Creative Storytelling at the Black British Book Festival, Barbican Centre

Beautiful souls. It’s been a while, and I’ve got some lovely updates to share with you.

Over the weekend, I had the honour of leading a creative storytelling workshop at the Barbican for the Black British Book Festival. The energy was electric, and the stories were filled with beautiful imagination. Let me take you through the magic! 

It was my first time conducting a workshop that participants trickled in rather than attending all at once, but it worked. We had children, young adults and adults come along and participate, which made the experience even more dynamic. It’s a beautiful reminder that creativity resides within us all, and I’m so grateful I can provide a space where people can connect with their imagination and creative expression.

I designed the session to engage participants in the art of storytelling. They had the opportunity to create storyboards and characters using a range of craft materials like coloured card, tissue paper, glitter, and wooden pegs. The idea was to get their imaginations flowing as they built their own protagonists, antagonists, and the worlds they inhabit.

The session involved two main activities. For “Storyboard Creations,” participants were given A3 heavyweight paper folded into three to represent the beginning, middle, and end of their story. The second activity, “Choose Your Character,” invited participants to create characters using wooden pegs, bringing their stories to life.

Participants immersed themselves in the creative process—children enthusiastically created their stories, while parents, carers and other family members offered their input (and worked on their own creations), making it a truly cross-generational experience. Most children took their peg characters home as keepsakes, while some left behind vibrant storyboards that showcased the vastness of their imaginations.

I was reminded of the power of creativity, not just for the younger participants but for people of all ages. It was a beautiful and energising experience, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute.

This year I worked on Princetons Adventures fervently in the midst of a lot of change so it was a wonderful opportunity to empower and stimulate young minds through art and literature just as my story intends to do.

Amour ox