Ben Haggarty

Storyteller (United Kingdom) Since 1981, Ben Haggarty has been one of the prime forces behind the revival of the art of professional storytelling in Britain. He is internationally respected for his tellings of traditional tales for both adults and children, and for his knowledge and understanding of stories and of diverse storytelling traditions.

Equipped with a repertoire of over 300 carefully researched traditional narratives, he can explore many themes evoking many moods. He tells his stories with physical dynamism and glee.

Haggarty directed Britain's first-ever storytelling festival in 1985 and co-founded the annual Beyond the Border International Storytelling Festival, Britain's premier storytelling festival. He is the artistic co-ordinator of the legendary Crick Crack Club —an international collective of outstanding storytellers. He has been a programming consultant for presenting organizations such as The Royal National Theatre, Shakespeare's Globe and The Barbican Centre.

Haggarty is Honorary Professor of Storytelling at Berlin University of the Arts (UDK). His most recent work has been the creation, with artist, Adam Brockbank, of 'MeZolith', a stunning Stone Age comic strip for the new British weekly comic, The DFC.

Haggarty is an advisor and storyteller for the Silk Road Project family concert series.