International Storytelling Center

The mission of the International Storytelling Center is to preserve storytelling through oral communication, the printed word, and artifacts which convey or provoke a story. The Center represents a permanent beacon for storytelling, extending beyond the annual National Storytelling Festival that has made Jonesborough famous. The Festival is seen around the world as the premiere storytelling event in America and as the event that ignited the storytelling revival in this country. It is held the first full weekend of October, when thousands of travelers make their way to historic Jonesborough. They come for one purpose: to hear and tell stories at the National Storytelling Festival. Programming includes a wide variety of both nationally and internationally known accomplished artists, and the audience includes folks from all walks of life, virtually every state, and multiple foreign countries.