A story told ‘Eye to eye, mouth to mouth and heart to heart,’ creates community and connection. At GuestHouse Storytellers, we aim to invite high quality international artists to come to Newhaven to perform for adults.

Funding permitting, we take the visiting artist to visit Newhaven Schools the following day…

We love to work in collaboration with the wider Sussex community such as Hastings Storytelling Festival and 18 Hours Events.

And we are continuing to develop our relationship with other great Newhaven organisations Please click on the link for a short film of our collaboration with Hospitable Environment for Brigit’s day.

https://studio.youtube.com/video/5TaKpbNFAL0/edit

Most of our evenings there is an opportunity for one or two stories from the floor where aspiring or professional storytellers, musicians and poets may book a slot.

Kate Daisy Grant and Nick Pynn were GuestHouse Resident Musicians from 2023 – 2025 and this year we have welcomed Geoff Robb.

One of our key aims is to celebrate Newhaven and the wider Sussex community by reflecting its diversity. We attract world-class international tellers including Tuup (Guyana) Tanya Batt (New Zealand), Tom Van Mieghem (Belgium) and exciting local artists, Amelia Ace Armande, Jon Mason and Jamie Crawford.

These are some of our things people have said after attending their first oral storytelling performance:

“It was incredible. I felt I was right there in the story. I could see the pictures, hear the voices, even smell the flowers and feel the breeze on my skin.”
“I was completely transported to a different world. When the story ended it took me a few minutes to come back to the room where we were.”

Our History

GuestHouse has been evolving for 19 years and the name comes from a poem by the 12^th century Persian mystic, Rumi.

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Monthly Venue: Hillcrest Community Centre, Bay Vue Road, Newhaven BN9 9LH. Free Parking. Disabled access. Refreshments.

Time:   Second Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm