About

Storyteller in Residence for the Chelsea Physic Garden for 18 years, working with school groups, at Garden open days and training teachers. Other Storytelling Residencies include Hastings Storytelling Festival, Stoke and Staffordshire Libraries, Harvard University, The Blanton Museum Texas and Psychologies Magazine.

Lecturer in Storytelling and Drama on the PGCE course at the University of East London for 17 years, Xanthe gave the Keynote Speech for the Society for Storytellers, ‘Encouraging Young Storytellers’ in 2024.

Author Goddesses and Heroines (for children 8+) won the Made for Mums Bronze Award and was re-printed in paperback by Thames and Hudson last year. Best-selling Sussex Folktales for Children is a recommended ‘Good Book’ by East Sussex County Council. Xanthe’s adult book, Herba Mythica, the Myths and Folktales of Sacred Healing Plants, published by the History Press is a great resource for teachers and those working with plants. Xanthe has also written three, 5-star books for Barefoot; The Princess and the Pea, Wild Swans and Thumbelina, which was in The Independent’s top 11 books for children.

International Festivals – Xanthe has performed for families at: Storyfest-Singapore, Llungby Festival – Sweden, Culture Connects – Dublin, Stories in Tasca – Milan, Contesporles Festival – Majorca, Warsaw Storytelling Festival; Moscow Storytelling Festival, Norwegian Storytelling Festival, Once Upon an Island Festival – Waiheke Island, New Zealand, Singing Our Place Festival – Denmark, Racconatmiunastoria – Italy & the UAE, Cuentacuentos Festival – Chile, Kathakar Festival – India. She also toured schools in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Mexico with Dream On Productions.

British Council – Xanthe has toured with the British Council training teachers, working in Libraries and performing in Festivals including ‘Karvad storybox’ – Surajkund International Crafts Festival in Delhi, ‘Pearls Plants and People’ – UAE

Artistic Director of GuestHouse Storytellers, Xanthe programmes high quality, diverse storytelling for adults, families and schools across East Sussex funded by the Chalk Cliff Trust and supported by 18 Hours Events Hastings. www.guesthousestorytellers.com

Everyday Magic Xanthe visits London schools as part of the Everyday Magic team,’exploring, educating and entertaining through story’ www.everydaymagic.org.uk

British Museum & the Smithsonian – Xanthe has received 22 major commissions for family events and every year tours to The Smithsonian, Washington to perform ‘Shahnameh the Persian Book of Kings’ for family audiences.  https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/blog/posts/xanthe-gresham-and-the-art-of-storytelling/

Qualifications MA Oxon, Diploma in Acting Guildhall School of Music and Drama, P.G.C.E.

Xanthe fires up the children.  She takes them to a magical world, opening up Pandora’s box and unlocking the imagination.
Pascale Guychard Tate Gallery.