Stories – a ‘portable beauty’

In a 30-year career, Julie Perrin has appeared in most of the places you’d expect to hear a storyteller – Woodford Festival, Melbourne Writers Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, where she won the Pat Glover Storytelling Award  – and quite a few you might not. She has told stories from stages in town halls, podiums in universities and from little chairs in kindergartens both in Australia and overseas.

Julie is an oral storyteller, writer and arts educator who invites people to cross the threshold into the heart of listening. Listeners delight in the resonance between ancient stories and contemporary life. Simple percussive instruments – a rainstick, mbira and Tibetan prayer bells evoke stories from far places. Julie tells from memory – by heart rather than by rote. Enjoying the spaciousness of time to reflect with stories, she now offers storytelling retreats.

Julie speaks

Julie has been a keynote speaker and workshop leader at conferences with an educational or theological focus – the Australian Literacy Educators State Conference, the Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Spiritual Care Australia and the Australian Childhood Foundation.

You may have seen Julie telling stories in national parks, on the side of mountains, standing in fountains and off the back of a truck. She is equally at ease in community and educational settings.

Email Julie to find out what she might offer your organisation.

Bringing the ancient art of the storyteller to contemporary contexts

When people ask what I do
It’s very simple
I tell stories
It is not a random thing
or a minor distraction
Stories are potent.

– Julie Perrin

Testimonials

Julie Perrin is a brilliant storyteller. Her stories are human and profound, her delivery disarming and delightful.

Penny Johnson, School of Media and Communication, RMIT

People laughed and cried. It was a gem.

– Beth Shelton, Director, Once Upon Your Birthday, performance project funded by the Australia Council