Mr Dumars:
Storytelling and the National Endowment for the Arts --
A Request from the National Storytelling Network
Executive Summary
For the past two years, the Arts Recognition Task Force of the National Storytelling Network has been in
correspondence with various state arts agencies and subsequently with members of the National
Standards Revision Working Group. We are aware of the significant effort, the procedures, and the
potential financial difficulties involved in making changes at the NEA level, but we believe that our
request is urgent, timely, and strongly relevant to the NEA Strategic Plan for FY 2012-2016.
The Problem
Despite the fact that the work of storytellers contributes significantly toward the goals of Art Works for
America, the National Endowment for the Arts Strategic Plan FY 2012 – 2016,
 the art of storytelling is not among the core art forms supported by the National
Endowment of the Arts in its programs and services; and
 storytelling as a fine art is missing in the National Standards Arts Discipline List used to
collect data on arts activities nationwide and increasingly used in artist rosters and on
electronic application forms that determine what artists and art projects will be funded
not only by the NEA, but also by the regional and state arts agencies who partner with
the NEA.
 As a result, fine art storytellers (the majority in the profession) work at an increasingly
serious disadvantage. Their art form is not included in electronic grant applications and
they are invisible to organizations, educational institutions, and presenters who work
with artists. In addition, the work of storytellers is not included in data gathered about
the arts in the United States.93 selected "I have theatrical training . . .”

I use “I am a folk artist. . .
I use "Literary Arts"
"I am a writer. . . "
"I create stories for oral performance."
"I am an "Artist as Educators". . . " I was chosen by J.F. Kennedy Center to train in Washington DC as "Artist as Educators!" I have taken several of their workshops around the country if you ever get the chance then you need to join them and study with them. It is a marvelous program.