Story House Ithaca

Story House Ithaca creates spaces in Tompkins County where people of all interests and backgrounds can come together to share, study, create, and enjoy stories in all their forms. We define “story” very broadly, to include fiction and nonfiction, poetry and song, documentary, journalism, photography, audio, film, theater, puppetry, visual and performance art, graphics, dance, oral history, and every other way of communicating ideas and experience. Our definition of “house” is also broad. We hope eventually to settle into our own space, but for now we’re excited to be popping up online and around the community.

The Problem

Our society is going through a period of fracturing, as people of different socioeconomic, cultural, and educational backgrounds divide into ever more insular groups. One reason for this is a lack of opportunities for people to interact in meaningful and non-threatening ways. This has had disastrous consequences in politics, public health, and many other areas.

Our Approach

Stories have always brought people together. They’re how we make sense of ourselves and how we learn about one another. Tompkins County is full of writers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, and storytellers of all kinds, as well as organizations with important stories to tell. With this in mind:

• Story House creates. We dream up, organize, and present workshops, discussions, readings, talks, screenings, exhibitions, performances, participatory projects, and other activities.
• Story House collaborates. We work with organizations, artists, activists, scholars, and others to plan and present compelling programming.
• Story House connects. We help creative people and groups find new partners and reach new audiences.

• Story House empowers. We help members of our community acquire the skills they need to tell the stories they want to tell.

  In all our programs and activities, we are committed to creating inclusive spaces that welcome diversity. We strive to foster interactions between people of different cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, with the goal of working toward shared understanding and a more equitable, anti-racist society.

  Our Team

Lesley Greene (co-director) is a producer, designer, writer, and director. She worked for many years at the Kitchen Theatre Company, where she curated and produced three performance series, created sound and projection designs, and served as chief grant writer and head of marketing. She is a co-founder and co-organizer of Porchfest, a festival that began in Ithaca in 2007 and now takes place in more than 150 cities across North America.

Jonathan Miller (co-director) is a writer, journalist, editor, radio producer, podcaster, and media project leader whose work has taken him to more than 20 countries. Since 2006, he has been executive director of Homelands Productions, an award-winning journalism collective that specializes in public radio features and documentaries. Jon serves on the board of Ithaca City of Asylum and on the community advisory council of WRFI community radio.

Contact information

Lesley Greene and Jonathan Miller, co-directors
info@storyhouseithaca.org