Dorotea is Storytelling Municipality of the Year 2022/23

DOROTEA IS THE STORYTELLING MUNICIPALITY OF THE YEAR 2022/23

- The appointment comes at the right time and we hope it will mean many meetings, valuable moments and the opportunity to grow," said Linnea Johansson, Head of Culture and Leisure at Dorotea Municipality, when the formal decision was taken in January 2022.

In June 2022, the storytelling gavel was handed over from Storuman to Dorotea, which will be the Storytelling Municipality of the Year from the fall of 2022 and one year onwards. Dorotea will then be filled with storytelling in a lot of different forms. Something that will lift the entire cultural life of the municipality.
- We are very much looking forward to being the Storytelling Municipality of the Year, especially after the difficult time that has been with the pandemic. It means a chance to preserve the municipality's history and cultural heritage, the present and create inspiration for future development," says Linnea Johansson.

Many activities
The aim is to inspire people to practice oral storytelling, increase the importance of storytelling and strengthen local development. Various activities take place throughout the year, in collaboration with schools, local associations, businesses and organizations.

Getting involved
Throughout the year, a local working group meets to plan activities.
- Dorotea residents are offered a range of fantastic activities, both for young and old. For example, storytelling cafés, storytelling workshops and professional stage performances. An important goal is to create a participatory culture and engage people in the community to be involved in storytelling. It is the people who live in and around Dorotea who carry the stories," says Theresa Eriksson, project manager for the Storytelling Municipality of the Year at the Nordic Storytelling Center.

Creating pride
Marianne Folkedotter, narrative antiquarian at Västerbotten Museum, explains that organizing the Storytelling Municipality of the Year is an exciting task.
- "No two municipalities are the same, and by actively working with local storytelling as a form of expression, both old stories and new ones that no one has heard before usually emerge. My experience from previous storytelling years is that when we get to hear each other's stories and experiences, it leads to a sense of community and pride in our own hometown, and we want to contribute to that.

About the Storytelling Municipality of the Year
- Organized since 2010 by Västerbotten Museum and the Nordic Storytelling Centre, part of Västerbotten Theatre, in collaboration with the municipality that has been nominated and accepted the award, as well as local associations and organizations.

- The starting point is development based on a combination of local conditions and opportunities and the support and resources of regional cultural institutions.

- The intention is to stimulate activities throughout the year and to provide an opportunity for continuous collaboration between storytelling communities in the county.

Read more about Dorotea as Storyteller of the Year here:

Contact:
Linnea Johansson, Head of Culture and Leisure Dorotea Municipality, tel: 0942-140 70
Marianne Folkedotter, narrative antiquarian at Västerbotten Museum, tel: 070-695 38 00
Theresa Eriksson, project manager for ÅBK, Nordic Storytelling Center, tel: 0910-71 56 26