. There’s no wrong way to do this; share whatever is true for you.
As a group, we listen respectfully to everyone’s story, offering no cross-talk or advice, only active and compassionate listening.
At the end, we take time to discuss and process what we heard as a group.
