Interpretation and heritage

There is a growing awareness of the value of a creative approach to environmental interpretation and storytelling is central to this. Stories have the ability to inspire people to look again at their local built and natural environment and the plants, birds and animals in them, often from a different perspective.

Many organisations, from Scottish Natural Heritage to local Community Woodland groups are now using storytellers to tell in magical locations, to lead story walks and to explore the stories of a particular landscape. Mountains, rivers, rocks, trees, plants, and buildings often find themselves the central focus in a traditional story, myth or legend.

Storytelling also plays an important role in connecting people with the past and exploring the stories within local buildings, artefacts and objects. We work regularly with heritage organisations such as Edinburgh World Heritage, the National Trust for Scotland, Historic Scotland, and National Museums of Scotland, using story to enliven the experiences of visitors to castles, museums and galleries.

Storyteller Claire McNicolPlease email Esther Blackburn, National Storytelling Coordinator at esther@scottishstorytellingcentre.com for advice on:

  • environmental interpretation projects
  • training in environmental storytelling
  • story walks in rural and urban settings
  • accessing stories based on landscape, locales, buildings and artefacts
  • presenting stories on site, indoors and outdoors

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