Daiva Ivanauskaité

Daiva tells tales inspired by myths and folk tradition from Lithuania, Scotland, and other lands; stories about tricksters and cheeky devils, fairies and dragons, stories about stories themselves. She also steps beyond the traditional telling of real life, personal and historical stories - she loves mixing real with magic. Daiva makes every tale her own, finding parallels with her life, and explores themes of identity, environment and togetherness.

She deftly guides the audience through her vivid, enchanting imagination and heightens her stories with interaction and Lithuanian songs, and has performed on stage at festivals and spoken word events, with community and women's groups, with families and in schools. She delivers storytelling workshops, training and courses that can involve stop-motion animation and other arts and crafts. Also, she facilitates story work and brings the art of storytelling into organisations and businesses.

Daiva curated Lithuania's first storytelling festival and regularly performs in Lithuania, Scotland and internationally. With her academic background in history, she worked in education and film before discovering her own storytelling voice, and often collaborates with the Village Storytelling Centre in Glasgow and performs at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh. Daiva tells stories in English and Lithuanian. (Photo credit: Kristina Meiluté)