The start! In April 2024, all young storytellers travelled to Alden Biesen in Belgium alongside their mentors and the directors of their home countries' international festivals, where they participated in an intensive training program to develop their artistic voices and build technical stagecraft skills. Simultaneously, the partner festivals engaged in round table discussions, peer learning, and practical workshops. These sessions aimed to strengthen transnational cooperation and encourage the exchange of experiences among festival organizers. The course coincided with Alden Biesen’s International Storytelling Festival where they could see some of the world's best storytellers in action and meet them in person to share experiences, advice and encouragement.

Research phase. Each participant created their own 20-minute solo storytelling performance which could stand alone or combine with others to form a 1-hour show featuring other young storytellers. The themes of each performance were chosen by the storytellers themselves based on a personal connection to global issues. During the research phase, participants engaged with communities aligned with their theme to collect, shape and test their stories. The young storytellers led their own process, supported by an experienced local mentor who offered artistic, organisational or dramaturgical suggestions. After the research phase they shaped their story and did several try-outs in their local communities before going for the international stage in Amsterdam.

Local try-outs. After the research phase, the young storytellers have been working on their stories with guidance from their mentor and support from their peers. Then, they stepped into the spotlight, ready to showcase their unique voices. Each storyteller participated in different local try-outs, to build confidence and to refine their craft in preparation for the next step: the international stage in Amsterdam. These try-outs, in their native language or in English, offered them a valuable opportunity to develop artistically.

Amsterdam: let’s share experiences and perform! In November 2024 the fifteen young storytellers, alongside their mentors and festival organizers, came together in Amsterdam to build on their creative journey. This second face-to-face meeting offered them a unique opportunity to share the insights and experiences they have gained from their research work and the first local try-outs. The highlight of the week were their performances, held at the Vlugt theatre. For the first time, the young storytellers presented their work to an international  audience, showing the results of their hard work and creative evolution. This event was not only a chance to showcase their talents, but also to gain valuable insights from festival organizers who were present. These industry professionals offered feedback on what they look for when booking artists. This guidance will help the young storytellers refine their craft and understand in what way to present themselves to make a lasting impact on the international festival circuit.

Rome: stepping onto the international stage.  In June 2025, the young storytellers of the Cassandra Project took their final steps together at the FEST conference in Rome. This major gathering of the international storytelling community provided a fitting finale to their journey. Surrounded by professional storytellers, festival programmers, and cultural organizers from across Europe, the young artists had the opportunity to present their performances to a global audience. Their stories, shaped over months of research, mentoring, and local try-outs, were now part of a wider European dialogue on personal and socially engaged storytelling. The conference not only offered them visibility but also a platform to connect, exchange, and reflect on their growth. For many, this was a first step into the professional storytelling world: an inspiring moment that marked both the culmination of the Cassandra Project and the beginning of their independent artistic paths.