Storycatchers had a presence at the “Shakespeare in Prisons: In Practice” conference at Notre Dame January 25-27, 2016. Artistic Director Meade Palidofsky and Lead Teaching Artist Ozivell Ecford conducted a workshop for fellow practitioners of arts program in prison settings. The workshop included training in the Storycatchers’ practice of guiding participants to write personal narratives based on a group writing prompt, creating scenes and songs from these narratives, and performing a staged reading collage. Palidofsky and Ecford worked together to engage educators in learning how Storycatchers’ process encourages young people to examine their lives, choices, environments, and relationships through a trauma-informed lens, in order to imagine positive, healthy futures. The workshop also included instruction on creating a learning environment for juveniles that promotes safety, goal setting, commitment, and positive risk-taking.

“It was a wonderful experience,” Ecford reflected, “The Conference attracted a truly talented and dedicated group of Teaching Artists.  Within two days, our group felt like family and easily created and performed a 20 minute collage of stories.”

BW Best group ND OZ EDIT