Storyteller and kids and parents in the pre-Columbian gallery

Join us for storytelling in English & Spanish

For the past year we have worked closely with our talented storyteller, Laura Slack, to bring artworks to life with our Cuentos del Arte program during CelebrARTE on Free First Saturday. This summer, Laura will be trying out something new during Cuentos del Arte—she’ll be telling stories about artworks in both English and Spanish! If you haven’t had the chance to see Laura in action, I highly recommend it. She’s engaging, energetic, totally hilarious, and she never fails to surprise us. Most important, she’s super passionate about Cuentos del Arte and it shows. To prove it to you, I sat down with her to learn more about her career as a storyteller and what goes on behind the scenes. Here’s what I learned:

  1. This is Laura’s first gig as a storyteller. She actually has a background in theater, which has helped her tell compelling, fun, and engaging stories. It also helps that we work with a great writer, Matt Zambrano. Laura sees storytelling as a form of theater where the actors are the audience.
  2. We have families who come back each month to hear a new story. Laura loves that kids can recount past stories and test her memory.
  3. In addition to being a storyteller at the DAM, Laura leads an educational theater internship program where she mentors and coaches college students pursuing an acting/theater degree.
  4. To prepare for her stories, Laura likes to spend time in front of the artwork that the story is about. She likes seeing it for the first time and thinking about the emotions it evokes. She also tests the stories out with her kids at home—they’re a tough audience!
  5. Laura really wants people to develop a love for the art of storytelling and help the younger generation connect to art. She loves that Cuentos del Arte gives families a chance to unplug and hear stories in real time as opposed to through television.

We hope you’ll join us every Free First Saturday at 11 am for a story in English or at 1 pm for a story in Spanish starting June 4. If you’re feeling adventurous, join us for both and brush up on your Spanish (or English) language skills.

If Cuentos del Arte leaves you craving for more, bring your toddlers to Create Playdate every second Wednesday of the month from 10 am-2 pm for artmaking, art games, and art stories in English and Spanish.