Blackpool Grand Theatre marks ‘National Storytelling Week’ with a New Recorded Story and a children’s Anthology

This week, National Storytelling Week returns from Monday 2 February to Sunday 8 February, and communities across the UK are being encouraged to celebrate the stories that shape us, how they are told, how they sound, and how they are passed from one generation to the next. Led by the National Literacy Trust, the annual initiative champions storytelling as a vital tool for literacy, creativity and connection, particularly for children and young people.

This year’s theme, ‘Soundtrack Your Story’, invites audiences to explore storytelling through sound, rhythm, and voice, a timely reminder that stories are not only read on a page but also heard, felt, and remembered.
Few places understand that better than Blackpool Grand Theatre, where storytelling is embedded not just in performance, but in education, participation and community work year-round. As part of this year’s National Storytelling Week, Blackpool Grand is spotlighting its growing body of story-led work with children and unveiling a brand-new recorded story created especially for the celebration.

At the heart of the theatre’s work is Small Steps Big Stories (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biJzjwhIYxk), an ambitious and joyful project that captures the unfiltered imaginations of Blackpool’s youngest storytellers. Launched as an Anthology in December, the collection brings together over 100 original stories and illustrations created by children aged 4 to 6 through workshops delivered in local schools.

Led by story gatherer Sarah Argent and illustrated by artist Lisa Wigham, the stories were inspired by everyday objects and simple prompts. The result is a rare and powerful archive of children’s voices, preserved without correction or polish, celebrating language in its rawest and most authentic form.

Adam Knight, Blackpool Grand Theatre CEO, said of the project, “Small Steps Big Stories is part of our Story-Led Resilience Programme, which uses storytelling to help children build confidence, communication and emotional resilience.

“Through the project, children developed resilience in simple but powerful ways: being brave when sharing their own stories, being someone others could rely on by listening and supporting their peers, and having a laugh as they enjoyed the creative process together. Storytelling created a safe, playful space where children felt confident to take risks, express themselves and try new things.

“The sessions also strengthened key oracy skills, including taking turns, working with others, listening carefully, speaking with confidence and articulating their thoughts clearly. These skills support children not only in learning, but in how they connect with others every day.

“Developing resilience and oracy in the early years lays the foundations for future learning and wellbeing, giving children the confidence, language and social skills they need for a strong start.”

Educators involved in the project have highlighted clear benefits, from improved confidence and communication skills to stronger listening and turn-taking, which together prove that storytelling is not simply creative play but a cornerstone of early development.

Building on this foundation, Blackpool Grand Theatre has now created its own recorded story specifically for National Storytelling Week 2026 and the theme ‘Soundtrack Your Story’ with ‘Echoes of a Living Stage’.
The piece draws on the theatre’s rich heritage, its sounds, memories and imagined voices - blending atmosphere, narration and sonic detail to tell a story that could only belong to The Grand. Designed to be listened to rather than read, ‘Echoes of a Living Stage’ reflects this year’s focus on sound while reinforcing the idea that theatres themselves are storytellers, shaped by every performance, every audience, and every whispered moment backstage.

Together, Small Steps Big Stories and ‘Echoes of a Living Stage’ demonstrate Blackpool Grand’s belief that stories exist everywhere - in children’s imaginations, in community spaces, and in buildings that have listened for well over a century.

Blackpool Grand Theatre’s brand new recorded story, ‘Echoes of a Living Stage,’ is available to download here. 
 
“Stories don’t start and end on the page,” says Adam Knight. “They live in voices, in places, and in the act of sharing them.”

During National Storytelling Week, audiences, families and schools are invited to celebrate storytelling in all its forms - from the voices of Blackpool’s youngest residents to the living history of one of the country’s most iconic theatres.

Because Blackpool Grand Theatre believes every story matters. And every voice deserves to be heard.