Did you know that we have a premier storytelling school right here in Arizona? The SMCC Storytelling Institute resides at South Mountain Community College, 7050 S. 24th Street in Phoenix, just north of Baseline Road. It is not too far a hop for us Tucsonans since it’s on the south side of South Mountain and you don’t have to drive through all that awful Phoenix traffic.

They have a colorful website where you can find information about their mission, history and their Certificate Program:

The South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute is at the center of a community of storytellers who gather to tell and hear stories of all kinds. The Institute offers foundational and advanced classes in storytelling as part of a program that leads to an Academic Certificate in Storytelling. These classes are open to anyone interested in storytelling and most have no prerequisites. Members of the storytelling faculty, storytelling students, and community storytellers also offer storytelling events throughout the year.

For more information contact Liz Warren, 602-243-8026 or at liz.warren@smcmail.maricopa.edu.

If you want to get in some travel and learn storytelling skills you could wander over to the UK to the International School of Storytelling on the Emerson College Campus in East Sussex. The ISS website says that it is

the longest running centre of its kind where the craft of the storyteller is practiced and honoured. Here stories come alive and serve performers, healers, teachers, the business world, the environment and the wider community.

Closer to home, occasionally I offer a storytelling class at Pima College or for other organizations. Send me an email if you want to organize one for your group at penelope@odysseystorytelling.com.