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The storytelling festivalPart of Västerbottensteatern

For organizers

This is how it works to organize programs during the Storytelling Festival 2025.

When is the Storytelling Festival?
October 12–18, 2026

How is the Storytelling Festival organized?
The Storytelling Festival is organized from 2018 by Västerbottensteatern.

The storytelling festival is carried out in collaboration with the Culture Department of Skellefteå Municipality, Skellefteå Museum and Västerbotten Museum as well as a number of local organizers.

The main task of the Storytelling Festival's own organization (Västerbottensteatern) is to initiate, coordinate, market and also arrange its own programs during the festival week.

Västerbottensteatern is the organizer of part of the program, such as the opening and guest performances, lectures and workshops.

Other programs during the week consist of programs from the cultural institutions' own activities and other local organizers.

Important deadlines in the calendar:

March 5 – Organizer meeting
We will meet for a kick-off meeting at Trappscenen, Sara Kulturhus, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

March 10 – Online registration opens.
A direct link and login details will be sent directly to the organizers. https://vasterbottensteatern.se/berattarfestivalen is the website address for the festival.
If you need to make changes, send images, or provide additional information after registering your program, please email: sofia.lindblom@vasterbottensteatern.se

June 8 – Deadline for program submissions
This is the final date for submitting programs to the festival so that we have time to contact you about any questions before we go on vacation. If you don't have information about ticket sales, refreshments, etc., you can always add it to the website even after the calendar has been printed. It's better to include the program item than to have all the details ready. However, please do not wait until the last day to inform us about upcoming programs; it is valuable to receive information as soon as possible. If you are missing any details, you can add them until August 10, but after June 5, we cannot accept information about new programs.

August 10 – Absolute deadline for supplementary material to be included in the printed program.
As last year, we are co-producing the Berättarfestivalen printed program calendar together with Västerbottensteatern's regular program leaflet. This allows us to reach a very large audience. After this date, we can only accept information for the website. The calendar will be distributed to households in early September.

September 9 – Ticket release

What support can Västerbottensteatern offer to organizers?
1. General marketing; web, social media, PR, printed matter, calendar, etc. where the Storytelling Festival as a whole is highlighted. In the general marketing, examples of individual program items (but not everything) from the general program will also be highlighted as far as possible. Please mark your programs with the Storytelling Festival logo to mark the affiliation and thus benefit from the general marketing.

2. the location of your program item in the general program published on berattarfestivalen.se and in the calendar printed and distributed as an appendix in Skellefteåguiden in early September and available in public places in Skellefteå municipality.

3. advice and help to make contacts etc. - a sounding board as it is usually said.

Can Västerbottensteatern provide financial support?
No, we cannot provide event support or other financial assistance. However, the Culture Committee can provide grants for individual events. Read more about the Culture Committee's grant criteria here! 

What does it mean to be an organizer?
The official organizer of an event during the Storytelling Festival has the usual responsibilities of an organizer and some special conditions, i.e:

- take financial responsibility; be responsible for all costs related to the program activity (fees, room rental, program advertising, staff, etc.), but of course also take into account any income (tickets, catering, etc.).

- submit programs to the Storytelling Festival (to be included in the General Program).

- act as host for the audience and participants.

- report statistics after completion of the program.

- market your own program according to the resources you have.

In short: organizing a program during the Storytelling Festival is the same as for other public events, with the difference that you can count on a general marketing support and other coordination effects through the affiliation to the Storytelling Festival.

Checklist for submitting programs to the Storytelling Festival. 

Important facts to define before filling out the application form:

  1. Time and place (venue and location):
  2. Headline, preferably stating what it is about, e.g.: Seminar with the author
  3. Program description. Preferably with a short introduction followed by more detailed information. Some editing of program texts may be necessary to ensure consistency.
  4. Contributors: If not already apparent from the above description.
  5. Ticket price or free admission.
  6. Tickets (alternative registration): Where to buy or pre-book, or register (for conferences, etc.). Include links to any online ticket sales.
  7. Serving: Will refreshments or food be served? Is this included in the ticket price or is it available for purchase?
  8. Start time and estimated end time.
  9. Organizer: organization/association that is the formal organizer.
  10. Public contact information about the organizer, if desired (phone number/email/website).
  11. Contact person at the organizer; name, telephone number, email address, and postal address
  12. Images: if there are promotional images, press photos of participants, or other images. Specify the photographer if available. NOTE! The images must be copyright-free for publication.
  13. Other items of interest.

Good luck to you!