Sheila is the Co-Founder and inaugural Artistic Director of Artists Standing Strong Together (ASST, pronounced “assist”), a vibrant non-profit born out of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. ASST has quickly grown into a thriving community that uplifts the arts and artists, offering exciting digital performance and exhibition opportunities, hands-on workshops, and a crucial emergency support fund. Recognized for their impactful work, Sheila and her Co-Founder Donna Washington received the 2021 Distinguished National Service Award from the National Storytelling Network.

Doug Elliott is a naturalist, herbalist, basket maker, back-country guide, harmonica master, and storyteller from Rutherford County N.C. Much of his time has been spent learning from traditional country folk and indigenous people. He performs programs at festivals, museums, nature centers, and schools from Canada to the Caribbean. He is the author of five books, many articles in regional and national magazines, and an award-winning recording artist.

Walt, a Greenville, S.C. native, launched his newspaper career at The Greenville News. After 35 thrilling years at The Tampa Tribune in Florida , he stumbled upon the captivating world of oral storytelling. Now a proud board member of the Florida Storytelling Association, Walt has been enchanting audiences at the Florida State Festival since 2019. Each month, he hosts a lively storytelling night in Safety Harbor, FL. His tales have resonated with listeners at The Moth in Asheville, Hagood Mill in Pickens, and the Stone Soup Festival in Woodruff, S.C. Walt loves spinning tall tales and sharing adventures from his life, like this true story about a dog that loves a good slice of baloney.

Derrick Phillips is a folksinger, songwriter, storyteller, and multi-instrumentalist from Easley, SC. He has been written up as "One of the upcountry's most dynamic folksingers". He has appeared on NPR and ETV at various times, and his most recent

Paul Strickland is a storyteller and theatre artist from Kentucky. Many of his stories come from his "Ain’t True and Uncle False" who live in the fictional "Big Fib Trailer Park" in the mythical American South. His humorous and touching tall tales have won "Best of Fest" awards at fringe festivals in the U.S. and Canada. Strickland has performed in theaters, festivals, comedy clubs, and even prisons (as a guest, not an inmate).

"The Snake That Ate the Glass Egg" sounds like a tall tale. William swears it’s true.

”My stories are true and promote good values -many about growing up on a farm in the NC Mountains with 5 sisters and one brother. I relive the stories as I tell them!”Cynthia is a mountain girl originally from Western North Carolina . Many of her stories are about her childhood and family life from simpler times. These days she makes her home in Bynum , N.C. where she is the host/producer of the historic Bynum Front Porch Storytelling Series. Cynthia Raxter | Facebook

Donna Washington is an internationally known master storyteller, artist educator, and published author who has performed for audiences of all ages for over thirty-four years. She is renowned for her storytelling for both children & adults from poignant & funny fables about the human condition to racy relationship stories to spine-tingling tales of terror. She has been featured at numerous festivals, schools, libraries, theaters, and other venues worldwide including Canada, Peru, Argentina, and Hong Kong. She presented over two hundred shows and workshops virtually online during the pandemic. "Two Monks Walk" is a Zen tale that teaches us to live in this moment and let go of the past.

Jess is a South Carolina homegrown spoken word and visual artist. She builds dreams out of words, rhythm, and recycled and re-purposed materials. Jess’s mother conjured up this haunted story to keep her children safe for a nearby lake, “Some say, if you see a crooked tree like that there’s a witch buried underneath. You have to be careful going close to those trees, especially in the afternoon, after school.”

Kyra Freeman writes poems, tells stories, and dances in the kitchen in Morganton, North Carolina. A former school librarian turned massage therapist, she was raised in Vermont not too far from the Appalachians. She lives with her family and infamous pets and goes outside as much as possible. She is a member of the Asheville Storytelling Circle and the N.C. Storytelling Guild. A collection of her poetry and photographs entitled: Second Life: Poems of Re-emerging will be released by Redhawk Publications in the summer of 2021.