Registration is now closed for this event. There is a TINY chance we can still get you in, depending on the timing of your request. Feel free to email swhitehair@gmail.com to inquire. Thanks!
We believe that storytelling is your birthright, and that the arts belong to all of us, not just those of us with endless free time or a hefty disposable income.
- Have you been intrigued by artistic retreats, but were immediately turned off by the absurdly high price or lengthy time commitment?
- Did you ever attend a conference only to feel like an outsider, and leave feeling like you crashed a private event?
- Would you enjoy an affordable & accessible weekend of creative community, growth, and fun, right here in Chicago?
- Did you ever attend a conference only to feel like an outsider, and leave feeling like you crashed a private event?
- Would you enjoy an affordable & accessible weekend of creative community, growth, and fun, right here in Chicago?
Welcome to The Get-Together
Friday, April 21st - Sunday April 23rd 2023
At 3 classic Chicago venues all within 4-5 minute walking distance.
The Get-Together is a hybrid of retreat, conference, and house party, featuring a full weekend of:
- Professional development sessions from an all-star lineup of acclaimed artists, teachers, and storytellers.
- Memorable storytelling performances in an intimate setting.
- Endless opportunities to share your own stories.
- Conversation, camaraderie, and community.
- Comfortable lounges for writing, reading, and daydreaming.
- Unique story prompts and inspiration.
- Large and small group activities and exercise.
- Communal meals from an award-winning menu.
- The ability to design your own perfect days.
- So much more.
Your $199 registration (all-inclusive, no upsells) includes:
- A bonus pre-retreat Zoom session for Q&A, story basics, and meeting people.
- 6 quality meals and weekend long coffee/water/snack stations.*
- An opening session featuring a professional performance, live music, and icebreakers
- A full day of workshops, presentations, and conversations.
- Open access to an expansive suite of quiet writing spaces, social lounges, reading rooms,
facilitated small group activities, a 200+ book storyteller's library, inspiration stations, and more.
- A daylong storytelling open mic at a local theater.
- Saturday evening personal time or unique group activities.
- The Un-Slam, a final performance featuring attendees whose names are drawn randomly.
* Meals will include Vegan/Gluten Free/Dairy Free options.
Schedule
Friday, April 21st (7:00 PM - ?)
Opening session and performance
Saturday, April 22nd (9:00 AM - 9:00 PM)
Full day of learning, fun, and exploration
Sunday, April 23rd (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM)
Final workshop, Un-Slam performance, and pizza party
Our guarantee to you: You will be valued, respected, included, and treated as an equal your entire time with us. Whether you have told stories on stage for decades, or even if this retreat will be your first experience dipping a toe into any sort of formal storytelling, we consider you a kindred spirit and colleague. You are a human being, which makes you a storyteller and one of us.
No experience is necessary, and the only prerequisite is an interest in stories and other people.
You belong here, and we can't wait to spend some quality time with you.
We don't care what kind of storyteller you are or hope to become. Personal narrative teller? Video game designer? Folktale aficionado? Graphic novelist? Corporate presenter? Journalist? Juggler? Grandma telling bedtime tales?
It's all storytelling to us.
No experience is necessary, and the only prerequisite is an interest in stories and other people.
You belong here, and we can't wait to spend some quality time with you.
We don't care what kind of storyteller you are or hope to become. Personal narrative teller? Video game designer? Folktale aficionado? Graphic novelist? Corporate presenter? Journalist? Juggler? Grandma telling bedtime tales?
It's all storytelling to us.
Questions? Please email Scott at swhitehair@gmail.com
Organizer Info:
Scott Whitehair is the producer of THIS MUCH IS TRUE, one of the city's longest running personal narrative series, creator of STORY LAB CHICAGO, featured in Forbes and Newsweek, and founder of DO NOT SUBMIT, a citywide network of pressure free open mics. He has told stories anywhere somebody will listen, including The Steppenwolf,Second City, The Green Mill, The Woodstock Opera House, and for NPR, The Risk Podcast, Sirius XM, and more. Scott is a 2x Moth Slam winner and has been featured at The Printer's Row Lit Festival, Fillet of Solo Festival, Chicago Improv Festival, The Fox Valley Folk Music & Storytelling Festival, The Evanston Public Library Storytelling Festival, and The Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference. He has taught sold-out monthly classes since 2012, and has done training for such organizations as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Price Waterhouse Cooper, RW Baird, Chicago Cares, Loews Hotels, Lurie Childrens Hospital, Crate & Barrel, Dyson, United Way, and many others. Scott has been a guest instructor at DePaul, Northwestern, Loyola, University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, IO Chicago, and The Latin School. His private coaching clients have included a Fortune 500 CEO and top speakers nationwide. Scott formerly served on the Board of Directors for the National Storytelling Network, taught a week long course at All Hallows College in Dublin, Ireland, and was the featured instructor at Hong Kong Story Worthy Week, which was headlined by David Sedaris. Scott performed at The National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough in 2017.
All sales are final, and there will be no refunds after purchase is finalized.
Speakers
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