Patchwork Stories: An arts project that celebrates and weaves our connections together

Abstract

Patchwork Stories is inspired by the tradition of using story as a response to people asking for advice and guidance. Our research project gathers personal stories and experiences to offer each other; stories that without advice or direct answers, tell us what it may take to turn towards one another. Founded in 2012 by researchers from the Universities of UT Austin and Exeter UK, Patchwork Stories explores the potential of storytelling in building community connections. Through an interactive storytelling process with community participants, an aural patchwork of personal stories and experiences is created and shared. Through a participatory installation, the process of weaving provides a physical representation of the interconnectedness between strangers and friends. This paper introduces "storytravelling", a flexible term to describe intentional acts of giving and receiving stories. Both project facilitators and project participants are "storytravellers"; the facilitating "storytravellers" create conditions in which individual contributions are nurtured and valued and the participating "storytravellers" contribute through sharing their own stories and actively listening to others. This paper outlines the process of storytravelling; engaging with simple acts of reciprocity that validate connection and community; making possible social inclusion and healing.