Sydney Story Factory

Start 2011

DSF is excited to be partnering with the Sydney Story Factory - a new initiative that aims to kindle the spark of creativityin every child and nurture the next generation of storytellers. Situated behind the Martian Embassy and Gift Shop in Redfern, The Sydney Story Factory will be a fantastical place where the imagination is set loose andchildren get free help to write stories of all kinds.

The Sydney Story Factory is designed for children aged 7 to 17 to develop a love of words. Programs are targeted at disadvantaged children, especially those from Indigenous and migrant families, but are open to all.

How will the The Sydney Story Factory operate?

Volunteer tutors offer free help with any writing project a child can imagine. Every child walks away from a Sydney Story Factory program with a published piece of work: after two-hour workshops, a bound and illustrated chapbook; after a longer program, a book, zine or newspaper article published in media partner The Sydney Morning Herald.

The centre will be located behind The Martian Embassy and Gift Shopin Redfern, selling everything a person needs for space travel and inter-galactic exploration. The shop acts as a portal, transporting children to a place where the imagination is without bounds. It will generate important revenue from low-cost fun products and books written by students whilealso acting as a recruiting ground for volunteers.

What is the Inspiration driving The Sydney Story Factory?.

The Sydney Story Factory is inspired by 826 Valencia in San Francisco, a writing centre for children founded by novelist Dave Eggers and educator NiniveCaligari in 2002, behind a Pirate Supply Store.

Seven more chapters have since opened across the US, achieving phenomenal results: helping over 23,000 students, and improving results on standardised writing tests for half of all students.In London in late 2010, novelist Nick Hornby opened The Ministry of Stories, behind Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, following a similar model. 

The Sydney Story Factory will bring the model to Australia for the first time, adapting it to the local needs. 

See Dave Eggers talk on TED about 826 Valencia.

See Governor Marie Bashir launching Sydney Story Factory at the Sydney Writers Festival in June 2011

www.sydneystoryfactory.org.au