Story

What Is Your Story?

A Community Storytelling Project by GO ART!

What Is Your Story is a community-driven initiative launched by GO ART! board members, staff, and volunteers to amplify the power of personal storytelling, fostering empathy, connection, and healing across cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.

The inspiration for this project came from a heartbreaking moment. Our Executive Director’s young son was told by a classmate in first grade that he should kill himself because of his race. Rather than responding with anger, his son asked, “What can we do to stop this from happening again? What might make a difference? How can we share my story, and maybe others too?”

From that moment, a movement began. GO ART!’s board and staff came together to continue the conversation; reaching out to schools, community partners, and organizations across the region to build something rooted in healing and change.

What Is Your Story invites people from all walks of life to share their personal experiences through writing, visual art, performance, music, or dance. These stories are shaping a community-wide project that will culminate in public events, performances, and a sculpture made from the heart of our shared humanity.

We honor and celebrate all differences; whether of race, ability, identity, language, culture, age, or background – because each story contributes to a richer, more connected world.

How It Works

  • Download and complete the questionnaire with any questions you feel moved/comfortable to answer. If you are willing to leave your contact information, please do. We may reach out to ask more questions in the future or interview you on camera for a potential documentary.

  • Share your story through writing, drawing, music, performance, or video.

  • Submit your work to:
    Gregory Hallock
    201 E Main St, Batavia, NY 14020
    ghallock@goart.org

Project Highlights:

  • A public sculpture installation shaped by submitted stories.

  • Phone Booth Story Stations at local festivals (Pride, Juneteenth, Día de los Muertos, Erie Canal Artisan Festival, Steampunk Festival) and schools, where people can record stories in video or audio.

  • A ballet collaboration with New York Theatre Ballet, transforming selected stories into performance.

  • Youth, families, and individuals from marginalized and underserved communities are especially encouraged to participate.

Funders
This project is generously supported by the LGBT+ Giving Circle at the Rochester Area Community Foundation, with additional contributions from individual donors and local partners who believe in the transformative power of storytelling.

 

Download questionnaire HERE