STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Bud Werner Memorial Library in Steamboat Springs and the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council are seeking story submissions for “Grounded,” an evening of multimedia storytelling that will honor Colorado Public Lands Day on Thursday, May 17.

“Grounded” will be a free community storytelling event — a “live magazine” performance — in Library Hall with an overarching theme of public lands. It will be constructed like a glossy magazine, but instead of printing it on dead trees, “Grounded” will be performed live before an audience.

The program is designed to be filled with short impressions, longer lessons, catchy illustration and a poignant message. Art, essay, literary review, short story or even an imaginative advertisement are all fair game – as long as the message relates to public lands.

Individual stories can be relayed in a variety of creative ways: spoken word as poetry, prose or essay accompanied by imagery; song; dance; short film; animation; or an installation of visual art from sculpture to graphic design. The culmination of these stories performed together will be an edited and curated magazine -performed live before the community – a celebration of our connection with public lands locally and globally.

The sole requirement is that original multimedia stories must be sourced and inspired by the ideas, environment and institution of our public lands. A piece may share a story about the land itself, species that rely on it, ecosystems, air and water, recreation, hunting, resource extraction, a perspective on policies that govern the landscape, or personal experiences that have shaped a relationship with it.

Humor, vulnerability, education, inspiration, activism and a reflection on the Yampa Valley community’s deep emotional response to public lands, both generally and around the world, are all encouraged.

Submissions will be accepted until midnight Monday, April 2. Contact the library’s adult programs coordinator Jennie Lay at jlay@steamboatlibrary.org with questions. Detailed guidelines for submission can be found at http://www.steamboatlibrary.org/events/grounded-now-seeking-the-communitys-story-submissions-about-public-lands-2018.