A new conference will be held in Starkville this month celebrating the art of storytelling and the accomplishments of Mississippi in the context of the world.
At the Starkville Rotary Club meeting Monday, Mississippi State University Department of Communication advisor Steve Soltis gave information on the upcoming New Narrative Festival to be held April 13-14 at The Mill Conference Center. The event will be held by the MSU Department of Communication and will feature speakers and influencers from several fields and places, many with ties to Mississippi.
Some presenters will include UPS CEO and Chairman David Abney, political and corporate speechwriter Ken Askew, Muscle Shoals-based musician and producer Norbert Putnam, East Mississippi Community College President Tom Huebner, members of the MSU Bulldogs Women’s Basketball Team and several others. The HanaLena Band will also perform. Longtime Starkville resident Charles “LaLa” Evans will also be featured in a discussion about his appearance in the band Mutemath’s video for its song “Monument.”
MSU Department of Communication Head and professor John Forde said the event would be a good way for people to come together and share stories and perspectives.
“The focus of the festival is really to explore the ways that we communicate now, which are constantly changing, with a big focus on Mississippi and the impact that Mississippi’s had on society,” Forde said. “If we live here, we sometimes forget that, kind of the forest-for-the-trees, but there are so many things that we’ve contributed whether it’s music or writing or art, all kinds of things.”
Soltis, a former executive and external public relations professional for Coca-Cola and UPS, said the festival would be a “showcase” of the talents and contributions of Mississippians.
He explained the reason for the festival.
“First and foremost, (the reason) is to showcase the university, Dr. Forde’s department and the greater Starkville community as both conveners and curators of this changing narrative, and also to talk about what’s different, why it’s impactful, why Mississippi has a role in this and where it’s going and to position John’s department as leaders at convening this discussion and curating it,” Soltis said.
Both Forde and Soltis said they hoped to make the festival an annual event depending on the success of the inaugural festival.
“If it goes well, we’re already thinking about potential programs for later on, Forde said.
After his corporate career, Soltis formed the communications consulting firm MAS Leadership Communications with Abney and Charles McNair. He holds degrees from North Texas State University and Mary Washington College. He has also served as a lecturer executive-in-residence at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
Registration and additional information on the festival can be found at www.newnarrativefestival.
msstate.edu.
Fees are $185 for adults and $40 for students.