FORT SIMPSON - This year's Open Sky Festival in Fort Simpson will focus on the art of storytelling, said Michael Blyth, artistic director for the Open Sky Creative Society.

Sharon Shorty is one of three storytellers who will perform at the Open Sky Festival in Fort Simpson this summer. - photo courtesy of Sharon Shorty

An annual event since 2000, the Open Sky Festival is a "multi-disciplinary" arts event that showcases artists from Fort Simpson, elsewhere in NWT and beyond.

Each year the festival takes on a different theme, and this year, the Open Sky Creative Society decided to focus on the art of storytelling. Blyth said they chose it "because it's an art form that we really haven't presented before, and we figured it might be a good thing to do."

Blyth said there will be three experienced storytellers - Sharon Shorty, Simon Moccasin and Richard Van Camp -performing at the festival. Most of the performers, he said, were recommended by the Open Sky Creative Society.

"They're just experienced performers, and things that might be topically relevant," said Blyth.

Shorty, who is from Whitehorse, has been involved in storytelling for about 15 years, and often attends related festivals such as the Winnipeg International Storytelling Festival. She said she is looking forward to performing in Fort Simpson.

"I've been to Fort Simpson before for another event and I love it there, so I'm looking forward to going back," she said.

Shorty said she tells a lot of traditional stories, many of which are about ravens. Her storytelling character, Gramma Susie, has been popular enough for her to continue playing the part for about 10 years.

She plans on telling stories in character for some of her performances at the festival.

The festival will kick off Friday, June 29 with an evening of storytelling and the festivities will go on until July 1.

Blyth said there will be a series of workshops taking place throughout the festival, and along with storytelling there will probably be carving, animation digital photography and traditional craft workshops.

"The idea is to get local artists out as well as people from the territory and elsewhere - kind of to be able to network and that sort of thing," he said, adding there will be roughly 20-25 visual artists taking place.

"The total by the time you add the storytellers and musicians and everythingÖ I'm not really sure."

Shorty said showcasing the art of storytelling is important in that it allows her to "continue part of our culture that First Nations excel at, and to honour the gifts that were given to me by my grandmothers."