Awards & Achievements
Lifetime Achievement Award, ORACLE Awards
Connie Regan-Blake was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for dedicating her life to the art of storytelling and for her service to the National Storytelling Network, as well as to the community of storytellers at large. One of the first to bring storytelling to the national stage, Connie is recognized for raising public awareness of storytelling, preserving traditional art forms and for the significant originality of her life’s work.
Circle of Excellence Award, ORACLE Awards
Connie was one the first to receive this prestigious award. The Circle of Excellence Award honors storytelling artists who are recognized nationally as master storytellers. Recipients of this award have set the standards for excellence in storytelling and have demonstrated, over a significant period of time, a commitment and dedication to the art of storytelling.
Distinguished National Service Award, ORACLE Awards
Rounding out the trifecta of ORACLE Awards, Connie was honored to receive the Distinguished National Service Award which is presented to individuals, members or groups who contribute their time and energy in an exemplary manner on the national level to forward the work of the National Storytelling Network.
Connie was presented the B.B. Maurer West Virginia Folklife Scholar Award, which annually honors a person or persons who have contributed to the preservation and perpetuation of Appalachian cultural heritage. The award is named for Dr. B.B. Maurer (1920-2003), considered the “Father of Cultural Studies” in West Virginia. Past honorees include Senator Robert C Byrd and Jean Richie.
Southern Artistry Designation
The North Carolina Arts Council honored Connie as a designee for the Southern Artistry, an adjudicated, online registry of outstanding artists, performers and writers.
North Carolina Arts Council
Connie was honored by the NC Arts Council for her artistic merit. She was selected to be included in the North Carolina Touring Artist Directory to help promote Connie’s “wonderful artistry.”
Storyteller of the Year
Connie was awarded this title by the North Carolina Storytelling Guild for “significant and exemplary contributions to storytelling and to storytellers.”
Performer of the Year
Awarded by the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, the nation’s oldest continuously operating folk festival.
National Storytelling Festival
Connie holds the unique honor as the only storyteller to appear on the main stage as either a featured teller or emcee each year for the festival’s more than 40 year history
National Storytelling Association
- Founding Member, Board of Directors (1974-1984)
- Artistic Director of the National Storytelling Festival (1978-1983)
- Chair of the Board of Directors (1981-1984)
Recording Honors
Connie’s audio and video recordings have received numerous awards including the American Library Association Notable Recording Award, the Parent’s Choice Award and the Storytelling World Gold Award.
Tell It in the Mountains, Asheville Storytelling Festival
- Artistic Director (1993-2000)
Mountain Echoes Storyfest
- Artistic Consultant (2001-2002)
Mountain Sweet Talk: A Two Act Play
Connie co-wrote, produced, and starred in Asheville’s longest running theatrical production along with Barbara Freeman. (1986-1992) Read more about their work together here.
Tales of Appalachia
This performance is an original classical composition and exploration of the intersection of music and storytelling. Connie collaborated with the Kandinsky Trio and composer Mike Reid to create, “The Cantankerous Blacksmith,” which tours nationwide.
