Creativity Revealed at the Altrincham Storytelling Festival 2026

Creativity was revealed through powerful theatre, community voices, publishing, film, animation and the coming together of local artists for a weekend celebrating the art of storytelling.

At the heart of the festival stood I Am Bastard I Am War.

Written by Alan Forrest Smith, produced by the Alan Forrest Smith Literary Foundation and brought to the stage through the artistic vision of Artistic Director Nigel Harvey, the production demonstrated how literature, theatre, music and visual art can come together in a powerful theatrical experience.

Bringing together a company of 22 actors, live artists, a sign language choir and creative collaborators, the production became the artistic centrepiece of the festival. Alan Forrest Smith's sharp words held the audience throughout, while Nigel Harvey's theatrical interpretation transformed the work into a visually bold and emotionally dramatic stage production.

The festival also celebrated storytelling in all its forms. Workshops and talks covered children's storytelling, publishing, theatre, film and animation, creating opportunities for people of all ages to discover new ideas, develop their creative skills and celebrate creativity together.

Produced by Tamara Forrest-Smith through the Alan Forrest Smith Literary Foundation, the Altrincham Storytelling Festival was established to celebrate storytelling while continuing the Foundation's vision to preserve and develop Alan Forrest Smith's literary legacy through artistic collaboration.

The weekend demonstrated that powerful storytelling still has the ability to bring communities together, revealing the remarkable creative talent that exists across the local community and beyond.

Tamara Forrest-Smith

Alan Forrest Smith Literary Foundation

Photo Credit: Sarah Tehranian