Ruth Kirkpatrick

Ruth is one of Scotland's leading storytellers, a charismatic live performer and a highly regarded singer. Born in the North East of Scotland, Ruth is widely seen as a tradition bearer, having been lucky enough to sit at the knee of the great storytellers which Scotland has borne - Sheila Stewart, Duncan Williamson, Stanley Robertson and David Campbell.

She has a broad repertoire of stories and songs from traditional and local Traveller sources. More recently she has experimented with biographical storytelling, and this year performed a sellout show about the life, songs and poetry of Robbie Burns. She has worked for over 30 years in social work listening to people's stories and has been professionally telling for 20 years. Ruth's project and publication Stories Allways successfully develops innovative ways to use storytelling with children and families who have emotional and social needs.

Her real strength is in forming a warm, authentic rapport with her audience, respecting the tradition but also giving her performance a loving, feisty sparkle. This makes her a popular performer and workshop facilitator at Festivals worldwide, from the glaciers of Iceland to the bookshops of India.

(Photo credit: Sandy Butler)

(Works in Scots)