The 1000 Islands Yarnspinners is a collective of professional and community tellers dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the oral art of telling stories. Established in 1998, as the Brockville Storytellers, the guild holds monthly story gatherings from September to June.

In addition to the monthly gatherings, the guild has a mandate to do a minimum of three community outreach performances each year in rural communities that are within an hour’s drive of Brockville. Communities include Athens, Mallorytown, Spencerville and North Augusta.

Since 1999 The 1000 Islands Yarnspinners has partnered with other community groups including the Ontario Early Years, The Brockville Museum, the Upper Canada District School Board and the Brockville Public Library in presenting five storytelling festivals.

Every year the guild brings the highest caliber of tellers in Canada to Eastern Ontario: Rita Cox, Bob Barton, Dan Yashinsky, Helen Porter, Marylyn Peringer, Celia Lotridge, Jan Andrews, George Blake and Ruth Stewart-Verger.

Annually the guild hosts professional development workshops for regional tellers as an opportunity to explore, improve and expand upon existing repertoire and telling approaches.

Professionally the members are associated with The Storytellers School of Toronto and SC/CC, and they have performed for the Toronto Festival of Storytelling, New Years’ Eve Celebrations in Historic Downtown Brockville and for the Sunday Concerts in Hardy Park.

Each community teller participates actively in telling stories for numerous not for profit events including literacy fairs, libraries, daycare centers, seniors’ residences and various service organizations.