Dive into mystical tales and fresh voices bringing selkies and old legends to life.

𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀

Join us for a final afternoon of stories as we bring our contribution to the 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹'𝘀 𝗚𝗼 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 programme and the 𝗔𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 to a close!

We are delighted to be sharing our tales at 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲'𝘀 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗳𝗲́, a welcoming space that regularly brings people together through talks and cultural events.

Two emerging storytellers from the 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗚𝗔𝗦), Scottish storyteller 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 and New Scot 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘅𝗮 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗶́𝗮 𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗮, explore Scotland's traditional selkie tales alongside contemporary interpretations of the myth, bringing together old stories and fresh perspectives.

Inspired by Scotland's rich selkie folklore and contemporary visual interpretations of the myth, the event invites you to rediscover these mysterious creatures who live between land and sea, and the stories that continue to grow around them.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀

𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲

Trina Smillie is a Scottish storyteller, originally from Arbroath, but has lived in Aberdeen for many years. A retired drama teacher, she used many stories in her work and loved passing on the oral tradition to new generations. She enjoys telling and listening to stories from her homeland and beyond, sometimes with a little song and a sprinkling of Doric.

She loves not only telling tales but also researching, making connections and discovering lesser-known stories to enrich her repertoire.

A devoted traveller, she has a monthly slot on 𝗞𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼, 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘔𝘺 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴, where she brings together her love of travelling and storytelling.

𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘅𝗮 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗶́𝗮 𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗮

Arantxa García de Sola is a Spanish linguist and former journalist who used to write about traditional celebrations in her homeland and has always been fascinated by cultural and language diversity, different ways of life and the stories and traditions that connect them.

As a New Scot, based in Aberdeen, discovering Scotland's rich storytelling tradition and meeting those who keep it alive inspired her to start writing and telling stories herself. Her work with migrants and teaching Spanish have shown her how stories can help people learn a language, welcome newcomers and remind us how much we share.

Enjoying the journey of learning, researching and developing her own voice through the 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗦 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, among other experiences, she draws on tales from Spain and Scotland, writing her own stories and retelling others from a personal perspective, hoping to build bridges between two shores.

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗮 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

Both active members of the 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀, Trina and Arantxa share a passion for storytelling and love getting involved in creating opportunities for stories to be shared and new voices to be heard.

They also share a particular love for selkie tales, those mysterious stories of creatures living between land and sea, belonging to two worlds. With different backgrounds and their own ways of telling, they invite you to join them in the simple pleasure of sharing stories, exploring traditions and discovering fresh ways of looking at old tales.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀

📅 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟴 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

🕝 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 2.30–4 pm

📍 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲: 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲'𝘀 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗳𝗲́, 391 Union Street, Aberdeen AB11 6BX

🎟️ 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Free, ticketed event. Donations welcome.

🔗 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Reserve your place through 𝗚𝗔𝗦 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲.

With warm thanks to 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲'𝘀 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘆 for their hospitality and support.

#SISF2026 #ScotStoryFest #GoLocal #AberdeenAndBeyondStorytellingFestival #ABStoryFest26 #Storytelling #GrampianAssociationofStorytellers #GAS25anniversary #Selkies #SelkieTales #ScottishFolklore #ScottishStorytelling #AberdeenEvents

Description supplied by the event organiser.